Market Update

The housing market is recovering. As more home buyers are taking advantage of the improved affordability conditions. With mortgage rates hovering around recent record lows and home prices having generally stabilized, economists are expecting an upward trend to a healthy and sustainable level in 2011.

Encouraging signs are showing up across the economy. Retail sales recently hit their highest level since before the recession. Key measures of small and big businesses’ optimism marched back up to prerecession levels and new claims for jobless benefits are trending lower. Together they bode well for steady job creation and improved consumer confidence which is generally manifested in more spending.

As the economy improves, current stimulus efforts by the government and the Federal Reserve Board are expected to gradually wind down. Meanwhile, serious buyers stand to benefit from historically favorable buying conditions.

Use the Season to Your Home-Selling Advantage While summer is generally known as the peak season for home sales activity, the winter can also offer great advantages for sellers – such as less competition from other sellers. With a little effort, you can use the season to your home-selling advantage.

Let’s put these ideas to work, so your home shows at its best.

Keep snow and ice at bay. If the buyer can’t get in easily, the house won’t sell. That means keeping walkways and driveways free of the frozen stuff. You want to make the home look well maintained.

Warm it up. Think warm, cozy, and homey. Before a buyer comes through, adjust the thermostat to a warmer temperature to make it welcoming. If you have a fireplace, turning it on right before the tour can create a more welcoming ambience.

Emphasize winter positives. Is your home on a bus route or some other vital service that means it’s plowed or deiced regularly in bad weather? Be sure to mention that to the buyers.

Make it festive. Even if you’re not actually going to be present, greet your buyers as if they were going to be guests at a party. Set up the dinner table with the good china and silver. Have a plate of cookies for your guests, some warm cider, or even chilled bottles of water.

Use the season to your advantage. When the holidays are over, you can still use winter wreaths and dried arrangements around the door to spark interest. In the winter, with the leaves off the trees, you might also have a nice view that isn’t as apparent in the spring and summer months.