Kopa Real Estate Blog - home selling tips

Be Kind, Not Nice: The Hard Truths Every Home Seller Needs to Hear

In real estate, there's a difference between being nice and being kind. “Nice” is telling you what you want to hear. “Kind” is telling you what you need to hear—even if it stings a little. If you’re thinking of selling your home, let me offer you something better than politeness: honesty, grounded in years of experience.

1. Your Home Is Not Special (To Buyers)

I say this with deep respect: your home holds sentimental value—for you. To buyers, it’s just one of many options. That wallpaper you love? The shelf where your kid took their first steps? The quirky vintage tiles you insisted on keeping? They’re not selling points. In fact, they might be the reason a buyer passes.

Being kind means telling you upfront: depersonalize and neutralize. Your…

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Success Story - Avoiding Mickey Mouse Buyers

My girls love Mickey Mouse. But most of my clients are no-nonsense people and they don’t want to deal with Mickey Mouse buyers. 

In this area the number of homes that go under contract and then have the contract cancelled is at an all-time high. Last year we closed every home that went under contract. Only one cancelled but those buyers came back to buy the house so it was like getting divorced and marrying your ex again. 

One of the reasons our track record is so good is we don’t push our clients into bad deals. What you as a seller has to be careful about is 74% of real estate agents didn’t sell a home last year. You don’t want to hire an agent who needs you to sell your home more than you do. You’re likely to get pushed into accepting a…

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Design Choices Sellers Might Want to Rethink

When it comes to selling a home, it’s crucial to present it in a way that appeals to a broad range of potential buyers. Although personal preferences and social media trends can play a role in home decor, it’s important to remember that what’s fashionable today might not be as popular tomorrow. If you’re working with sellers, our expert stagers, Joyce and Linda, here at Kopa Real Estate, recommend focusing on timeless design choices that can significantly boost the resale value of their property.

Key Points to Consider

• Avoid Personal Decor: While you might be fond of pastel-colored sofas or scalloped furniture, these styles can turn off buyers. Recommend storing such items during showings.
• Stick to Classic Design: Opt for neutral color…

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Zillow Forcing Agents To Refer Clients To Their Mortgage Company

Everybody knows that Zillow primarily operates as an advertising platform. I get clients who often share stories of discovering their realtors through the platform after a quick skim through a list of local realtors from the search bar. You might get a real estate veteran or an agent fresh out of school. You never know, and you should be wary of who you hire to buy or sell your home; here's why...

In a recent report from real estate insider Mike Delprete, Zillow is reportedly applying pressure on realtors who advertise on their platform, urging them to direct business to Zillow's mortgage company. The catch? If realtors don't comply, Zillow might pull the plug on their advertising and stop sending leads to these agents. This revelation…

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How To Determine The List Price For Your Home?

Determining the list price of your home in the Austin area is a delicate balance that involves taking into account a variety of factors. The perfect balance can be achieved by considering the following:

1. Comparable Sales: Researching recent sales of similar homes in the area (comparable sales) can provide a good starting point for determining the list price. This will give you an idea of what similar homes in the area are selling for and can help you set a realistic price for your own home.
2. Home Condition: The condition of your home is also an important factor to consider when determining the list price. A well-maintained, move-in-ready home will generally command a higher price than a home that needs repairs or updates.
3. Market…

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How To Sell Your Home In A Bidding War

 
There are several advantages of selling your home in a bidding war. You will get the highest price, you will get the best terms in the original contract and you will have leverage if the buyer tries to negotiate too much after an inspection.

26 of the homes we have sold this year have been sold with multiple offers. That doesn’t happen by accident. Here are some tips that will make it easier for your home to sell in a bidding war.

Appeal To Emotion Not Logic

To get into a bidding war you need the buyers to act quickly. We need the buyers to fall in love with your home and ask how much over asking price they need to pay. We need to remove anything that will keep a buyer from wanting to make a great offer. In marketing this is called…

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3 Types Of Homes You Should Sell Right Now

One of the interesting things I have noticed in the real estate market today is homes that otherwise might get passed over in a more balanced market are selling fast. Because buyers have so few homes to choose from, they are overlooking defects that would turn them off if they other options.

What that means for you is if you own one of these 3 types of homes and you plan to sell in the next year you should consider selling now. Here are the 3 types of homes…

Homes that back to a busy road or are on a tiny lot

Two of the features most home buyers are looking for are privacy and space in the back yard. Market research has told us buyers are turned off by homes where you can see cars while inside the house. Homes that overlook busy roads or…

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Covid-19/Coronavirus Real Estate Market Update

Everyone is asking me “How’s the real estate market?” Here’s what we are seeing.

Transactions are still happening. As of today, March 30th, in the Austin MLS on average over 100 homes are going under contract every day. Things are slowing down but people are still selling and people are still buying.

Here's what we are seeing with our business. Some of our sellers and buyers are telling me they are going to hold off for now and I’m supporting them in that decision while I continue to keep them aware of what’s happening.

Some of our clients need to sell now and some need to buy now, and we’re doing that with all the appropriate precautions.

All of this is day by day and in some cases hour by hour. Things may be different by the…

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Home Values Are Tricky At The Beginning Of The Year

Home values are tricky at this time of the year. 2020 is going to be challenging to both buyers and sellers with a low number of homes for sale and prices going up. If you are planning to buy or sell a home in particular at this time of year you deserve to have an expert Broker helping you and here’s why.

If you are selling a home, you’re at risk of pricing your home too low. Particularly if you sell your home off market. Although our market is not as seasonal as you might expect for certain floor plans that may not sell very often there may be much more demand than supply that has built up a backlog of buyers over the winter. It is important to work with a Broker that won’t just price your home based on what sold almost a year ago. You…

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When Buying A Home Perspective and Advice Are What You Need From A Realtor

Because we hold so many open houses, we see the same potential buyers over and over. They often tell me their struggles and frustrations about their home buying process.

Many of these struggles and frustrations are self-inflicted due to how they choose their Realtor. Buyers often think all Realtors are the same. As a result, when buying a home they will work with their friend (everyone has a friend in real estate) or hire an agent based on which agent gives you the largest rebate.

Especially in a low inventory real estate market like ours this is a huge mistake because you are not getting the most important things you need from a Realtor which are perspective and advice.

The average Realtor only sells about 1-2 homes per year. As a…

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