In today’s selling market in the Asheville NC area, it may be time to re-evaluate your strategy.  A couple of things to look at.  Are you aggressively marketing your home on the internet? Over 90% of potential buyers will be checking out your property on the internet first.  Do the pictures of your home show it off to its full splendor? Are all the lights and lamps on in the pictures? Can you see the view out of the windows? Is the virtual tour full of home and neighborhood pictures? This is very important in the Asheville NC area as so many of our buyers come from out of State and it is hard then for them to get an idea of what is around and about the home. Does your home have it’s own URL – luxuryhomeAVL.com or the like so that people can be easily guided to your home? If you have ever tried to find a listing on anyone’s real estate website you know how frustrating this can be. Buy your own domain for $10 or less!

Showing guidelines are often overlooked and extremely important in this market. Buyer agents have lots of homes to show, and if you put any hurdles in the way of showing, agents are simply less likely to put your home on the list. 24 hour notice, appointment only, this is great in a sellers’ market – however in this market, you need to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to view your home. They may be going home to Florida tomorrow, having put a contract on the home the next on the list. More selling ideas

7 Terms to Watch for in a Purchase Contract

1. The closing date. See if the date the buyer wants to take title is reasonable for you.

2. Date of possession. See if the date the buyer wants to move in is reasonable for you.

3. The earnest money. Look for the largest earnest-money deposit possible; since it is forfeited if the buyer backs out, a large deposit is usually a good indication of a sincere buyer.

4. Fixtures and personal property. Check the list of items that the buyer expects to remain with the property and be sure it’s acceptable.

5. Repairs. Determine what the requested repairs will cost and whether you’re willing to do the work or would rather lower the price by that amount.

6. Contingencies. See what other factors the buyer wants met before the contract is final—inspections, selling a home, obtaining a mortgage, review of the contract by an attorney. Set time limits on contingencies so that they won’t drag on and keep your sale from becoming final.

7. The contract expiration date. See how long you have to make a decision on the offer.