Category: Overland Park Real Estate

6406 W 82nd Terrace

For Sale in Overland Park, KS

This 2 bedroom super cute ranch at 6406 W 82nd Terrace in Overland Park is clean and move-in ready! Plenty of room to entertain friends and family with a screened-in porch overlooking the large, fenced backyard and a shed for storage. Fresh interior paint, neutral colors, hardwoods, and new carpet in bedrooms. White kitchen cabinets, bonus food pantry, stainless appliances – refrigerator stays. Separate laundry room off garage complete with washer and dryer. Awesome location just minutes to shops, restaurants, Matt Ross Community Center, and the Farmer’s Market in downtown Overland Park.

6406 W 82nd Terrace – Schedule a Showing

Priced at $195,000! Call or text (913) 515-3250 to set up a private showing or contact me here!

SEE THE PHOTO ALBUM HERE

Not Working with an Agent?

If you aren’t working with a real estate professional to help you buy a home in today’s market, you’re missing out. The right Realtor will help educate you on the market and how to be a winning offer when looking for the perfect home to buy.

Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 for a complimentary buyer consultation.

Check out today’s new Overland Park listings!

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(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Winning a Bidding War

Every homebuyer’s biggest concern is winning a bidding war when they finally find their dream home. And every home in today’s market is part of a bidding war. How in the world will your offer be the best offer so the seller chooses yours over the others.

How things have changed over the years

I’ve been a licensed Realtor since 1987. Things have certainly changed since then. It used to be, you’d look through the MLS book of homes for sale to find homes you would show your buyers. Heaven forbid if you let those buyers take your book and find their own homes. That was forbidden.

Then every day, new hot sheets would come out of new homes on the market. Granted, this was before we had computers. You would go look at a house and maybe make an offer. I don’t ever remember being up against another offer.

Showing houses in 2021

Today, buyers find houses they want to see sometimes before I even see them. After we’ve looked at between 10-15 houses right off the bat, we narrow it down to what they are really looking for. After looking at a number of houses, buyers know what they like, what they don’t like, and what they want to see more of.

My typical buyer is set up on an automatic search through our local Multiple Listing Service and receives new listings as soon as they are entered into the system. With each buyer, there is always the best time of the day for them to look at homes.

So every day, I plan my schedule around my buyer’s best time of day. We typically look at one house a day, maybe two. Then they have to decide 3 things:

  1. do we like it enough to make an offer?
  2. how much over asking price will we offer?
  3. what other options will we offer to be the winning offer?

Winning a bidding war when making the offer

There are so many options anymore when making an offer. It’s no longer about price and the perfect closing date for the seller. And it’s definitely not about writing a Dear Mr. Seller letter.

What begins with feelings – ends up with paperwork.

Winning a bidding war has a lot to do with the Realtor you choose. As your Realtor, I want to know:

  • what price will you offer?
  • how much earnest deposit will you offer?
  • what’s your preferred closing date?
  • what is your escalatory price?
  • how much over any other offer will you offer in the escalatory addendum?
  • will you offer an appraisal addendum and if so, how much are you willing to pay should the house not appraise?
  • will you sign the In Its Present Condition Addendum and are you willing to check box 2? I won’t let you check box 3!!!

Once we get past the price, earnest deposit and preferred closing date, the hard pieces of the puzzle come into play. And honestly, each piece builds on your past experience in writing offers.

Writing a winning offer

Writing an offer is tricky. It helps to know what other offers you’re up against and whether any of them are all cash. That’s not readily accessible information though. And very honestly, I’ve had sellers accept a higher-priced offer than an all-cash offer. So that technique doesn’t always work either.

You also need to know how offers on the home are going to be addressed. Will they:

  • be presented as they come in
  • collected for a few days or
  • do they have a specific time the agent and sellers will be reviewing all offers?

With every home for sale, the whole scenario changes. You have different sellers, a different agent and a different offer rules.

But once you try one thing and it doesn’t work, the next offer you write will be stronger than the last one. You’ll take more chances and more risks the more offers you write.

Just remember, persistence pays off. And eventually, you’ll pull out all the guns and get your offer accepted. Hang in there.

In conclusion

If you’re looking for a great Realtor who has a good track record of winning the offer and has more persistence than you do, call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to set up an appointment for a buyer consultation.

Be sure to check out today’s new listings in Overland Park below. Contact me if there is anything you’d like to see.

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(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Looking for the Perfect House to Buy

When buyers start their home search, they are always looking for the perfect house to buy. After all, if you’re going to spend that kind of money, you certainly want what you want!

Unfortunately, what buyers soon come to realize is there is no such thing as the perfect house to buy. I’ve been licensed since the 1980’s, have bought several homes myself and I know as a buyer, you’re never going to love everything about a house.

How to choose the perfect house to buy

In an ever busy real estate market in Overland Park, once you’ve looked at around 10 houses in your price range, you should have a pretty good idea what you’re going to get for your money as well as what you like and don’t like. All of this is in the first phase of the buying cycle – the search.

After all, searching online versus in person are two entirely different things. Do you ever really see online the way it is in person? “I thought the kitchen was bigger than it really is!”

If you’ve seen 10 houses in person and haven’t yet made an offer on any of them, your requirements may need to be tweaked a bit. Since there is no perfect house to buy, you’ve got to figure out what you have to have and what you can give on.

What kind of house can you buy for $375,000 in Overland Park?

For example, I’m currently working with a couple who is looking to purchase in the $375,000 price range in Overland Park. That price range covers a lot of territory and lots of different age ranges of homes. They have seen lots of houses they “like” but not like enough to write an offer.

At this point, here’s what I know for sure:

  • She wants the perfect kitchen
  • He wants the perfect finished lower level
  • They both want the perfect master bath and closet

Other than that, I think they are somewhat flexible. I am showing them 2 houses today and 2 tomorrow. We are going to have that conversation this evening that when we find the kitchen, lower level and master bath and closet that they like, they need to consider making an offer.

When is it time to stop looking and start making offers?

As a result, they are probably not going to get the first house they put an offer on. So we’ll move into the second phase of the buying cycle of actually writing the offer. Many agents tell me that their buyers have actually written as many as 10 offers and have not won one yet.

In contrast, I always like to tell my buyers that after 35 years in real estate, I don’t need contract writing practice. Let’s offer a good price and other terms that might get accepted. You can look at houses from now until the end of time and never find the perfect house to buy. At some point, you’re just looking at houses which some people do as a hobby.

How to schedule a buyer consultation

If you are looking for the perfect house to buy in Overland Park or surrounding areas, I can help you eliminate much of the stress by taking you through the different phases of the buying cycle. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to schedule your initial buyer consultation.

Search for homes

You can start your online home search here.

Check out today’s new listings in Overland Park below and let me know if there is anything you want to see!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Is Now the Time to Sell Your Home in Overland Park?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few months, you probably know that now is a great time to sell your home in Overland Park. Why?

  • There is limited inventory especially in houses under $450,000
  • It’s summer and a perfect time to relocate before school starts
  • Houses are bringing tens of thousands of dollars over market value
  • It just makes good sense if you are anticipating a move in the near future

I’ve been talking to my clients who have been in their homes for a number of years to see if now would be a great time for them to sell. I have found that most people aren’t motivated by the thought of selling their home for $30,000-$50,000 over what it’s worth.

On the other hand, I have other clients who can’t wait to sell their home in Overland Park for an overinflated price. It’s like winning the lottery. They know full well, that this market isn’t going to last forever. And they are stepping up to get in on the free money while it lasts.

To Sell Your Home in Overland Park, Do You Need to Prepare It?

This is a tricky question that everyone has their own opinion about. I will answer the question as a Home Stager. The better your house looks and the more emotional buyers become over your house, the more money you will get. That will never change. And that’s exactly why I started Overland Park Home Staging back in 2006. Buying a home is an emotional experience and people will always be able to justify what they just did when they know they overpaid for your house.

Once they see themselves living in your house, shopping in your neighborhood, and their kids attending that elementary school that’s within walking distance from the house, they are hooked. Money doesn’t matter anymore.

Problems with the Real Estate Market

The biggest problem with the Overland Park real estate market is choosing the right offer. Which offer is going to stay together and end up actually closing? There are so many variables that go into the winning offer. It’s not just about the price. Here are other things to consider:

  • Are the buyers fully approved or just prequalified?
  • Does their lender have a good track record of closing transactions and on time?
  • Is the buyer’s agent knowledgeable, available and a good problem solver?
  • What happens if your house doesn’t appraise?

In Conclusion

If you are planning a move out of the area or moving to an apartment, now is a great time to sell your home in Overland Park. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to schedule a FREE consultation so you’ll know just how rich you will be when you sell your home.

Search for Homes

You can start your online home search here.

Check out today’s most recent homes for sale in Overland Park below and call or text me at (913) 515-3250 if there is anything you’d like to see inside!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Home Smudging

Smudging your home is an ancient spiritual practice and ritual that we use to cleanse a home, rid it of negativity and prepare it for its new occupants. Above all, it’s an actual sage burning ceremony that works for sellers or buyers depending on their specific needs.

Who is home smudging designed for?

It can be for sellers who want to rid their home of negative energy, buyers who want to know that the home they bought will be filled with positive energy, or for residents who want to remove bad vibes from their homes.

The very first smudging I did was in 2008 when I listed a home where a murder with a chain saw had been committed. Needless to say, it was a gruesome situation. Even though a couple of years had passed since the incident, I learned about smudging because I was having bad feelings just being in the home. I studied the practice of smudging and took it upon myself to perform a smudging ceremony once a week while the home was on the market.

Other reasons sellers smudge:

  • There was a break up or divorce
  • One of the occupants went through a long illness
  • Someone passed away in the house
  • A dramatic event occurred at the house
  • Turbulence in the family
  • The home had been vacant for awhile and had stale energy

Buyers love the art of home smudging for similar reasons:

  • Smudging helps to purify and redirect the energy in the home
  • It’s a natural disinfectant
  • Removes any negative vibrations, pains, fears, anxieties and uncertainties that could be lingering in a home
  • Sage is known to boost your mood, improve memory, focus and help with insomnia

Smudging is a quick and easy fix to prepare the home for the new buyers. Furthermore, they can move in knowing all negativity has been released and the environment is filled with positivity, love and light.

Our process of smudging your home

We prefer to smudge the home after the sellers have vacated and before the buyers move in. An unoccupied home is the perfect backdrop to rid a home of any previous negative energy. But either way, occupied or not, we can smudge your home to your satisfaction.

There are as many different ways to perform a Smudging Ceremony as well as different products to use. We prefer using white sage as our main tool for the ceremony. Our intentions are always set first. Then we ask why we are there and what you want to specifically accomplish with the home smudging. The final preparation step is to always smudge ourselves first before we smudge the house.

The art of smudging can be done with your hands or with a feather. We use a feather to direct the smoke from the sage to clear the space. In our Smudging Ceremony, we say different prayers to rid the house of evil spirits. We will get very specific with the prayers if we know “the story” of the house. We go room to room as we smudge. The process is slow and mindful and each smudging ceremony usually takes about 1 hour.

Will one home smudging do the trick?

That depends. As previously stated, I smudged a house once a week for about a month back in 2008. We’ve had buyers purchase a home where the previous owners had been battling through a divorce for the past couple of years.

With this type of negative energy flowing throughout the house for so long, we would recommend at least 2 smudging ceremonies. The 1st should be once the house is vacant before the buyers move in and the 2nd one about a week after moving in.

Those 2 smudgings will remove any negativity from the house as well as the new owner’s things. Furthermore, that will clear the air of the occupied space by the previous occupants and allow the buyer’s possessions to go through a good smudging as well.

Is smudging your home right for you?

While smudging your home may seem a bit weird and confusing to many people, it’s merely a way to remove bad juju from a home and replace it with light, love, and joy. Especially when buying a home, you never know what went on behind those closed doors. You may discover the previous residents were horrible people who did terrible things.

Smudging is a sacred, religious and spiritual practice to many Native American tribes. For that very reason, we have high regard and respect for the process. We believe smudging works to rid a home of its demons.

You can start off life in your new home with a clean slate knowing the bad energy has been moved out of the house to make way for your positivity, love, and light. It’s a small price to pay for a large investment and a fresh start!

Personal smudging ceremony

Due to the recent chaos with Covid and unrest in the world, we offer our Personal Smudging Ceremony to rid negativity from your mind, body, and spirit. Much like a home smudging, the purpose of the ritual is to allow the smoke from the white sage to carry off all negativity, fears, and attachments and be replaced with light, love, and joy.

We use White Sage, which is a natural healer for your mind, body, and spirit. Furthermore, its leaves are rich in compounds that work to turn on your brain activity, raise your mood, reduce stress, and relieve pain. It’s even been proven to be a solution for insomnia!

The smoke from the sage cleanses everything it touches and has direct communication with our Creator. With your intentions and goals for healing, combined with our Ceremonial Prayer Ritual, you will start a daily practice of reciting your personal affirmations to deepen what we created.

Our most requested service

Our most requested ceremony is smudging the home and one of the residents. On average, about 8 out of 10 personal smudging ceremonies that we perform are centered around health-related issues. Whether it’s a recent diagnosis or surgery, our clients understand the importance of removing all the bad juju from their home as well as their spirit. In addition, as everyone knows, having the right positive attitude is the most important attribute for healing.

If you or a loved one has encountered ill health, unmanageable stress, anxiety from a break-up, insomnia, or just negativity in general, a Personal Smudging Ceremony can work for you, too!

Get the combo!

Our Combo Personal and Home Smudging Ceremony is the best deal! Likewise, it will remove the contaminated demonic forces, stale or negative energies, fear, sadness, uncertainty or anxiety about the future, or just plain bad spirits that may be lingering in your environment and your mind.

We work with your intentions to promote new beginnings, purify the mind, body, and spirit, and transform all energy from negative to positive.

How much does a smudging ceremony cost?

Personal Smudging Ceremony (for one person) – $125

Home Smudging Ceremony – $125

#1 Best Offer – Combo Personal and Home Smudging Ceremony – $200

Each extra Personal Smudging Ceremony is $75 if performed while we are there.

ATTENTION REALTORS – ask about our Preferred Realtor Program that can save you $$$ on your next Home Smudging Ceremony. It makes a great housewarming gift for your favorite buyers!

How do I order a personal or home smudging?

Schedule your personal or home smudging by calling or texting (913) 515-3250 or contact Melinda here.

Search for homes

Don’t search on Zillow for homes for sale and have agents start bombarding you for an appointment. Start your home search here where you’ll find the newest up-to-date active homes for sale…not something that sold 6 months ago.

You can also check out the latest, newest homes just listed for sale in Overland Park below. Be sure to text or call me at (913) 515-3250 and let’s take a look at your favorites!

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(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

9421 Knox Drive

Priced at $215,000!

SO CUTE in Cherokee Hills and ready for a fresh new start. Lovingly maintained and cared for over the years, this sweetheart of a home is clean and move-in ready. It has so much to offer if you are committed to a little sweat equity. There are hardwoods under the carpet and with a fresh coat of interior paint and some new window treatments, this home could come to life in no time. There’s a large, treed, and fenced yard and 24 x 16 deck just off the kitchen. Priced under market value so don’t miss your opportunity to trade a little work for money and bring your imagination and best offer this weekend! Refrigerator, washer and dryer stay! Seller would like a quick close!

SEE THE PHOTO GALLERY HERE

So…what’s the Zillow Zestimate?

Listed for $215,000, Zillow’s Zestimate for 9421 Knox Drive was $228,163. Click below to find out why you should never, ever rely on Zillow’s numbers. After all, Zillow is a computer program.

They may also offer to buy your home but when you click on the link below, you’ll discover why you should never believe their values. My seller was certainly happy she hired me to sell her house over Zillow.

What’s the real scoop?

9421 Knox was vacant and had 76 showings (because we allowed it) and 20+ offers. It SOLD for CASH and closed in 10 days! If you have a home to sell and care about your money, I can help you too!

FIND OUT THE SOLD PRICE HERE

If you’re just curious about what other houses are selling for in Cherokee Hills, get your home’s value here by entering your address. It’s up to date comparables direct from our local Multiple Listing Service. Easy peasy and we don’t sell your information!

Or if you want to know what your house would potentially sell for in today’s real estate market, call or text Melinda direct at (913) 515-3250 for a quick 15 minute walk through evaluation of your home. There’s no obligation, you can ask all of your “Should I” questions and you’ll be able to determine the right time to sell your home.

What you really need to know…

No two real estate agents are the same. Choose an agent who is getting the results you want. Call or text me now at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here and sell your home while the market is RED HOTTTT! It won’t last forever!

Prepare Your Home for Spring

From recent freezing temperatures, warmer weather is just around the corner and here are my best tips to prepare your home for spring.

While shopping over the weekend for fresh, new accessories for my new listings, I went into Home Goods to see what they were featuring this spring.

First of all, I love the feeling I get when I walk into Home Goods. They know how to get you in the mood to shop. It’s the same trick I use for all of my new listings. Home Goods and I both know we’ve got a short time to grab the buyer while they are present and either they’ll buy or they’ll move on. I call it the 10 second rule. It’s based on grabbing the buyer within 10 seconds of entering a house.

Home Goods is bright, full of happy music, and the colors throughout the store are outstanding. Furthermore, it’s such a pick-me-up and an incredible feeling. I love their bright cheery dishes, pillows, springtime furniture and outdoor cushions. It makes me want to buy everything in the store and give my own home a spring makeover.

I also love Home Goods for doormats and front door wreaths. They are bright, colorful, and full of life. The spring season is the best time for a change. It’s like starting over new again. In addition, you get a new lease on life and your home deserves this as much as anything. For that very reason, you will reap the benefits from your mini spring home makeover.

How to Stand Out

This week while working on a couple of houses, I thought about what would make us stand out from our competition. Both houses had substantial front porches so I decided with the new season and the energy in the air, I wanted to focus on the porch and really hone in on the curb appeal to draw people inside.

As a result, at one of the houses I added a new spring doormat, a fresh wreath and added new pillows to the homeowner’s glider. The most fabulous part of this house was the screened-in back porch! After all, who doesn’t want a porch? My buyer, Ashley, (what’s a girl to do with a pedestal sink?) bought a house with a porch and without that pedestal sink a few years ago. I hope she’s taking time to enjoy her porch – especially this upcoming spring season!

Here are My 11 Best Tips to Prepare Your Home for Spring

  • Paint your front door
  • Add an expensive pot filled with colorful flowers next to the door
  • Find a pretty new wreath and hang it on your front door
  • Get some new house numbers
  • Change out your mailbox (if it’s on the house) or paint it to match the color of your door
  • Add some dark mulch to your flower beds
  • Shop somewhere like Home Goods and buy a few new colorful accessories for inside
  • Buy some new pillows for your couch
  • Paint a room (or the entire interior of your house)
  • Throw out last year’s outdoor cushions and get some new brightly colored ones that will cheer you up on a daily basis
  • Buy a new umbrella for your outdoor table

We had a cold winter in Kansas City. Therefore, it’s time to live life to the fullest and enjoy spring. Whether you’re selling and want to create the model home look or dwelling and need help zinging your home into spring, you can call me direct or text me at (913) 515-3250 or get started here.

Start your home search here and check out today’s new listings below in Overland Park. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to see.

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

How Many Offers Does it Take?

Everyone wants to know just how many offers does it take to sell your home in Overland Park.

The local real estate market is so crazy in certain price ranges, but come on, how many offers do you really need to sell your house? Some agents like to brag about how many offers their latest listing received. It’s the best way to boost their ego and they think it will make all sellers want to use them to sell their home as well.

Other agents like to take advantage of the hot market. They will actually let offers stack up for a couple of days before presenting them to the seller. While there is nothing wrong with doing that, it does tend to make other Realtors and their buyers mad. When buyers make an offer, they like to know whether they are going to get the house or at least be considered. Wouldn’t you if you were a buyer? They don’t like waiting a couple of days to find out they had no chance of their offer being accepted.

What’s the best game plan?

There are many options an agent can employ when strategizing their game plan to sell your home. Each agent thinks their plan is the best and is unique to them. From what day is the best day to list your home for sale, to how many offers they will accept, to the number of days they will collect offers.

But after all, how many offers does it take on one house? Some agents say it’s in the best interest of their seller to let the offers pile up. Why? What’s the most any house is going to sell for? We’re in Kansas. This is not California. A $300,000 house in Overland Park is not going to sell for $350,000. How much can you push the price up before the house doesn’t appraise for the price offered – maybe $15,000?

Home buyers are desperate to buy

Today’s buyers are desperate to buy a home. With low inventory and reasonable prices in the local market, most buyers have lost out on more than one house. When I tell a buyer that they probably aren’t going to get the first house they make an offer on, they look at me with dismay. After losing out on many houses, they make crazy offers on houses that really aren’t worth what they are offering.

For example, a friend of mine told me her neighbor’s house had received 14 offers and sold for $22,000 over the asking price. When we researched that, the sale price was only $5,500 over the list price. 14 offers??? Really?

Did the house sell for $22,000 over asking and the appraiser didn’t see the value? Or did the seller exaggerate the sale price to my friend? If the house actually did sell for $22,000 over asking and it didn’t appraise, then the seller probably was forced to reduce the price to the appraised value.

But in the end, if you’re the seller, don’t plan on using that $22,000 extra money on your next house until you determine you are actually going to receive it. If your house doesn’t appraise, you may not have the money you were hoping for and it could sure screw up your next purchase in a hurry.

How many offers does it take to sell your house?

Here’s my strategy when I list your Overland Park home for sale. My goal for my listings is to get 3 great offers the first day on the market. Everyone will have a final chance to bring their best and final offer by the end of the day.

That’s exactly what happened with my house in Leawood South. My sellers ended up with $12,425 over their asking price. (In the end, they took the lowest offer but it was a cash deal and it closed in 2 weeks – with no appraisal).

Don’t expect agents and their buyers to wait around for a couple of days to hear whether or not they got the house. Buyers today certainly don’t want to miss out on another house while you’re busy collecting offers. Your best offer could end up walking away because they found another house.

If you have a great house that’s priced right and looks good, you only need one great offer in this market. You’ll keep everyone happy and save yourself unnecessary stress.

Call me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to see what it’s going to take to keep things stress-free when selling your home. I promise not to bring you 20 different offers that I have to present. I won’t put you through all that. 3 great offers will accomplish the same exact thing and in much less time.

Search for homes

You can start your home search here and have the most up-to-date information on active listings versus searching on Zillow and getting on their radar.

Also, check out today’s most recent homes for sale in Overland Park below and call or text me at (913) 515-3250 when you find a home you’re dying to see!

  • List View
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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

The 10 Second Rule

The typical Overland Park home buyers use the 10 second rule when they arrive at your house. What does that mean? It means, that within 10 seconds, the buyers have made a decision whether or not they are going to buy your home.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how many homes I see that have terrible curb appeal, porch appeal and entry appeal. Sellers who don’t think these things are important should think again.

What today’s home buyers want

Furthermore, today’s home buyers want to be impressed. Why? They are getting ready to spend their entire life’s savings to buy a home. It’s a place they will make memories for themselves. So many of these home buyers are moving from apartments that are pretty impressive. If they have a gorgeous rental, they certainly expect to be impressed with a house they are going to buy.

Therefore, buyers want to know the home they are considering buying has been well maintained. At a recent panel I was on for first time home buyers, their biggest fear was buying a money pit. That means if you are selling, you had better step up your game because today’s buyers are looking for a reason not to buy your house. They are looking in every nook and cranny for something that isn’t right. They are eliminating all of their options until they find that perfect home with the Goldilocks effect.

Consequently, Overland Park home buyers have already decided about your home long before they reach your front door. Even more, they have researched everything they possibly can online. They’ve done an aerial view, they know what your street looks like and your next door neighbor’s house. When your house is ready, the buyers will come.

Finally, here’s what they really want to see when they get there:

  • A good street
  • A well maintained neighborhood
  • Respectable looking homes
  • Awesome curb appeal
  • Perfection at the front door
  • And a “wow” factor as they enter your house

When home buyers fall in love with your home

In addition, to please today’s Overland Park home buyers you’ve got to have that “you had them at hello” scenario. It all comes down to the details. Let it begin in that first 10 seconds and keep it going as they walk through each room of your house. When they’re done with their tour they’ll be saying, “We have to have this house and we’ll pay more money for it.” That’s how smart sellers are winning at the 10 second rule with today’s picky buyers.

Think this is foolish? As a result, buyers can take your house or leave it? With that attitude you’ll surely be on the market awhile. It’s not the new way to sell your house. You’ve got to change with the times or take your chances of not winning the home selling game. The choice is yours. Remember, not all houses sell. Will you be one that adopts the new rules to sell your home and adopt the 10 second rule as part of your home selling strategy? Selling your home is simple – but it’s not easy.

I’ve been helping home sellers with their 10 second rule since 2006 when I started my home staging business. If you’d like to incorporate it into your home selling strategy, call me direct at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

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You can start your search for homes here and eliminate being chased down by Zillow.

Check out the latest, newest listings and homes for sale in Overland Park below. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 when you see your dream home and we’ll go take a look inside!

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(all data current as of 10/28/2021)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Will St Joseph Sell Your Home?

While I’m all about doing everything you can do to sell your home faster, will St Joseph sell your home? Burying a St Joseph statue in your yard has never been anything I suggest. In addition, if you’ve ever used one of these statues and swear by them, then your house was probably on the market for some time and you probably finally got it priced right. But the folk custom that came to be that sellers should bury the statue in their yard as a sign of prayer asking to find a buyer for your home is pure folklore.

For that very reason, I actually decided to team up with St Joseph when I asked my seller, Melanie Dillon, if she buried one in her yard. Her response was they didn’t need to because they had St Melinda. Yes, St Melinda sold their Overland Park house the first day on the market a few years ago (it’s what I’ve always done) – when there was actually some inventory to sell.

No matter what the inventory is, there are only 3 reasons your house will sell. And St Joseph is not one of them.

  • It’s priced right
  • It looks spectacular
  • You have the right agent

There really are no gimmicks when it comes to selling homes. Never have been. Even praying doesn’t work. Me teaming up with St Joseph is a gimmick – in all reality, I don’t need him. Above all, too many agents focus on things that don’t really matter when it comes to selling houses.

Here’s my secret sauce

If you start with a realistic price and create a product worth that price, you’ll get more money every time. That’s exactly why I learned the art of home staging 10 years ago. At that time, houses that were for sale didn’t show well. Many of them still don’t show well because sellers and their agents don’t understand what home staging is and how it works.

The right price and a great look will boost the right priced home every time. But even in today’s market, savvy buyers will not buy a house that’s overpriced. They will however pay you more for a house that’s priced right and that they can see themselves living in. For that reason, buyers must get emotional about your house and if they don’t, they’re not going to buy it. My job, as your home stager, creates that emotion. My job will sell your home for more money.

Will St Joseph sell your home?

No! If you’re set on selling your house with St Joseph buried in your yard – you need to rethink things. Obviously, your house hasn’t sold for one of the above 3 reasons. What is it that isn’t working for you? If your agent is telling you it’s the market, they are lying.

There’s a Melinda-ism I may have jacked from someone else…you make excuses or get results but you don’t get both. If you want to sell your house, quit making excuses, make the changes necessary and you’ll get results.

There are buyers out there but you’ve got to give them what they want. If your house is on the market and not selling, look at the pictures online. Does it compare to the house you want to buy? If not, get a new price, new look or new agent.

I get calls from people around the country who can’t sell their house. When I see their homes, I understand why their house hasn’t sold. The time spent buying the St Joseph statue and burying it could be time better spent on figuring out why your house hasn’t sold and making the necessary changes.

If your house hasn’t sold and you need help understanding why, ask St Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here. Time is of the essence in real estate and every day your house is on the market is costing you thousands of dollars!

Search for homes

You can search for homes here versus going to Zillow where they will never leave you alone!

Also, be sure to check out the latest new listings of homes for sale in Overland Park below. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 if you find your dream home and we will go take a look inside!

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