Can You Still Sell Your Home in the Winter?

You missed the chance to sell in the spring and summer markets, but is it too late to sell in the winter? Find out today.

If you missed your shot at selling your home in the spring and summer markets, can you still sell in the winter? Here’s what the numbers say:

This time of year, we do have a lot fewer homes for sale. I don’t have a crystal ball for this coming winter, but in the past, we’ve had up to 50% fewer homes on the market in the winter than in other seasons. This means you’ll have less competition from other sellers, so maybe that’s a good reason to consider selling in the fall/winter. There are also fewer buyers this time of year, but only between 10% and 15% fewer.

In the past, we’ve had up to 50% fewer homes on the market in the winter.

So, you do the math: If there are half as many homes in the winter market than in other times of the year and only 15% fewer buyers, do you think the winter market is a good time to sell? I absolutely do! Interest rates are still down and the buyers are out there.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

You know you live in Atlanta when….

Friends, Clients, and Fellow ATLiens: 

Today I’d like to take a break from real estate to talk about something only us Atlantans will understand.

Whether you’re an Atlanta native or a transplant to the city, you know the A is one of a kind. But, between us ATLiens, not everything about living here is so “peachy.”

By now, you’ve probably figured out that I’m talking about our traffic. Because, let’s be honest: If there’s anything Atlantans love to hate, it’s the fact that rush “hour” lasts all day—nevermind the fact that stop signs are basically just suggestions.

Between this and the fact that a single raindrop can induce city-wide panic, driving even just a few blocks can take all afternoon. It’s no wonder so many people like to say that Atlanta is just an hour-long drive from Atlanta.

But no matter how much taking the interstate, the highway, or Peachtree (the only real three options around here) drives you crazy, you do it anyway because the only thing worse than driving in Atlanta is taking public transport in Atlanta.

The good news is that our traffic gives us a lot of extra free time to think—even if most of that thinking is about how to get away with vehicular homicide.

It’s truly amazing how fast Southern Hospitality goes out the window when ATLiens get behind the wheel—almost as fast as we could all be driving if we lived somewhere else.

As much as we complain, though, we know that our apocalypse-level traffic is a small price to pay for living in the slice of Heaven that is Atlanta. And, as your local ATLien Realtor, I’m always here for you, whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home or just to talk about the latest bridge collapse. After all, if there’s anything we spend more time doing than sitting in traffic, it’s talking about Atlanta traffic.

Speaking of which: What Atlanta traffic stories do you have? I’d love to hear about them; so reach out anytime. And as always, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email for any of your real estate needs. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Your friend,

Melida Potts

Balancing Your Home’s Price & Your Agent’s Commission

What is the right price for your home, and what is a fair commission? We’ll discuss both questions today.

Many sellers come to me saying that they want to find an agent who will help them sell their home for a high price at a low commission. Obviously, no one wants to sell their home for a low price and pay a high commission!

Here’s the issue, though: An agent or company that is willing to put homes on the market for low commission at any price doesn’t really intend to sell your property; they’re using it as bait to attract buyers so they can then sell them something else. The longer your home is on the market with them, the better off they are.

It’s a far smarter decision to put your home on the market at the right price as determined by comparable sales and at a fair commission to the agent. 

If you’re wondering what is the right price for your home or what a fair commission rate is, reach out to me. I’d be glad to give you an honest answer about the value of your home and the commission rate I tend to charge. I hope to hear from you soon!