The Dallas Business Journal released the 2011 Top Residential Real Estate Brokerage List on March 23, 2012. RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs ranked number 15 in 2011 with 1134 closed sides and over $270 million in sales.
RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs agents averaged 14.9 sides and $3.55 million in sales volume per agent. Among the national brands in the Metroplex, RE/MAX agents outproduce all other brands by a 3 to 1 margin.
Tom and Gina Branch, The Branch Team, closed 112 sides with a total sales volume of over $17 million.
Source: Dallas Business Journal, March 23-29, 2012, Page 14
I’m often amazed at the things sellers unknowingly do to make selling their homes more difficult.
I was scheduling showings for a buyer today. We have 9 properties to view and we are starting at noon. The order was set and showings were scheduled through our showing service.
About 2 hours after I set them all up, I get a call from the showing service. The last home of the day wants us to move our showing. The want us to show it before 12:30 or after 3:30 as their baby naps every day between these hours. Sadly I was not able to accommodate their request and simply did not show the property. I was not willing to rearrange an entire showing schedule and change 8 other showings to accommodate one seller.
If you are a seller, please let your agent know about these types of scheduling issues. The agent can add remarks to the MLS so agents working with buyers are aware of these issues prior to scheduling an entire day. You cannot expect agents to rearrange their schedules around a single showing. It takes time to lay out routes and schedule showings.
Buyers are moving quickly on homes lately so make it easy to show your home. If you have a unique situation, ask your agent adds it to the MLS.
There is an alarming trend among many buyers of real estate these days. We’re seeing more and more people who want to “place bids” rather than to “make offers” on a home.
Real estate is not eBay. While some real estate is sold in an auction format, the vast majority of sales are not. I realize that in some markets buyers are in full control given the volume of short sales and foreclosures, but in many places the markets are balanced and in some places there are seller’s markets.
In the north Dallas suburbs, there is a severe shortage of good properties under $150k. Last weekend I was out with some first time homebuyers who had been looking for weeks. We found a home the first day it was on the market. By day 3 there were multiple offers and my clients actually had to offer more than list price in order to secure the contract. It’s a seller’s market for good homes under $150k.
I’ve seen buyers totally upset when their low “bid” was not countered while a more reasonable offer was negotiated and accepted. That’s not to say that a lower offer is not appropriate at times such as with an overpriced property. However, throwing in a bid at 70 percent of market value on a hot property is usually a waste time.
Many investors use this approach but don’t really care if hundreds are rejected while they look for the one seller who will sell at that price. The average home buyer will quickly become frustrated using this method.
Many of our younger buyers have grown up bidding online and to some extent bidding has become part of America’s landscape. While I suspect this trend will continue in consumer goods, I don’t think it will last in the housing market and certainly does not apply to seller’s markets.
My advice is to know what kind of market you’re looking in and use an appropriate strategy rather than always going in with a “bidding” strategy.
This 4 bedroom, 3 and 1 half bath, 3186 square foot, Highland home is ready for new owners. Lots of space including a study, formal dining and game room. Located in Reid Farm, this home offers easy access to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Click on any of the photos for a larger view.
Imagine yourself cooking or entertaining in the gourmet island kitchen. All of the upper cabinets has glass doors for an elegant look. The island also hosts a breakfast bar. Lots of storage space!
The large family room has built-ins and a wood burning fireplace. The wall of windows overlooks lush backyard.
The oversized master suite has plenty of room for a king-size bed with room to spare. The bow-window overlooks the backyard while the French Doors lead to the master bath.
The master bath has dual vanities, a garden tub perfect for soaking. and a separate shower. There is a large walk-in closet and a linen closet.
The upstairs game room has hardwood floors and easily accommodates a standard-size pool table. Notice the overhead shelving that encompasses the room, and the windows that overlook the back yard.
The fenced back yard offers plenty of privacy and the patio is perfect for enjoying your morning coffee or entertaining guests.
I bumped into a couple I know today. They know we’re Plano real estate agents and asked about listing their home. They were struggling with the timing. Do they list now or wait until the spring?
Traditional thinking is that the March-April timeframe is the best time to list a home. Since there are lots of buyers out looking, it’s a good time to be listed. While I agree with the basic thought, off-season listing can be more effective.
While there are not as many buyers out looking this time of year, the inventory of homes also drops dramatically. Sellers are pulling their homes from the market for the holidays with the intention of putting them back on in the spring.
New listings in the off-season have less competition and while there are fewer buyers, those who are out looking are usually serious about buying a home.
Think of it as Economics 101. While demand is lower, the supply of available homes is also down. Many of the listings that are on the market are vacant or distressed. You can take advantage of this by making sure your home is properly staged and show-ready. You only get one chance to make that first impression.
Handing over the keys is one of the best parts of working with home buyers. It’s the culmination of weeks or months of work. We work hard to make sure each client has a great buying experience.
“We were out-of-town Buyers with no local contacts and picked The Branch Team after a computer search. From the first time I spoke with Tom I had the utmost confidence in his capabilities and knowledge of current market conditions. Over the course of the Looking / Buying phases he demonstrated the highest level of professionalism and represented our interests very conscientiously. He has tremendous contacts and local contractors that we have taken advantage of and have recommended that our daughter select Tom to represent her when she becomes a Seller.”
Ridgeview Ranch is a master planned golf course development of about 885 homes located in the heart of north Plano. The community consists of four distinct communities – The Villages at Ridgeview Ranch, The Estates of Ridgeview Ranch, The Manors at Ridgeview Ranch, and Ridgeview Ranch West. Community amenities include two pools, a fitness center, playgrounds, parks, and the Ridgeview Ranch Golf Course. The original homebuider for the development was Centex Homes.
August 2011 Statistics:
Status:
Active – 14
Contingent – 1
Under Option – 2
Pending Sales – 3
Sold – 2
Solds
Average sales price per square foot – $86.62
Average Days on Market – 28.5 Days
August was a relatively slow month for real estate in the north Dallas area in general. With daily temperatures over 100 degrees, people were not out looking at homes. What the numbers do show is that homes that show well and are priced right continue to sell in any market.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Gina Branch with RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender.
Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan. If you stop paying your mortgage, you could lose your
home and damage your credit rating.
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