Unique Challenges of Winter Listings

Listing in the winter and listing in the summer are very similar tasks. Today, I’ll go over what you need to know about putting your home up for sale during this colder time of year.

Are you planning on merchandising your home for sale in the winter months?

If so, I’ve got good news. Merchandising your home for sale in the winter months is no different than doing so at any other time of year.

However, there is one common mistake people often make when listing over winter. People often forget about their yard. Even though grass is dormant, you still need to make sure your yard is clean, raked, and pristine. It’s important you still present your home as a neat and attractive one.

Since winter coincides with so many holidays, it’s natural that you may want to do a little decorating. If you do choose to have a winter or holiday display, keep it at a minimum. Don’t go overboard with seasonal decor. Decluttering and depersonalizing is still the goal, even during the holiday months.

Decluttering and depersonalizing is still the goal, even during the holiday months.

Whether you are listing in the winter or the summer, your home should look and feel open and clean.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Meet Brianna, Our Agent-in-Training!

Lance wasn’t able to film today, so I stepped in! My name is Brianna, and I’m an agent-in-training here at the Lance Woodley Real Estate Team.

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Lance wasn’t able to film the latest video, so I stepped in! My name is Brianna, and I’m an agent-in-training here at the Lance Woodley Real Estate Team. Lance is so dedicated to selling your home that he starts training agents very early.

One thing that I’ve already learned is that having an effective, efficient home-selling system sells your home fast and for top dollar. Lance even has a guaranteed sold program!

I know that if I had a house to sell, I’d be calling the Lance Woodley Team.

I know that if I had a house to sell, I’d be calling the Lance Woodley Team.

As always, if you have any questions, reach out to the pros! We’d be happy to help you with all of your real estate needs.

How a Beautiful Yard Can Impact Your Listing

If you are thinking of selling your home sometime in the future, there are certain things you can do ahead of time to make your property shine.

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If you are preparing to list your home, there are several things you can do to improve the value of your home. We all know that a beautiful house sells faster and for money.

Certain things like painting can have a big impact on your home in very little time. But one thing people tend to forget about is the yard.

A beautiful yard is just as important as a beautiful home. Unlike the quick fixes of fresh paint or new countertops, a great yard can’t happen overnight.

Making your yard shine is going to take time and effort. Still, if you take the time to mow, water, and weed your yard regularly, you are going to be left with some serious curb appeal.

There’s an old saying in real estate: The outside gets them in, and the inside sells them.

The outside gets them in, and the inside sells them.

If you put consistent effort into your home and yard long before you’re ready to sell, you will be much more prepared when it comes time to list.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How Being Local Makes a Difference in Real Estate

When it comes to real estate, the same thing doesn’t work in every area. Real estate is local, and it needs to be treated that way.

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Today I want to discuss the fact that real estate is local. 

Real estate is widely different from other products and the way they’re sold. For example, if you’re selling a box of cereal, you can put it on shelves in Los Angeles and Columbia and it’s going to meet the exact same market demand in both places. 

This isn’t the case for real estate. Real estate is going up and seeing a lot of action right now, but this wasn’t always the case. A lot of agents in the recession were struggling to find work and were taking on part-time jobs as a way to supplement their income.

I think it’s worth mentioning that here on the Lance Woodley team, we actually doubled our business during that time. 

Now that we’re doing well, a lot of agents from outside of our area are coming in thinking that real estate here will be easy. However, real estate is never easy. 

Imagine you’ve got an agent from Greenville, Charleston, or even somewhere out of state. Now, they want to try moving into the Midlands to find work here. They may have done a good job in their previous markets, but real estate isn’t the same as other products. The same thing doesn’t work for every market. 

Real estate is local.

Real estate is local. If you are looking to complete a real estate transaction, it is absolutely essential that you work with a local expert who knows the nuances of the area. Someone can’t simply move somewhere and immediately expect to have the same knowledge as an agent who is truly local. 

The Lance Woodley team has been successfully selling real estate for over 25 years in this area. If you want to sell fast and for top dollar, don’t be fooled by the new guy on the block. I highly recommend that you work with us and let us provide you with the best service possible. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

How to Downsize in 3 Easy Steps

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about downsizing as of late. Here’s what you should know about it.

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I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about downsizing, so I wanted to offer some tips for any of you who are thinking of selling your big house and moving into something a bit more manageable. Here are the first three things you should do:

1. Make a plan. We can help you with that. The difficult task here is going through all of your things and sorting them into what you’ll keep, what you’ll donate, and what you’ll throw away or get rid of. This is an important step because it plays a role in the size of the home you’re downsizing too.

A good agent makes the process so much easier.

2. Start searching. Get a feel for what you want in a home, where you want to live, and more. There are homes, townhouses, and condos to choose from. The more you look, the better you’ll be able to tell what you like and don’t like. This will help you create an even better lifestyle moving forward.

3. Getting your home ready. This is where a good agent can really help. You want to get the most out of your existing home sale, right? The best way to do that is by looking at your home and determining if there is any work that needs to be done before listing it.

These are just the first three steps to downsizing. There are plenty more that come after. If you have any questions for me about downsizing or anything else relating to real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Rules and Regulations that Affect Construction and Renovation

Should investors be able to renovate homes they purchase in historic areas? I think so, but what’s your opinion?

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An interesting thing has been happening in our real estate market lately. The city of Columbia has started putting historic overlays on certain neighborhoods that we haven’t been able to fully understand. The historic overlays prevent homeowners from improving or renovating their homes, even in the most basic ways.

In fact, I know of an investor who wasn’t even allowed to replace broken windows with rotting wood.

In my opinion, after selling thousands of new and renovated homes, property owners should have rights and one of those rights should be to repair their home.

As you can see in the video above, a lot of these properties are in very poor condition. They say this kind of home is “An example of a minimalist style that we don’t want to lose”, but I see it differently.

One property is bringing all other values down.

The fact is that for most of the homes in this neighborhood, this property represents potential. In its current condition, however, not so much. The poor condition of the home is bringing down the values of all the other bigger, nicer homes in the neighborhood.

Wouldn’t it be better if the owner of this home was allowed to tear this shack down and build a new home? Or at least renovate the home to an acceptable condition?

I want to know what your opinion is in the comment section below. Should the government have a say in what property owners can and can’t do to their homes? You already know my opinion. What is yours?

If you have any other questions for me, don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to hear from you.

Buy a Bigger Home Without Increasing Your Payment

Now is a great time to move up into a new home. If you have a lot of equity, you can actually secure a lower monthly payment.

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A lot of people want to move up into a bigger, nicer house in a better neighborhood. Maybe they want a great view, like a golf course or a lake. It can be difficult to make the numbers work. However, with the latest market increase, if you’ve been in your home for a few years you may have more equity than you think.

In fact, you might have enough equity to be able to get that new home in a nicer area while keeping the same monthly payment. If you sell your home with our advice and take the equity you’ve earned to apply as a down payment on your new home, you will see a ton of savings. 

The window of opportunity is closing.

You’ll be able to get a lower interest rate, and if you’re able to put more than 20% down with your equity, you won’t have to pay mortgage insurance either. Your payment will drop and it might even cost you less than what you are paying right now.

The window of opportunity to take advantage is closing. If you have any questions or want to know more about how you can move up easily in this market, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

2017 Quarter One Market Update

Today I wanted to update you on the state of the real estate market in the Midlands and how our first quarter turned out.

We’ve got good news. The market continues to improve, and today I want to give you some statistics from the first quarter of 2017 for you to think about.

This time last year, in the first quarter from the 1st of January to the end of March, 2,423 houses went on the market and sold. This year, the number of properties sold in the first quarter jumped up to 2,663. This is an almost 10% increase in volume.

Homes have also sold quicker this quarter than the same time last year. We’re seeing a 10% decrease in the time it takes for a home to sell this year, which is great for our market.

More houses are selling at higher prices, and they are selling closer to the asking price.

Home prices have also gone up in the Midlands this quarter compared to the first quarter of 2016. This time last year, houses were listed for an average of $179,482. This year, the average home price has gone up to $182,332. This 1.6% increase seems small, but it is a sign that the market is going in the right direction.

We’ve also noticed that the “negotiable factor,” or the amount that the average seller has to discount in a negotiation, has seen a bit of a shift as well. Last year, sellers were getting 96.75% of their list price on average. This year that average has gone up to 97.07%, which is pretty great.

More houses are selling at higher prices, and they are selling closer to the asking price. This all good news—we are going in the right direction. The Midlands is not only a great place to live, but real estate in the Midlands is a good investment as well.

If you have any other real estate questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be happy to help.

How We Can Help You Buy or Sell Anywhere in the Country

We’re part of a network of top agents that spans the entire country so we can help buyers and sellers in any area reach their goals.

As you know, our team covers the whole Midlands in South Carolina, so we can help anyone in that area buy and sell their homes effectively. 

Our ability to help you spans both coasts.

However, there’s something else you should know about us. We’re also part of a countrywide network of agents who are the No.1 or No. 2 ranked agents in their area. This means if you’re moving to another area of the country or you know someone in another part of the country that needs to buy or sell a home, you can give us a call and we’d be able to recommend you to the top agent in that area.

This will help you get the best results possible in your real estate endeavors. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help.

Why Our Service Is Even Better Than You’ve Heard

When it comes to our service, we list a wide variety of price ranges and charge competitively with 95% of the other agents in our area.

Today I want to answer a couple frequently asked questions about our service. 

The first has to do with the price ranges of the houses we sell. We’re known for marketing and selling homes in the higher price ranges, but we list a wide variety of price ranges.

We’re here to sell real estate.

We’ll list homes from $80,000 to $90,000 all the way up to $1 million or more. Our home selling system is proven, duplicatable, and backed by market research so it can be applied to all price ranges. 

The second question has to do with how much our service costs. A lot of people assume that because we do so much marketing and sell so many houses, we automatically charge a high percentage rate. That’s not true—our rate is very competitive. In fact, it’s the same rate you would get with 95% of the other agents in the area. Rates are not set by law—they’re negotiable and set by the companies. There is no extra charge to get the Lance Woodley Team on your side. 

If you or someone you know has a home to sell, give us a call today. We’re ready to sell your home.

Don’t Miss Our New Ad Airing Soon on NBC!

Today I’m proud to announce that we’ve shot a new commercial that's now airing on NBC

If you follow my video blog, you know that my team and I are the best in the business at selling homes. We try to help as many people as we can with their real estate needs, so today I’m proud to announce that we’ve shot a new commercial that's now airing on NBC, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek at it. If you have any real estate questions or are looking to buy or sell a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. In the meantime, to get a glimpse of our spot on NBC, watch this short video.

How We Want to Continue to Improve as a Company

We’re thrilled at how successful 2016 was for our team, but we never want to stop striving to serve you better. Here’s how we’ll do that this year.

Today I wanted to take a quick minute to talk about what we do as a company and our vision going forward.

Last year was a fantastic year for us, not just in the number of people we were able to help buy or sell a home and realize their goals of a better life for their families, but also in the growth and development of our team. I’ve been thrilled to see the professional development of our team members and how their lifestyles have improved because of their ability to help serve our clients.

Our system really works, but we’re not resting on our laurels.

We have a home selling system that really works, but we’re not resting on our laurels. We’ve increased our ability to do an even better job and we’ve increased our web presence because we’re students of real estate. We’ve already got the best web presence in the area, but it’s gotten even better, and the proof is in the pudding. For example, we put a house on the market just three days ago and have already received three offers. Here in the Midlands, getting multiple offers on a property in a short period of time is not common.

The main point I want to make is that our company is growing and our systems are growing. Our ability to service our clients is getting better. That’s our vision and our goal as a company—to become the best option to help you buy or sell a home.

If you or anyone you know is thinking about buying or selling a home in the Columbia market, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’d be honored to serve you!

The Truth About Our Guaranteed Sale Program

There is some confusion about how our Guaranteed Sale program works. Today, I’m here to tell you the truth about it.

Our Guaranteed Sale program is the most aggressive, most effective one in the Midlands. There is some confusion about how this program works, so I would like to clear that up today.

We can guarantee your sale.

Recently, someone claimed that agents who use Guaranteed Sale programs only offer 50% of the home’s market value. That is not the case. 

If you use our Guaranteed Sale program and we somehow don’t manage to sell your home, then we will pay you 90% of the home’s true market value. We are so confident in our selling program, which focuses on marketing, merchandising, and pricing, that we can guarantee the sale of your house. 

If you have any other questions about this program or about the home selling process, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Who Benefits Most From the 2016 Market Upswing in Columbia?

How did the market improve in 2016? The Columbia area has been on an upswing for the last four years, but 2016 was an exceptional year for real estate. Here's what that means for you.

Today I wanted to give you a quick comparison of the 2015 and 2016 markets here in Columbia. How did the market change?

This great news is that as we suspected, the market is on a rebound. We've seen increases in the market for about four years in a row now. Without getting too complicated, let's take a look at how the market improved last year.

In 2015, we had 16,424 properties active on the market for sale, and 10,290 sold. In 2016, there were 16,508 properties on the market for sale, and 11,483 of them sold and closed. That's good for a 9% increase in volume off of almost the exact same amount of listings, and that's great. 

The big question everyone wants to know about is price. Are homes growing in value again?

Yes!

In 2015, the average home in the Midlands sold for $180,568, and in 2016, the average home sold for $189,641. That's a 9.5% increase in price, which is fantastic for the Midlands. In this area when we're doing well, we usually expect a 3% or 4% appreciation rate, and to have an appreciation rate pushing 10% is incredible! 

To see appreciation pushing 10% in 2016 is simply incredible in our market.

Going forward in 2017, we're looking for a lot of good things. The year started with a bang thanks to a lot of properties going under contract and a lot of homes coming on the market. As always, the properties that follow a good sales regimen will sell faster and for more money.

I hope this news makes you as happy as it makes me! If you're interested in learning more about your home's value in our market, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.