Why Is Professional Photography So Important?

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Lately, we have been getting a lot of questions about professional photography. Should you use it? How much should you use? Is it really important?

Photography is important because it is the first introduction to your house. In today’s market, most buyers will see your property on the Internet before they see it in person. When they see the photos online, they will either eliminate it from their home search or put it on the list of homes they want to see. Then, you aren’t wasting your time showing the property to buyers that aren’t interested in your home.

The photos should be of good quality: crisp, clear, and not too dark or too light. Photographers make minor adjustments to the photos to make sure the lighting is appropriate and the home is shown in the best light.

We do put out a number of photos online in order to create interest. However, we do want to leave some new, exciting things for buyers to see when viewing the home in person. That way, potential buyers have more to discover when viewing your property.

We download these professional photographs to high-quality websites like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and our own corporate site. If a customer determines that your property is a good fit, we get an instant email from them. That way, we can get in touch with them immediately, make sure they are qualified to buy the home, and set an appointment to show them your property right away. We can also answer any questions they may have about the property.

If you have any other questions about professional photography or about real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Are Home Prices Rising in St. Cloud?

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Today I'll be continuing with a market update, as well as answering some good questions about the market.

Overall, we're seeing a very balanced market right now. We have roughly six months of supply on the market, and this means that buyers and sellers have equally good chances of getting a good deal on a home.

A lot of our listings are selling in 2-8 weeks, and there is a large selection of homes to choose from. On top of this, mortgage rates are still sitting below 4%, so now is a great time to buy.

Sellers will be glad to hear that home prices are rising, and they are predicted to increase over the next year. If you're buying a home, you have an opportunity to ride a nice wave of appreciation.

If you'd like to sell now, you're going to see less competition right now than you would in the early spring. You'll probably find a lot more serious buyers right now than you would during the spring.

The rental market in St. Cloud is also going strong, and so if you would like to invest in rental properties, please don't hesitate to contact me. This is a great way to come up with some passive income for your retirement, or just to put some extra cash in your pocket.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me about real estate in St. Cloud!

My Expert Advice for Sellers in St. Cloud

There are many great St. Cloud area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (320) 240-3363 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

St. Cloud Real Estate - Tips for Sellers

I would like to let you know that our market here in St. Cloud is starting off very strongly, and we expect it to pick up as spring and summer approach. I'm going to start off by addressing some questions that I've been receiving from clients.

Listing Price vs Selling Price

Pricing a home is a very touchy thing, and you have to know how the market is functioning in order to determine a good listing price, which is what the seller initially asks for the home. The selling price is what the home actually sells for.

When we look at the market and trying to price homes, we look very closely at three different things:

1. How many homes have sold and closed? This will help determine what you can list your home at. You want an attractive sale price, and one that will also match closely with the value that an appraiser gives it. If your value does not match the appraiser's, you're going to be in trouble, so price your home carefully.
   
2. What is selling right away today? This will help determine your price, so you want to look at comparable properties and what they are selling for, as well as how fast they are selling.
3. What are you competing with? You need to know what sort of competition you will be facing in order to price and market your property correctly.

Currently, homes in St. Cloud are selling in 2-8 weeks. Some are staying on the market longer because they may be priced 5-10% too high, and they probably have some repairs that should be made.

So, once we bring your home on the market, we are going to be paying attention to what is happening in the market and how it is going to impact the sale of your home. We pay attention to new listings, sale prices, and inventory so that we can monitor your sale and get you top dollar for your home. 

When you get a purchase agreement on your home, we will present it to you and make sure the home closes smoothly and that the agreement will benefit you as the seller. I have closed over 3,000 transactions, so I know how to make this process as painless as possible.

If you're looking to sell your home in the St. Cloud area, please contact us and we would be more than willing to help price, list and market your home so that you can get top dollar.