6 Reasons Overpricing Your Home Will Get You Nowhere!

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here to contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

 In our current market, where prices are increasing a little bit each year, sellers want to get as much as they possibly can for their home. However, in order to get top dollar, you need to be strategic when putting a value on your property. Let's take a look at the 6 dangers of putting too high a price on your home:

1. Fewer showings: Buyers look in price brackets - if you price your home well above what it's worth, you are losing a lot of potential buyers who will simply pass it up.  
2. Help out your competitors: When buyers pass up your home, they look at other homes on the market. If homes similar to yours are priced much lower, buyers will have no problem making an offer on your competitor's home. 
3. Generate most interest within first 30 days: Starting high and coming down later may sound like a foolproof plan, but you are losing out on a lot of buyers by waiting to price your home fairly. The first 30 days are crucial for generating interest in your home - you don't want to miss that opportunity. 
4. Attract the wrong buyers: Because buyers search for homes according to their price bracket, your home will be compared to homes with more features and benefits. The people that will appreciate your home won't be looking at it. 
5. Your home takes longer to sell: When your home sits on the market for a long time, buyers and agents alike start to wonder if there is something wrong with it.  
6. Buyers negotiate a lower price: Since your home sat on the market for so long, buyers think they can submit a low offer and buy your home at a low price.

Consider these 6 points when putting a price on your home. It's a matter of balancing the desire to get a high price and the need to attract buyers to your home. If you have any questions about the pricing process, feel free to give us a call. We would be happy to assist you in any way possible!

How we helped Clayton sell a property with our professionalism

"The results were blindingly fast! I was amazed at how efficient the team worked together. I had no estimation of selling this property before winter and closing last week just took a huge load off my mind. I’m so delighted to have this process closed out! They really worked around my challenge of not having my brother be at the house during the showings and the important thing for me is that I felt comfortable. They understood my challenge and worked with me. I might have felt embarrassed about the situation, but I just wasn’t because of their professionalism."

Quarterly Market Snapshot for Milwaukee

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here to contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Many folks in our area have been asking whether our market currently favors buyers or sellers. The short answer is neither party has a particular advantage in our current market. Here are the numbers:

Homes available: 9,216 (1,524 homes sold in August)

Inventory: 6 months (Perfectly balanced market)

Average home price: Projected to rise 1%-3%

Average list-to-sale ratio: 97% (Up 1% since last year)

Days on market: 72 days (Down from around 100 days last year)

Interest rates: 4%-4.5% for fixed-rates, 2%-3% for adjustable rates

What does it all mean? For one, we have an incredibly healthy market here in Milwaukee. Prices are rising at a steady, sustainable rate and there are still plenty of available homes for buyers to choose from. Additionally, sellers who get their home ready to sell and price it right are getting what they ask for. All of this is great news as we head into the Fall months for real estate.

If you're interested in buying or selling in this great market, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be pleased to give you a hand!

You Could Own This Great 30-Acre Property

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here to contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

At 7117 Shagbark Lane in Burlington, Wisconsin, you will find a beautiful 30-acre property for sale. This would be a great purchase if you're a nature lover, as woods and prairies surround the property. If you are a hunter: deer, geese, ducks, blue heron, and wild turkey are abundant. This may even be a convenient location for horse stables...

The home has a circle driveway in the front and a one acre pond just beyond the backyard. The pond is spring-fed and can be stocked with bluegill or largemouth bass. The backyard also includes an enclosed gazebo, which would be great for enjoying the outdoors without the annoyance of bugs.

When you walk in the front door you will see the two-story foyer with an open staircase. There is a 31-foot great room with a fireplace and French doors overlooking the deck.

The home includes a gourmet kitchen with updated appliances - including a double oven, trash compactor, and island. Connected is a dining area overlooking the gazebo and pond in the back yard. The woodwork is extra-wide and the doors are 6-panel hardwood.

There is a formal living room with hardwood floors leading into a private first-floor den with built-in bookcases. A huge walk-in pantry and first-floor laundry room, with appliances included, offer a great deal of storage space.

The master bedroom has its own private deck with a great view of the pond. The master bathroom has a built-in Whirlpool  tub, shower, and double sinks with ceramic tile. Two additional bedrooms share a Jack and Jill bathroom, each with their own massive walk-in closet.

The home has a 3-car attached garage, which is fully dry-walled and has electric garage door openers.

What's most amazing about this property is that it is priced at only $649,800! That's right, a 4,200 square foot, 4 bed/4.5 bath custom-built home sitting on 30 acres of private land is under $650,000!

The home is only 45 minutes from Milwaukee and a short commute to Lake Geneva. If you are interested in taking a look at it, give us a call or shoot us an email to schedule an appointment. We would love to show you this beautiful property.

Fantastic Home Available on the Beautiful Moose Lake

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here to contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

If you are looking for a luxury lakeside home, we have great news for you. We are listing a 3-bedroom/3-bathroom log-sided home on Moose Lake. It sits on over 2 acres of land and has 84 feet of frontage to the lake. The spring-fed lake has limited public access, making it a peaceful place to live and play. In fact, it almost feels like the Eagle River area of Northern Wisconsin!

The property has multiple outbuildings. There is a shed for storage, as well as an enclosed card room or utility room. Additionally, there is an 8-car garage with living space above it, so visitors can stay in privacy. This loft space above the garage includes a full kitchen and bathroom.

The house was built in 2001. Its log siding is much easier to maintain than regular log structures. One of the best features of this property is outdoor access - every room has a walkout or balcony, so you're never far from the beautiful outdoors. The exterior of the home has an outdoor fireplace, a covered patio, a hot tub, and a massive wood deck that encompasses most of the home.

The great room has bolted cathedral ceilings, a fireplace, and two skylights. It is right off the kitchen - which has a breakfast bar and updated appliances. Most rooms have built-in speakers, so you can listen to your favorite music throughout the home.

The basement area is fully finished with a bar, a media room. and a soundproof room, which is ideal for a home theater or music studio. There is also a small room that would be great as a home office or den.

As you can see, this property has all the necessary accommodations for relaxing with the family or entertaining friends. The property is located at W330 N6045 Hasslinger Dr. and is currently listed at only $799,800. If you would like to take a look at this property, we would love to show it to you. Give us a call or shoot us an email if you have any questions about this beautiful home!

5 Ways to Compete in Multiple Offer Scenarios

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here to contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today I thought I would speak about multiple offer situations. With the market improving here in Milwaukee these types of situations are becoming more and more common. To help you combat this competitive market, I thought I would provide you with some tips on how to make the best offer to a seller.

 Get Pre-Approved from a Lender: There is a difference between being approved and being qualified. Make sure you're pre-approved because this will make you much more attractive in the eyes of sellers. In a competitive market, you need to prove that you will be able to pay for a home.

Write Your Best Offer: A seller will likely not counter your offer in a crowded market, so write your highest and best offer. They will only be looking for the highest offer. We've seen buyers in Milwaukee offer above the asking price, and they are still being rejected by the sellers.  

Accommodate the Seller: You are in a captive market here in Milwaukee. You must always aim to please the seller. One way to do this would be to agree to the seller's moving date. This will make the seller pleased and will improve your chances of getting the property that you want. If you need to, allow the seller to continue living in the home after closing and offer them post-occupancy. 

Exclude Contingencies: If you can buy a home without selling your own, or remove any other contingencies from your offer, it would make for a much stronger, more attractive offer to the seller. Waive inspections and appraisals on newer properties if you feel comfortable in doing so. 

Write a Personalized Letter: We call this a 'love letter' where you simply let the seller know how much you love their home and how you plan to keep it in great condition. This would include why you would be the best buyer for the property. Also tell them why your offer is a good offer.

Hopefully these tips can help your offer get accepted if you're struggling to find a home in the Milwaukee market. Competition is tough right now, so if you need any assistance whatsoever please don't hesitate to contact me. I would love to arrange a time where we can sit down and discuss all of your needs.

Thanks for tuning in!

Real Estate Update for the 1st Quarter of our Milwaukee Market

There are many great Milwaukee area homes for sale. Click here to perform full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here top contact us for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (262) 797-6453 or (262) 798-1162 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

First Quarter Real Estate Market Update for Milwaukee

As April comes to a close, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to explain what has happened in our greater Milwaukee market in regards to real estate. 

After researching some MLS statistics, it was interesting to see that sales from 2013 to 2014 were actually down a little bit. In total, we have seen about a 10% decrease in sales in the Milwaukee area. 

Inventory has remained largely the same from last year, but it still remains relatively low with just a 3 month supply of homes. This lack of inventory is most pronounced in the suburban homes that are in the price range of $200-$400K. 

The good news is that homes are selling in every price range, even the high end homes. 

Interest rates also remain low, with some 15-30 year fixed rate plans as low as 3.75-4.5%. However, these are expected to go up to 5.5% by the end of the year, so now is your opportunity to buy a home affordably.

Because of the improving weather here in Milwaukee, you can expect to see 60% of all sales occur between the 2nd and 3rd quarter of this year. 

If you're thinking of selling, now would be the time to list your home because you can expect an increase of 20-25% in the number of listings available. If you're buying, there will be a lot of properties to choose from. 

If you have any questions about the Milwaukee real estate market or what you can do to capitalize when you're selling or buying, please contact us and we would be glad to help you.

Thanks for tuning in! Expect more updates throughout the year on our Milwaukee real estate market!

Are Your Property Taxes Too High?

Are Your Property Taxes Too High?

 As we head into the beginning of 2014, a question I usually get this time of year from clients who have either bought homes or are selling homes is, “How to I change or fight my real estate tax assessment?” They may think the assessment is either too high or too low. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just calling the assessor in your city and town telling them your taxes are too high. They have specific scripts they’re going to give you on why they can’t change your taxes, and they’re pretty good at it!

What you actually have to do is make a formal adjustment and this is allowed in the beginning of the year. Most municipalities require you to do this before April and in some cases, March or May. What you want to do is call them and tell them you want to make a formal adjustment to your tax assessment. You will need to bring an independent appraisal that shows your tax assessment is too high or too low or some comparable sales of similar homes in your neighborhood. As a client watching this video, this is something we can help you with here at the Roth Team.

Speaking with personal experience, when you go into the formal meeting you have to show the city assessor the comparable sales. Another good basis for you is that if you have recently purchased the home within the last year or two, you can use the purchase price that you paid for the home as the basis. However you will still need comparable sales or an independent bank appraisal.

By doing that, you will get your tax assessment adjusted to today’s value which could decrease your taxes if the assessment goes down or raise your taxes if your assessment goes up (which I wouldn’t recommend). Again, to do this you want to make a formal adjustment with the local municipality.

If you have any questions about this, please give us a call at (262) 797-6453. Thanks and have a great day!