One of my listings made it into the New York Times popular “What You Get For The Money” section.

The price range they were shopping was $280,000, and the article shows homes in Calvert,Texas, Philadelphia and Montana. Take a look at the slideshow on the link below.

5 Windy Way up on Wineglass Mountain just outside of Livingston is a wonderful western style home at a great price!

Thanks to Lynn Donaldson for the wonderful photography. To see the images on Windy Way, click on Slideshow below the photo of the house – they are the last eight in the group.

Which house would you buy?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/greathomesanddestinations/03gh-what.html

Since the Livingston Enterprise ran it’s front page article on the increase in foreclosure sales in Park County, I’ve had several calls asking me if I anticipate that home prices will continue to fall in the area.

There’s no questions that bank owned properties often sell for less than others, and that at times, these properties will inevitably be used as comparable sales by bank appraisers.

However, many of the homes currently on the market are owned by people who are not desparate to sell, and so will likely not respond to offers based on information from distress sales.

I think that there will be a further evening out of pricing in those properties that have been overpriced for a couple of years, and who finally are getting in step with current pricing.

However, the negative aspects of our market are more than offset by several very particular conditions: interest rates are still at an all time low; prices are affordable; the tax credit runs through till April. In many ways, it is a perfect storm for buyers, and our market activity certainly refelects that a lot of people understand that: we have had 65 closed sales in Park County in the last six months, with an average sales price of $238,000 — bear in mind that’s going from the least expensive sale of $39,000 to the most expensive at $2,800,000.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that most people therefore are willing to pay over $200,000 for a property here — that number is just a broad stroke. But what it does mean is that over ten people a month are saying “Yes, I believe in this community and I want to live here.” Compare that to many other parts of the country, and we see that depsite some foreclosures, despite prices still adjusting from the sellers’ market of ‘06, we continue to have what people want: an extraordinary community, great beauty all around us, and affordable real estate! Call me Pollyanna, but I think we are going to have agreat year!

Traditionally, the onset of spring is the beginning of the busiest home buying and selling season. So if you have been waiting for the weather to turn, now is the time to think about readying your property to be put on the market. With a larger inventory of homes currently on the market than in the past few years, it is more important than ever to ensure that your home stands out from the crowd within its appropriate price range.

First, pricing your home correctly from the onset is essential to successful selling. As soon as you decide to put your home on the market, it becomes a commodity for sale and must be viewed and marketed as such. Determining a competitive, reasonable offering price is the key to a timely sale. Knowing the background of comparable sales in the neighborhood is obviously important, but it must be coupled with the supply and demand for the location, size of the home, etc. The home’s condition is another consideration when comparing to other homes that are currently on the market. If the competition is all in move-in condition, and your home is in need of updates, the price must be willing to reflect this. Also keep in mind the timeframe in which you honestly need to sell the home. If urgency is imperative, then you may need to price it on the low end of the proper price range in order to move more quickly. Finally, take note that when homes are overpriced at the initial time of listing and have undergone several price reductions, they often end up selling for even less than their worth.

Next, take some time prior to placing the “For Sale” sign in the front yard to complete home improvement projects, improve the exterior appeal, and stage the interior of your home. All are essential to get the attention of today’s buyer and will certainly pay off in terms of final sales price and time on the market.

If you have been in the middle of one or several do-it-yourself projects, it is definitely time to finish them up prior to potential buyers viewing your home. Curb appeal is a much used term, but the importance is paramount. If the prospective buyer is not compelled to actually get out of their vehicle and walk up to the front door, it doesn’t matter how much potential the home has.

Once a buyer has decided to view the home, the first impression must make a huge impact. Hiring a staging professional is certainly an option if your budget allows. A home stager can make the most of your personal belongings or bring in furnishings that will best showcase your home’s possibilities and bring out the maximum value possible in the home. Generally speaking, the cost of this service is almost always less than the initial price reduction of an unsold, listed property. Montana Home Staging and Staging Spaces, companies servicing the Bozeman and surrounding area, both offer a wide variety of services with the goal of turning a “house hunter into a home buyer.”

Staging has been on the rise in recent years with statistics to back up its effectiveness. The payoff can truly be great. One local staging company is credited with transforming a home that was sitting on the market for 12 months into selling in 4 weeks. National statistics show that staged homes generally sell in half the time of unstaged homes. Additionally, according to a 2007 survey published by homestagingresource.com, the cost of professional home staging can garner a 343% return on investment in terms of increase in sales prices. Furthermore, 91% of real estate agents nationwide now recommend this service. These numbers are both up from the same survey in 2003 when the return on investment was estimated at 169% with a 76% agent recommendation rate. In fact, the only category that received a higher return on investment is “Clean and De-clutter” due to the fact that the cost involved is so minimal.

Small changes can really make a big difference when positioning your home as the best deal in your price range. If buyers leave your property with a memorable impression of it, you will have a much better chance of selling your home at the best possible price in the shortest amount of time, which is very important in this competitive market. Keep in mind that being proactive is the best first step to a successful real estate sale.

For those sellers who already have their homes on the market in anticipation of a springtime sale, an Open House may be the key to getting an interested, qualified buyer in the door. This Sunday, May 4th, from 1pm – 3pm, I’ll be holding 327 South 10th open between 1pm & 3pm. Here’s the description from the MLS:

If you’ve been looking for home, stop right here. This is where family & friends will want to gather at the holidays, in the spacious beamed living room, with awarm wood stove. This is the place for graduation parties, in the private back yard sanctuary. This is a house to mould to your lifestyle: need a lot of bedrooms? They’re here. Need loads of office space? Got it. Like to entertain? Great flow,indoor & out. With the best location in town, this roomy beauty is big enough to hold a hundred dreams!

I love this house! There are some properties where I have to work a little harder to see all the assets & benefits, but this one is so easy to be enthusiastic about. It’s not perfect: needs some new windows here & there, some paint maybe, but there is a wonderful feel to it, that transcends any of the imperfections. Walking in, you just know there’s been a lot of laughter and love here. Children have grown up, weddings have been prepared for, live has been lived to the fullest.

Come & see what I mean this coming Sunday afternoon.