Residential properties, Commercial Properties, Developments. I have 28+ years as a licensed agent & 22+ years as a licensed Broker. We list & Sell homes, Condominiums, Commercial and Developmental Properties in Monterey County, Salinas and Salinas Valley.

MARKET TRENDS 2006

We have been experiencing a very, very strong sellers market for the last three plus years in Monterey County. We have seen prices increase over the last five years 87% according to Data Quick, a company that tracks Real Estates trends and markets nationally. During the second quarter of 2005 we have started to see a slowing in the sales of properties and the inventory is slowly building which, based upon my 27 years experience, tells me the market is starting yet another cycle. This cycle will turn out to be a buyer’s cycle when it reaches its full impact in the market place. Lenders are predicting this as well. Because of this, I would use caution in deciding on the listing price for your home. It needs to compare favorably with ALL other properties listed for sale in your neighborhood. The idea is to get it sold as soon as possible, to avoid the effects of a delayed or prolonged listing period, as in this specific market, the buyer will soon enough have the advantage. The longer the property sits, the greater the chance of it becoming less desirable in the buyers eyes and the market will continue to get "softer" for sellers.

Having said all of this, it is incumbent upon you, as the owner of a property that is going to be for sale, to determine what your time lines are and how to best achieve them. As your Real Estate Professional, I strongly recommend that the best policy over the years , has been to put your property on the market at a realistic price. Some of this is determined by the condition of your property, or just as importantly, by how it shows. How would potential buyers feel the first time they came into your home? Does it smell clean and inviting? Is it neat and organized? Imagine how you feel when you walk into a home that is “just perfect” in your eyes. When a buyer feels “comfortable” in a home that is for sale, it makes them much, much more likely to be motivated to make an offer than they would be if there were just too many things that didn’t “feel right” to them. Also, the offers made under these circumstances are more often than not, better offers. They are being made by people that are motivated by the fact that this property appeals to them more than the others that they have looked at. So if nothing else happens, make sure that you make your property as appealing as it can be. As your Realtor, we can not change your home, we can do only do everything we know to market it and bring as many buyers as possible to it.