Why you should put your home on the market NOW! (and no, I’m not crazy)

As you probably have heard, the first-time home buyer tax credit has been extended through April 30th 2010 and expanded to home buyers who have owned their own home for 5 of the past 8 years - they are eligible for a $6500 tax credit. The government expanded it because it has worked, but we need to continue reducing the number of homes for sale in Cumming, in Forsyth County, everywhere.

So, what does this have to do with listing your home?

When the first-time home buyer tax credit was set to expire at the end of this month that incented a large number of buyers to move forward and purchase a home. In October, for Forsyth County, there were 161 homes sold. Already for November there are 287 homes under contract in Forsyth County. These buyers were qualified to purchase a  home all year long, and there have been plenty of “deals” out there for them to take advantage of. It was the tax credit that pushed them off the fence to move forward with a purchase.

With this extension AND expansion to move-up buyers, activity will remain consistent through the next 5 months, which is typically a very slow period. I’m recommending to all my clients considering listing next year to get on the market as soon as possible so they can take advantage of that buyer activity. It doesn’t change the fact that your home has to be priced appropriately, but the buyer activity over the winter will be higher than it typically is for this time of year.

If you are thinking of selling and want to know what the market value of your home is, contact us for a free no-hassle evaluation and detailed marketing proposal.