Many of you may be struggling with the decision of whether to list your Charlottesville farm for sale now or whether to wait until spring.  I realize that there is a lot of uncertaincy right now.  In my personal business the reality is that I have seen an increase in business over the past several weeks.  Of course this discussion is based on the assumption that you have a desire or need to sell in the near future.  If this is not the case then you may want to make the decission to wait until there is a shift in the market.

There are several factors that support the decision to list at this time.  To begin with, while we have a lot of inventory on the market now, these numbers will only increase in the spring when all of the people who are waiting will add their homes to the market.  

One of the strongest points for listing now are interest rates.  They are amazingly low and could very well be going lower.  If you list now, you can catch the buyers jumping into the market to take advantage of those low rates.  Also, you will be able to take advantage of those same rates when you buy.

Yes there may be fewer buyers at this time of year, but if someone is out looking at homes over the holidays they are usually motivated buyers.  There will be fewer lookers, but a higher percentage of those lookers will be buyers.

If you believe that we are not at the bottom yet, then home prices may have fallen further by spring.  Does it make sense to wait and sell at a lower price?  I have not seen any predections that support a model calling for higher home prices by spring.  As a seller this may work to your advantage when you buy.  You may end up getting less for your home, but this could even out with the opportunity for you to buy your new home at a great price.  These savings could work out especially well if you are buying up with the low interest rates.

Christopher and Stephanie Sommers have written an excellent blog post discussing the pros of listing your home now.  They are real estate professionals serving the Philadelphia market.  The points in their well written post apply equally well in our market.

If you do decide to sell at this time, remember that it is important to price your home well and to have it in as good condition as possible.  You will want to make sure that your home is the one that buyers want to see.  A key step is to hire an agent with a strong internet presence.   Afterall if over 85% of homebuyers are beginning their search on line, that is where your home needs to be.

Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Central Virginia homes, farms, events and real estate.

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This week we have been hearing the buzz in the news about the government plan to bring interest rates down to 4.5% in order to prompt home buying and ease the housing crisis.  Does this mean that you should take advantage of the new rates and buy that new home?  The Wall Street Journal discusses the pros and cons of buying a new home with the lower rates.

While the drop in interest rates will translate to a major reduction in your monthly mortgage payment, it may not make sense for you at this time to use this reduction to buy up into a larger home.  Homeowners need to be careful that they do not use the rate reduction as an excuse to buy more home than they can actually afford.  Instead it may be smarter to downsize into a more affordable home with lower payments, particularly if you are unsure about your job security.

The Central Virginia real estate market offers many opportunities to downsize and take advantage of the lowering interest rates.  In addition to lower payments a smaller home will also offer reduced energy and maintenence costs.  If you would like to explore how this option might work for you,  give me a call and we can look together at what Charlottesville area homes are available that could suit your needs and lower your expenses at the same time. 

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  The state of Virginia and Charlottesville are focusing on ways to become more environmantally  friendly.  Last week the Virginia Commission on Climate Change announced the finalization of a plan for the state to reduce global warming by 25 percent during the next 12 years.

During the coming week across the nation localities will participate in Local Climate Action Week.  The focus will be on persuading the federal government to give money to support local areas efforts to reduce climate change.  Read more to learn about the week's events in Charlottesville.

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Open House – Sunday December 7, 1:00-4:00 pm

5 Patriot Lane, Lake Monticello, Palmyra, VA

Don't miss the chance to see this well maintained home that offers so much space for the money!

3 bedroom, 3 full bath, 1960 finished sq ft and 728 for you to finish.  All for only $220,000

directions from the main gate at Lake Monticello.  right on Jefferson.  left on Possum, right on Patriot.  home on the left.

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Many homeowners have opted to remodel their existing home rather than buy up into a new home.  However since they may still be planning to sell in the future it is important to them that their remodel brings a good financial return.  In addition some homeowners are viewing the remodel as a means to spruce their home up for sale with the hope of getting a better price and making their older home more desirable in today's market.  According to NAR studies many exterior remodeling projects such as new siding or adding a deck bring a higher return than a lot of interrior remodels such as a new kitchen. For more details read what Inman News has to say in their recent article about remodeling returns.

In the Charlottesville real estate market you will see many resale homes on the market that have had upgrades and renovations.  While these homes will not always bring a higher price than comparable Charlottesville homes on the market, coupled with a good location, they will usually be the one to sell.

  Contact

, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161, pam@JumpintoGreenerPastures.com, to list your property for sale or to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Troy, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.

To view all of the Charlottesville, Virginia and Central Virginia Homes for Sale click here and click on the mls search button.

Visit my website  Jump into Greener Pastures or read my other blog Charlottesville Real Estate Talk  for more information on Charlottesville homes, farms, events and real estate.

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