Charlottesville Property Owners
Selling your property?
As property owners, you are already aware of the superb quality of life we have here, and in nearly thirty years of selling real estate in the Charlottesville area, I have never once heard as a reason for selling, “I don’t like living here.”
Why Sell?
Circumstances change as families grow or become smaller requiring a move within or without. When we are
called to help with the sale of a country property, it is most often a matter of needing to downsize to a lifestyle with less maintenance. It’s true, owning a country property will keep you busy with fencing, maintaining acres of land, perhaps livestock. It consumes a lot of energy, joyful energy for the most part, but sometimes there comes a time to turn over the reins to those with more abundant energy be they family or a new owner ready to embrace this rewarding lifestyle.
What Should I Expect?
More than you were expecting. You’ll have your questions, but your Realtor will have more and will be prepared to educate you on market conditions and the fair market value of your property. Your Realtor will not be afraid to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly and will not ask you what you want for your property. Your Realtor should provide you with a written report including a Market Analysis Report to ascertain fair market value and a marketing proposal spelling out what they will do once they list your property. You’ll have many choices including discount brokers who will just charge you a fee for putting your property in the MLS and leave all the rest up to you; franchise brokers who will plug your property into a template and let their system do the work; or independent brokers like us who rely on their local reputation, their ability to network with the other veterans of the Charlottesville real estate world and their own unique personality and creative sense to make your property stand out among the thousands on the market. We are not the only firm delivering a high level of real estate professionalism and results. That is good for you. It keeps us all on our toes ready to leap over anyone resting on their laurels.
Charlottesville Real Estate Agents
When I travel about the country or browse the internet looking at real estate sites, it’s clear that there is a high bar set in Charlottesville for professional real estate services. Charlottesville Realtors are tuned in and like our CAAR, (Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors); we are frequently noted as being on the cutting edge both statewide and nationally. Having a highly ranked website is the most effective way to attract new buyers today and allows us to expose our listing for our sellers in ways that print advertising never could. When it comes to marketing property these days, the website is very important, but that is just the beginning.
Charlottesville Country Properties Market Analysis Report
When you call us for a proposal we will schedule a visit to see your property and will ask you for a tour and a chance to hear your thoughts and expectations. We will not want to hear what price you are hoping for. After our visit we will prepare a Market Analysis Report utilizing all the data available on current offerings, properties under contract and properties like yours that have recently sold. We’ll schedule another appointment to go over the report and interpret the data as it applies to your property and with current market trends. We’ll conclude with a recommended price range and then go over our marketing program for a property like yours. We’ll leave you with an understanding of how your property fits into the current market dynamics and how Charlottesville Country Properties can help you make the most of it.
Choosing a Charlottesville Realtor
I am often asked to refer a client to a Realtor in another town, often one I am unfamiliar with. We are not a franchise, so I’m beholden to no one and can easily find, (by using the internet) which Realtors are most active in the segment of the market that my client is interested in. I’ll look at their website, and then I’ll call to ask how long they have been in the business and what they know about a particular area. I would never, ever call a large company and ask for an agent. Sorry to all those new agents hoping for that great floor call. You have not earned it! Actually, that is how most people find their Realtor and the key reason why disappointment is more typical than not among sellers. So…ask a friend, ask a neighbor who has their home listed and browse the internet to find an experienced Realtor who specializes in your type of property.
Charlottesville Real Estate Market Conditions
It will be a relief when the real estate market is not in the headlines every week. Clearly these are challenging 
times for sellers but can be offset by becoming a purchaser in this buyer-friendly environment. I believe that market trends are moving into positive territory and a backlog of demand will be making itself apparent soon. It is no time for rose-colored glasses but doom and gloom are not in our forecast. Market trends develop slowly, (relatively) so paying constant attention to sales in our area and other key sectors of the US are good indicators of the slow but sure changes taking place.
Please call 434-964-0406 or
email john@charlottesvillecountry.com
for an appointment to discuss your real estate needs.