There are several ways buyers can lose money when they buy a home even though they don’t pay the commission.
 
1. They don’t educate themselves to the process
2.  They don’t explore their mortgage options
3.  They don’t hire proper representation
 
It is important to educate yourself to the buying process. Your home is most likely your largest asset.  Many people begin their search online, which is great because you begin to educate yourself to the market and its trends.  Yet, there may be pieces of the puzzle that you are missing. 

A home is not only your home, it is a future investment.  You want a home that will appreciate in value.  That is when an experienced, expert Realtor is an asset to have in your corner.  Not only can they walk you through the buying process and educate you, but they can help protect you from making a bad investment.  You need to hire a Realtor that treats your money like their own. 

Every real estate transaction presents a different set of obstacles, that is why it is pertinent to hire an experienced agent, one who knows how to navigate the obstacles and make it a smooth transaction for you.  An experienced Realtor's business is built on recommendations so they have your best interest in mind.  And they know the neighborhoods, the school districts and the municipalities. 

So when you are ready to purchase, educate yourself, your home is likely your largest investment and that is how you need to treat it.  If you are thinking about buying and want to educate yourself contact The Swain Team for a free buyer consultation where we explain the process and give you advice based upon your needs.  
 
If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, please contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!

You need an expert realtor in your corner who is experienced and organized.  Someone who is there to protect you as well as your asset.  There are a lot of Realtors out there with the change in the economy.  So, beware of the average realtor who sells only 4.9 homes a year.

A real estate transaction has so many details behind the scenes. Make sure you are well protected with an expert realtor who has a team and knows that one person can’t possibly juggle every detail. Can one person show homes, setup appointments, list homes, answer phone calls & emails, negotiate deals, type of paperwork, keep you informed on your sale AND oversee all the details of your transaction?  It is impossible!  Something is bound to fall by the wayside. 

That is why you need to hire an expert Realtor with a team of experts that are there for you every step of the way.  The Swain Team is a team of expert realtors. 
So you can see that hiring an expert Realtor at the same cost as a Traditional realtor gives you more bang for your buck.
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 If you are thinking about selling and want to protect your asset, contact The Swain Team who can guarantee you will net the most.
 
If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, please contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!
 

You have an offer on your home.  Don’t celebrate yet because we have to review all the conditions, and negotiate. This is when you need a pitbull in your corner.
Bring that offer on! You need someone on your side that is relentless. You need to find an expert realtor who is a pitbull.  We treat seller’s money like it is our own.
Because that’s what we would want done for us.
 
And the unfortunate thing is people don’t understand how important an aggressive negotiator is for the sale of your home. “Well, the other realtor charges a lower commission.” Well they aren’t going to do much marketing and if they can’t negotiate their own commission, why would you want them to negotiate your sales price? So watch when you are selling your house that you don’t go with the lowest commission. Make sure the agent is an expert who can negotiate.  We can save you thousands of dollars by negotiating.  Let alone the marketing we do for your house.
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If you are thinking about selling and want to learn more on how The Swain Team’s strategies can net you the most, contact us.
 
If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, please contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!

You want to hire an expert Realtor with an outside the box marketing approach.  The vast majority of Realtors just put the home into the MLS system – where realtors see homes for sale and just see what happens.  An Expert Realtor is proactive, and knows that utilizing as many marketing channels as possible will net the seller the most. This includes Pre-marketing the home before the home hits the market.

Marketing is all about knowing your product and how it will sell in the marketplace.  To sell your home in the market for the most money in the least amount of time, it is best to do test marketing of your home.  Isn’t that what large corporations do?  They test the market to know how to price their product. Right?  This allows us to gauge the demand for your home and allow us to properly position it to sell for the most.

VIDEO IS HUGE NOW.  You need a custom video of your home.  Video gets 4xs the amount of inquiries. 

If you are thinking about selling and want to learn more on how The Swain Team’s Marketing strategies can net you the most, contact us.
 
If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, please contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!

Pricing your home correctly is essential to netting the most.  You want to price within 3% of the market.  Fair Market Value.

The first 14 days on the market you will get the most showings on your home.  After 30 days on the market the home becomes stale and buyers begin to think,  "What is wrong with the home?"  When you overprice you will not get the traffic through the home initially, allowing the home to sit on the market.  Even if the home is only $10,000 overpriced it will drastically reduce the number of buyers coming through the door.

After the house has sat on the market, that is when you are going to get low-ball offers.  Ultimately, you will end up accepting less than if you would, had you priced it right from the beginning. 

If you want to net top dollar for your home, consult The Swain Team.  We guarantee we can net you top dollar for your home. 
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If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, please contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!

Staging neutralizes your home so that it appeals to a wider range of buyers.  Staging can be as simple as de-cluttering, or just adding a touch to make the room POP.

If you have wallpaper or your walls are purple, buyers will say, “NEXT!”  A common objection we hear is, “I don’t want to paint because a buyer will come in and say, “I want this color”.”  Well, that may be true, however; to net the most you need to create a high demand. 

High Demand = Highest Selling Price
High Demand = Sellers in Control of Negotiations 

Pictures are your greatest marketing tool online.  Buyers want to see the most pictures possible.  Staging allows us to take more pictures.  Essentially, staging creates more showings. 

If you are thinking about making a move, consult The Swain Team.  We guarantee we can net you top dollar for your home. 

If you have a real estate topic that you would like to learn more about, contact The Swain Team – we are happy to help!

​WOW! Professional Quality Rehab with Open Floor Plan! Exterior of the home features new vinyl siding, new energy efficient windows, decorative glass door and stone accent the entrance to the home. Step inside to the home and take notice of the open floor plan. Wood flooring and neutral paint extend throughout the home. The completely new kitchen features new white cabinets, new SS appliances and granite countertops.  Two bedrooms and a completely new full bath complete the first floor.   Upstairs hosts two bedrooms with ample closet space and main bathroom with ceramic tile floor, tub with ceramic tile surround and over-sized vanity. The home also features: NEW EVERYTHING!!!!  New Six Panels Doors, Central Air, New Heater, New Hot water heater, and New electric.

Coming Soon!...Mid-March!  To learn more about this home or to schedule a tour in advance, call 215-757-7257 or email TheSwainTeam@gmail.com

Welcome home to this 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom, well-maintained, ranch.  The living room accented by natural light from the bay window gives you a nice view of the meticulously landscaped front yard and paver stone walkway.  From the living room you can also see the updated kitchen.   Imagine enjoying your morning cup of coffee basking in the sunlight-flooded enclosed porch/sunroom looking out at your generously-sized backyard.   The master bedroom comes with a private half bath for your convenience.  Two additional bedrooms and full bathroom complete the home.  If that’s not all, the roof was replaced in 2006, hot water heater in 2015, the heater (with a built-in humidifier) and central air installed in 2010!  All major systems of this home are newer!  This one will not last long! 

Coming Soon!...Mid-March!

​WOW! Professional Quality Rehab with Open Floor Plan! Exterior of the home features new vinyl siding, new energy efficient windows, decorative glass door and stone accent the entrance to the home. Step inside to the home and take notice of the open floor plan. Wood flooring and neutral paint extend throughout the home. The completely new kitchen features new white cabinets, new SS appliances and granite countertops.  Two bedrooms and a completely new full bath complete the first floor.   Upstairs hosts two bedrooms with ample closet space including a 4x11 walk-in closet and main bathroom with ceramic tile floor, tub with ceramic tile surround and over-sized vanity. The home also features: NEW EVERYTHING!!!!  New Six Panels Doors, Central Air, New Heater, New Hot water heater, and New electric.

The 2017 Market Stats are out!   I​nventory remained low in 2017.  Yet, we saw a slight pickup compared to 2016.  The real estate market this winter has been brisk.   Nice homes are selling faster than ever that are priced right and positioned properly.  Most people think that spring is the best time to sell and that just simply is not true in our current market.  There is low inventory and the buyers are out there.  Many of The Swain Team’s listings are getting multiple offers on them.    If you’re thinking about selling now is the time to call The Swain Team so we can net you the most!  Remember we will sell your home for more money, in the least amount of time for the least amount of hassle.   

​Let’s take a look at the 2017 Stats for the area: 

In Bucks County, the median sales price rose 6.4% in 2017 compared to the previous year.   The number of homes sold in 2017 increased, yet inventory decreased.  

In Philadelphia, the median sales price rose 8.8% in 2017 compared to the previous year.   The number of homes sold in 2017 increased, yet inventory decreased.  

In Montgomery County, the median sales price rose 3.9% in 2017 compared to the previous year.   The number of homes sold in 2017 increased, yet inventory decreased.  

NJ is still experiencing a higher volume of foreclosures.

In Mercer County, NJ the median sales price rose 2.6% in 2017 compared to the previous year when we removed foreclosure sales.   The number of homes sold in 2017 increased, yet inventory decreased.  

In Burlington County, NJ the median sales price rose 2.4% in 2017 compared to the previous year when we removed foreclosure sales.   The number of homes sold in 2017 increased, yet inventory decreased.  

In conclusion, the housing market in our area is strong.  Inventory is low, yet we are seeing more sales indicating that a switch in the market could occur in the future.
 
Be on the lookout!  We have more upcoming Home Selling Seminars.   As always be on the lookout for next month’s market update.  If you hear of a friend or family member looking to buy or sell, remember to tell them about The Swain Team.