Senior Real Estate Specialists Brian Quigley and Mindy Haggerty of Keller Williams will be giving a virtual real estate presentation for PPH on Wednesday, April 14, at 10 a.m. Today, they’re giving us a sneak preview of their tips to help sellers sell more quickly while doing less to their home.
Can you talk about the current state of the Philadelphia area market?
Brian: Northeast Philly, right around PPH, has been one of the hottest Philly areas. There are 4–5 ZIP codes around PPH that have been great, selling in days.
Mindy: The listings come up fast and furious and get multiple offers. It’s been very busy.
Is it a good time to sell?
Mindy: I can’t think of a better time to sell. I would like to sell my own house if I could! We’ve never had better mortgage rates than this. Closing prices are always at the asking price or over. And we’re not talking $3,000 over! We’re talking $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 over. People are waiving inspections, they’re waiving appraisals. It’s the perfect time for a seller.
Brian: It’s a great time to sell. I can’t imagine it getting any better than this to get the most money for you.
Are you finding that people need to do less to their homes in this market?
Mindy: We really don’t ask our seniors to do much to the home: just declutter and clean it out. We’re not asking for any renovations. It’s a very forgiving market and it’s money that you don’t need to spend.
Brian: We’re only recommending that you fix what’s broken, paint what has to be painted, maybe change the carpet, and price it accordingly.
What are tips to sell your home faster?
Brian: The strategy we use is pricing. We don’t want to overprice the house. We price the house where it should be or a tad below. That’s what gets the most interest.
Mindy: The buyers are savvy. They know what things are worth. It’s easier to get in at a fair price and then see what happens, rather than overpricing your house.
How many days is it taking houses to sell?
Brian: If it’s priced right, it will sell in 2–5 days on the market in most of the ZIP codes near PPH.
Are multiple offer situations more common right now?
Brian: Yes. For our last two houses, we had 50 showings on each, with 10 offers on one and 18 on the other.
Why should people consider selling now and not waiting?
Brian: It depends on each individual’s personality and goals. If they really need to be in a community for their health, safety and welfare, I would say, “Don’t let the home be a stumbling block. Choose PPH because it’s going to be a great community to live in and let us do the rest. By waiting, you might get more money, but you very likely might get less. Let us help you get over those obstacles to make the choice.”
What services do you offer to help seniors sell their homes?
Brian: I think the way to look at us is as a concierge service. In addition to being real estate agents, we have trusted resources, people who will help you downsize, move, paint, handle home maintenance. We can be this one-stop shop to call people who are our vetted, trusted resources to set up appointments for electrical work, hazard mitigation, fixing railings and windows — anything that needs to be done to get the house ready, short of renovations. We’re also partners with an eldercare attorney and senior move manager, so if you should decide to move to PPH, we can coordinate all that — that’s a real game changer, and the difference between us and the average real estate agent.
How do you work with clients?
Mindy: From the first meeting, until people have actually moved in to PPH, and sometimes after, we’re there. We’re there for the long haul. We don’t just sell the house and disappear.
Brian: We handle our first meeting with the seller like a job interview, and give references. And, as Mindy said, we’re going to be there holding their hand through the entire process. A lot of folks haven’t sold a home for 30–40 years, so they have a lot of questions, and we’re happy to answer all of them. We tell people, we’ve been through the obstacles and we’re ready for the next one! We’ve sold a house for someone who had a baby grand piano …
Mindy: … We’ve even had farm animals that needed homes. Goats and horses and donkeys! We’re ready!
Why do you enjoy helping older people sell their homes?
Brian: About six years ago I got back into real estate, and my uncle who was 72 was selling his home. A light bulb went off in my head that there are a lot of folks like my uncle who have to downsize and figure out how to sell the house. That was the push to me helping many other folks do the same thing. Two years ago, Mindy and I became partners.
Mindy: I’ve been in real estate for just over five years. My first client was a senior woman. We became fast friends, and I saw just how much she needed. So, when Brian told me he already had the model set up, I was in 100%. It’s very rewarding. I learn a lot from these seniors. It’s been a great journey so far.
Please join Mindy and Brian for a virtual PPH seminar, “Preparing Your Home for Sale in a Seller’s Market,” on Wednesday, April 14, at 10 a.m. To RSVP, call 215-697-8086 or visit https://philprotestant.wpengine.com/events/preparing-your-home-for-sale-in-a-sellers-market/