Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  For years, sellers have had the upper hand in the housing market. With so few homes for sale and so many people who wanted to purchase them, buyers faced tough competition just to get an offer accepted. But now,  inventory  is rising, and things are starting to shift in many areas. So, is the market finally balancing out? And does that mean buyers will have it a bit easier now? Here’s what you need to know. What Makes It a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market? It all comes down to how many homes are for sale in an area compared to how many buyers want to buy there. That’s what ultimately determines who has the most leverage. A Seller’s Market  is when there are more buyers than homes available, so sellers hold the power. This leads to rising prices, multiple offers, and homes selling quickly – often above the asking price – because there isn’t enough to go around. A Buyer’s Market  is when there are more homes than buyers. In this case, the tables turn. Sellers...

  If you want to sell your house, having the right strategies and expectations is key. But some sellers haven’t adjusted to where the market is today. They’re not factoring in that there are more homes for sale or that buyers are being more selective with their budgets. And those sellers are making some costly mistakes. Here’s a quick rundown of the 3 most common missteps sellers are making, and how partnering with an expert agent can help you avoid every single one of them. 1. Pricing the Home Too High According to a survey by  John Burns Real Estate Consulting  (JBREC) and  Keeping Current Matters  (KCM), real estate agents agree the #1 thing sellers struggle with right now is setting the right price for their house ( see graph below ): And more often than not, homeowners tend to overprice their listings. If you aren’t up to speed on what’s happening in your local market, you may give in to the temptation to price high so you can have as much wiggle room as po...