Tag: Home Seller Tips

What buyers notice about your home

Savvy buyers and real estate agents have a knack for sizing up a home within moments of arriving at your home. If you are ready to sell your home and want your home to look its best, what is important to do before putting your home on the market?

According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2025, the number one thing to do to prepare your home for sale is home staging. Eighty three percent of home buyer’s agents say a staging home is easier for buyers to picture themselves in. Seller’s agents report that staging reduces the time on the market. A quick sale is certainly appealing for most sellers.

Clean and smelling fresh

Beyond home staging, here are things that buyers and agents spot the minute they open the door of your home. One of the first things they notice is how the home smells. This is before they notice the layout or paint colors. Buyers can forget a lot of things, but they do not forget the way a home smells. The fix is not air freshener. They often signal that something is being covered up. A clean neutral scent is best.

Let in the light

Another thing that buyers and their agents notice is how much natural light fills the home. Bright, airy rooms feel larger and more inviting. Dark interiors have a tendency to make buyers uneasy and question the homes energy efficiency. Open the curtains, take down heavy drapes and let the light shine in. Another thing to do, that is frequently overlooked, is to replace light bulbs and add brighter bulbs before the home goes on the market.

Clear the clutter

Clutter and personal items filing a home are both a quick turn off for buyers. These things make it difficult for the buyer to imagine themselves living their own life in the space. This is also the reason why it is important to remove personal photos. This is the single highest-return task a seller can do. It costs nothing but some time and transforms how a home shows.

Clean floors

While looking buyer are quick to look at the condition of the floors in a home. Scratched hardwoods, stained carpets and cracked tiles jump out immediately. Flooring is the largest visible surface in a room. The condition of the flooring can set the stage for the home to show well and look well maintained, if the flooring is in good condition. Flooring that needs attention can shift the buyer’s perception of the property. Also, buyers know that replacing flooring can be expensive and time consuming. Making sure the flooring in the homes is in good condition is an important investment that pays off.

Most important rooms

Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. Buyers often head straight to the kitchen to see what it looks like. Grease build up on the range hood, cluttered counters and outdated appliances with a bit of grime, will show the buyer how well the rest of the home has been maintained. Something as simple as clean countertops create a sense of spaciousness that photographs well and feels welcoming in person. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2025 staging report found that the living room, primary bedroom and kitchen are the three most important rooms buyers are the most concerned about. These rooms are the most important rooms to make sure they look good and are appealing to buyers.

Preparing your home for sale does not cost a lot of money. Spending time or money to have the home professionally cleaned and de-cluttered can make all of the difference. A clean home can also provide that fresh, clean smell that buyers like. Remember when preparing a home for sale to focus the most attention on the important rooms that buyers care most about. These rooms are the living room, primary bedroom and the kitchen. Talk to your agent about staging your home to ensure that it appeals to the most buyers. Then relax and start planning to move.

Renovate or relocate

If you have thought about moving lately, you have probably also considered not moving. Many sellers have a wonderful, low interest rate on their home loan. That combined with the high cost of homes can be reason enough to stay put and fix up what you have. How do you decide what is right for you? Do you move or do you stay?

Everybody is doing it

According to a recent survey that was published by Redfin, more than 2 in 5 homeowners say that they have renovated their home in the past year. Another third are planning to renovate in the next year. However, even with all of this renovation occurring there is cautious consumer spending at the home improvement stores. What is happening? Home improvement stores are seeing a slowing of the demand for the big ticket remodeling. This type of renovations typically occur when there is a home turnover. So, with more people choosing not to move, the renovations that are occurring are smaller. For example, the renovation may be as simple as fresh paint and new light fixtures. Home owners are not doing the kitchen or bath remodel.

Little things can make a big impact

If you are trying to decide whether to renovate or relocate what type of renovations should you consider doing? Perhaps the best renovations to do are low budget, relatively modest projects. The type of project that is a cosmetic improvement. These small improvements can help you enjoy your space while you live there. They can also help your home show better and compete in the market when you decide to sell. The goal is make your home more comfortable and better suited to you. Remember, these small things will not necessarily make your home worth significantly more money when it is time to sell. Be realistic on your return on investment.

Big improvements vs. cosmetic

If you are feeling like the little improvements are just not enough to make you happy in your home, you should consult a realtor. Explore what you can afford and see if those homes, in your price range, make you happier. When you are wanting to do more than cosmetic repairs on your home it is time to really evaluate whether it makes sense to renovate or move. Renovations don’t deliver a full return on investment. Some add value. Some make a home easier to sell. But few give a dollar for dollar payback.

A recent survey showed that 65% of homeowners are choosing to renovate instead of move. These homeowners are typically taking on the smaller projects. These can be a practical way to improve your home without the added cost and headache of moving. Before you commit to any big renovation project be sure to consult with your realtor. Then you can get a clear picture of your options and learn how renovations might impact your home’s value. With all of this information you can make the right decision based on your goals and the numbers.

Can You Trust AI for Real Estate Advice?

People are turning to AI for just about anything that you can think of. They are using it to help with awkward conversations. People are using AI to figure out strange health symptoms. To decide if it is worth a call to the doctor or a trip to urgent care. If only seems natural that people would also use AI when buying and selling real estate. Can you trust AI for real estate advice? AI can be a very useful tool. It can give you a general idea of how the real estate process works. It can help you understand terminology. But AI has its limitations. AI may not always give you accurate information.

There’s a story circulating on the internet. A well known celebrity used AI for guidance during real estate negotiations of a real estate contract. AI told the seller that he was accepting an offer that was too low. The buyer, in this negotiation also consulted AI. They were told that they were paying too much. Both can not be right! In this situation, the agents involved were able to step in and educate buyer and seller about the local market. That specific information was helpful in bringing the parties back to negotiations. Buyer and seller were able to make a deal. The correct, specific information on the local real estate market made the difference.

Should you trust AI?

Very few people actually trust AI, yet many still follow it’s advice. Fifty eight percent of people admit AI has influenced their opinions. Thirty two percent of people say that hey do not fully understand how AI generates its answers. But even with all of this skepticism many people still rely on the confident sounding answers from AI over a trusted, verified source.

How important is AI information?

This makes for a tricky situation. If you don’t understand how something works, it becomes very hard to recognize when it might be providing wrong information. AI is able to provide an answer in an authoritative manner. This makes AI information very easy to accept at face value. So how do you decide when and whether to use AI? It comes down to, use AI. Ask it questions. Also ask advice from friends and family. But at the end of the day, make sure that you have an agent that you like and trust. That agent can help you weigh the information that you have received. Then you can make confident decisions that work for you specific situation.

Seller’s Concessions in Home Sales

As a home seller you have options when deciding how to market your property. One of the options that you have is offering concessions to make your property more attractive to buyers.

What is a seller’s concession in a home sale and how do concessions work? A seller’s concession is when the seller pays for a certain cost that is typically a buyers cost. When a seller does this it can make their property more attractive to a buyer. Concessions can also help to make home buying more affordable for a buyer. For example, the seller could pay $5,000 for the buyer to buy down the interest rate on the buyers loan. The seller could also agree to pay for the buyers loan closing costs. The seller should be specific on the dollar figure that they will pay towards these costs.

Concessions help buyers

How do seller’s concessions work? Concessions can be advertised upfront or negotiated as a part of the home purchase agreement. In a written offer, the buyer will request a specific amount that will be credited to the buyer at closing. The buyer needs to know they will be receiving a credit on their settlement sheet at closing, not a check. The sellers concession will be a cost to the seller on their settlement sheet.

Not all concessions are helpful

Concessions can make the home more affordable with the buyer using them to buy down the interest rate. The sellers concession can also pay loan closing costs. Another possible concession is to make the home more attractive to a buyer. This can be in the from of a dollar figure towards replacement of carpet, as an example. This concession may not help a seller sell their home. When a buyer sees a credit for carpet replacement in MLS, it gives the buyer a negative impression. This impression is before the buyer has ever even looked at the home. The buyer can wonder what else is wrong with the home. This may lead to fewer showings with buyers ruling out a home they perceive needs work.

Sellers should know there’s a limit to the amount that can be offered as a concession to a buyer getting a loan. When planning a concession credit to a specific buyer, it is wise to speak with the buyers lender first. The lender can address the verbiage to appear in the contract and the total amount that can be provided.

Sellers can use sellers concessions to make their home more affordable and more attractive to buyers. A sellers concession maybe more affect than a price reduction. The concession could make it possible for a buyer to buy a home they might not otherwise to able to afford. Sellers should talk with their agent to weigh options and develop a strategy that can get their home sold.

Is selling over asking still possible?

Sellers out there, that are thinking of selling their home, are wondering the answer to this question. When a seller lists their home for sale, they would like a flurry of activity and multiple offers. They would also love those multiple offers to push the price above the asking price of their home. It wasn’t so long ago that this was not just wishful thinking. Sellers were experiencing this reality. So, is selling over asking still possible?

Pandemic market

Data from June of 2025 showed that just 28% of homes were selling over asking price. That number was the lowest for spring buying since 2020. We all remember just after 2020, with buyers offering tens of thousands of dollars over asking price and sometimes still not being the winning offer. That was the pandemic market. The market now has cooled.

Strategy needed

Twenty eight percent of homes were selling over asking price in the summer of 2025, now the market has cooled further. Data now is showing 15% of homes, in Colorado, are selling for over asking in 2026. Getting a home to sell for over asking price does not happen by accident. It takes preparation and strategy. There is still not guarantee, but a seller can increase their odds of being a home that stands out. But how is a seller to increase their odds?

Price right

Sellers can increase their odds of an over asking price offer by pricing their home right from the beginning. Homes that are selling over asking price have one big thing in common. They were priced right from the start. Overpricing is a surefire way to get less than a seller may have otherwise. An overpriced home can be a turn offer for buyers. Choosing a price based on what the neighbors house sold for last year or what the seller NEEDS to get is a perfect way to miss out on serious buyers. Sellers need to connect with an agent who is knowledgable and willing to tell them what they need to know, not what the seller wants to hear.

Buyers are well informed

Today’s buyers well informed and have access to information. Buyers today have seen the data and they have read the reports. They have a tendency to be more analytical than buyers of the past. Buyers will recognize when a home is priced appropriately. They will jump and make a strong offer in order not to lose the home they want. The key is to find that sweet spot that makes buyers feel like they cannot afford to lose this house.

Anther key thing for sellers to keep in mind, in this market, is that every serious buyer deserves your attention. Every offer needs to be appreciated. As a seller, it is easy to feel let down if an offer comes in at asking price, instead of above. When that happens, keep in mind that these are real buyers that want to buy the home. They have put an offer on paper. Brushing offer an offer, because it is not over asking can lead to a missed opportunity and more time on the market.

Every path to a seller, selling their home looks different than it might have a year ago. Sellers need to not lose sight of the goal. It is to sell the home smoothly and for a fair price, given today’s conditions. The market may have shifted, but buyers are still out there ready to buy when the right home comes on the market.

Welcome to 2026

Welcome to 2026. Fall 2025 was an interesting one for real estate in Northern Colorado, well all of 2025 was interesting. Last year brought us one of the strongest buyers markets we have seen in a long time. Many were saying it was the strongest buyers market in over seven years. Sellers wanting or needing to sell in in the market had to do more than price their home right. Often, the only way to get a buyer to write a contract on the home was to price below comparable sales and offer closing costs too. Buyers in the market in the fall of 2025 did not feel the sense of urgency. The buyers looking to buy were showing they wanted to feel like they were getting a deal. If the home was not a deal, they would continue to look.

Lack of urgency

The lack of urgency from buyers explained why homes were sitting on the market longer. This also explained why price reductions across all price ranges were common. Interest rates for mortgages remained stubbornly steady in the 6.25% to the 6.5% range. Some buyer had the mindset that the rate for a mortgage should be below 6%. If they were there, they were going to wait until they did drop to that point. The feds adjusting short term interest rates can have little affect on mortgage rates. However, buyers feel that if he feds reduce rates, it means that mortgage rates should fall too.

Supply and demand

As we start the new year in Larimer and Weld counties, we have approximately 1,200 active, listings on the market, per county. It is important to compare that number to get an understanding of what that number means. In 2022, inventory in Northern Colorado was at an all time low. We were seeing only 350 active, available homes for sale, in each county. As an additional comparison, we were in the financial crisis of 2008, we had double the number of homes for sale that we do now. So we have inventory climbing but still much lower than in the peak of the mortgage crisis. We seem to be sitting right in the middle. The most important things is demand. It does not matter how much is on the market, as much as it matter what the demand is for what is there.

Predictions

Beginning in January or starting in March, we will be moving into what is typically our strongest demand time of year. It will be interesting to see what buyer behavior will be for 2026. Homes in many price ranges were selling at 97 to 98% if asking price in December of 2025. As demand picks up this spring what should we expect? Zillow is projecting just over a one percent increase in median prices nationally, over the next year. The National Association of Realtors is predicting over two percent increase in median prices. These are modest national projections. Northern Colorado does not always follow national trends. We should expect as we move into the new year that prices will start to climb, January through June. Then as demand slows prices have tendency to slow their movement upward. This is based on historical data.

2026 is a new year filled with questions and predictions. We will all have to wait and see what will really happen.

Smart Timing

Selling a house is a complex journey. The process of selling a home can be filled with though decisions and uncertainty. One of the most important decisions that you will make is determining the right price for your home. If you do not get an offer right away and your home is not attracting the activity that you hoped, what should you do? It is natural to wonder when it is time to lower the price. Smart timing will be important.

Understand the market

Before you lower the price, it will be important to understand the local housing market. That includes the location of your home and how it might affect the price. Other things that can affect the sale of your home are current economic conditions and lastly the season of the year. These conditions can significantly influence your home’s selling price. It will be important to have your agent compare your home to other homes that have recently sold that are similar. Make sure that you notice the days on the market for these homes and the final sales price. Also notice the different between the asking price and the final sales price. Once you have that information, when do you decide that it is time to reduce the price?

What are signs?

What are the signs that you may need to adjust your price? One thing that could show that it is time to reduce the price is a lack of showings. If you home is getting little to no interest, this could mean that buyers are rejecting the home before seeing it in person. Also if you are having showings and feedback is negative about the price, it is clear your home is viewed as over priced.

When you compare your home to other homes on the market, how does it stack up? It is important to know both what has recently sold and what your competition looks like. If similar homes are under contract , priced below you are if other homes have sold for less, you need to get competitive in the market in order to sell. The best way is to reduce the price of your home.

Another thing to consider is how long you have been on the market. If it has been several weeks or even months without an offer, it is time to consider lowering the price. A common rule of thumb is a price change should be considered after 30 to 45 days on the market without an offer. Generally the longer a home sits unsold the less attractive it is to buyers.

Decided when to to lower your price and how much is an important part of the process of selling your home. It is important to understand market conditions, signs that indicate a need for a price adjustment. Selling a home is a significant decision. Making informed decisions taking into account smart timing along the way will help you achieve the best outcome.

Sell it or rent it

So, it is fall and you have had your home on the market all summer. You are left wondering, do I continue to try to sell or should I just rent out the home. When a home does not sell as quickly as expected, it is tempting to think, I could just rent it. That idea is becoming more common among sellers that have a low interest rate mortgage on a home that they are trying to sell. The numbers may work for them to rent out the property. They could perhaps even have a positive cash flow if they do. But there is more to look at than just a positive cash flow.

Look at the whole picture

Before you decide that renting is the way to go, you should look at the whole picture. There are some important questions to ask before you decide to become a landlord.

Are you ready to be a landlord?

  1. Are you ready to become a landlord? Collecting rental income and building wealth with someone else paying the mortgage is appealing. But what about the 2:00 am call that there is a problem with the water heater? There is also the issue of finding tenants and collecting the rent. Even if you decide to use a property management company, this does not mean that you can have a completely hands off experience.
  2. Does the property work as a rental? Not every home is cut out to be a rental. Location, condition and maintenance costs all matter. As the owner of the home, you know it better than anyone. Do you have looming repairs? Can you manage those repairs from far away or trust that a property management company will handle them the way that you want? Is the property too large to be a rental or in a location that no one would want to drive to? All of these should be considered before you turn a home into a rental.
  3. Do the numbers add up when looking at all of the costs involved in holding on to the property? Look seriously at all of the costs. There will be the house payment, maintenance costs, advertising and management of the property. There is also the possibility of vacancy and no rent being collected. When all of this is taken into account, do you have a positive cash flow on the property? If the answer is no, can you budget to comfortably add the difference each month? There is also the consideration of insurance costs. Insurance will be more expensive on a rental than an owner occupied property. You should also look at tax ramifications.

Re-evaluate your strategy

If you are considering renting out a property because it has not sold, it may be time to reevaluate your selling strategy. Sometimes all it takes is a price adjustment or some fresh photos or a change in marketing. Renting out a property can be a smart, long-term strategy, but it is not the best fall back position that it may seem. If you are not sure what to do, discuss with your real estate agent and make a plan to reach your goals.

What is a seller to do in today’s market

You are a seller and you have felt the market softening. What is your best approach to get your home sold? What should you do to stay competitive and a avoid sitting on stale listing? Remember that it is still a solid time to sell your home. Here are some suggestions to get your home sold in the market today.

Price realistically

Prepare your home

One of the most important things that you can do to sell your home in today’s market is to price your home realistically. Gone are the days when you could aggressively overprice your home and you will still get an instant bidding war. Today it is important to price your home right. That does not mean price it in hopes of having room to negotiate. Inventory is rising and that room to negotiate may mean the difference between getting an offer and sitting on the market.

Another way to make sure your home sells is to prepare your home for sale. Buyers are drawn to home that are move in ready and clean. The basics matter. Be sure that you have your home staged with quality, professional photos and you have curb appeal. A strong first impression can really bring a quick offer.

Know your market

Because our market is a bit soft, it is very important to know your market. In some price ranges and some neighborhoods, homes are still moving fast. In others, they linger. Make sure that your agent knows the market and can educate you on what to expect and can help you navigate the nuances of the market. Make sure your agent has enough experience that they have seen this type of market before. Then let your agent be your guild for pricing, marketing and timing strategies.

Don’t panic

Just because buyers are gaining some leverage, this does not mean that as a seller you are at a disadvantage. Adjusting to this new reality does not mean giving up value. Well prepared, fairly priced homes are still selling. The market is not suddenly favoring buyers. The reality is more nuanced. We have had a strong sellers market since 2016. Today the market is more of a transitional market. Sellers need to adjust expectations. It is not realistic that you will get multiple offers that push the value over asking price.

Whether you are buying or selling do not count on the headlines to provide you with an accurate picture of the real estate market in your area. Contact an agent that can educate you on local trends and understand the intricacies of your specific market.

Is it a buyer’s market?

When it is time to buy or sell an important question to answer is who holds the power in the market. Today, after years of a strong sellers market with sellers calling the shots and getting what they want, the tide is turning. Homes for sale are staying on the market longer and price reductions are more common. Sometimes sellers are even offering incentives, like help buying down the interest rate for the buyer on their loan. That would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago.

Still if you are a buyer or a seller do not expect a full reversal when you step into the market today. Certainly price points are leaning more in favor of the buyers than other price ranges. It is important to talk to your agent about the market in your price range.

What is a buyer’s market?

In simple terms, a buyer’s market occurs when the number of homes for sale exceeds the number of active buyers. It is a simple shift in supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand buyers have more choices, more room to negotiate and more time to make a decision. Another way to describe this is there is a high inventory of homes for sale.

What are other indicators of a buyer’s market?

Another sign of a buyers market is slower sales. The number of days on the market is increasing for sellers. The average days on the market now is a median of 51 days. That is longer than one year ago. This is advantageous for buyers because they have time to look and consider their choices.

Price drops are another indicator of a buyers market. With more competition and slower sales, sellers are starting to cut prices to stay in the game. Nearly one in five homes had a price reduction last month. The highest rate since at least 2016.

More motivated sellers can also provide concessions. These concessions can be for a rate buy down, closing costs or because the seller did not replace the carpet and is offering a carpet allowance. All of these indicators show that sellers are no longer in complete control of the market. Most agents working in today’s market would describe our market in Northern Colorado as a buyer friendly market. Buyers that are patient, strategic and ready to negotiate just might get a deal.

Whether you are a buyer or a seller it is important that you are informed. Do not rely on the headlines. Consult with an experienced agent to educate you on what to expect. Then you will know how to best navigate today’s market.