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Health & Fitness

Super Sunday and The Sweet Spot

It was once referred to as the championship game between the then recently formulated American Football League and the National Football League. Three years later, due in part to the brash prediction of celebrated Jets’ quarterback Joe “Willie” Namath and his New York Jets’ subsequent victory despite being seventeen point underdogs, America’s interest in the game skyrocketed. The following year it was dubbed The Super Bowl. It’s difficult to imagine that Namath’s prognostication took place some forty-five years ago. 

This Is It 

Super Bowl forty-eight will be played this Sunday. It has turned into the single most anticipated sporting event of the year in the United States. It’s characterized by massive tailgating, parties and celebration. Companies will pay $4 million per thirty seconds to advertise their product or services. 

The Day After 

The day after the Super Bowl is also the demarcation in America of another significant day. On Monday the spring market begins in real estate. Many homeowners are unaware of this. The traditional mindset is that the spring market begins in April or May, when the flowers are in bloom and “my property looks its best.” Nothing can be further from the truth. 

The Sweet Spot 

By the time April or May arrives, home shoppers are on to other endeavors. The beach, the country club, travel or whatever. The majority of them have already made their buying decisions in anticipation of being settled into their new home as the next school year begins. The sweet spot of the buying season begins Monday and culminates on Easter Sunday, perhaps Mother’s Day in an overly brisk marketplace. 

What to do in preparation for the spring market: 

  •  Contact a realtor – Make your decision of whom to hire based on reputation, track record, marketing and rapport. 
  • Tidy up – Contact a professional stager. The cost is well worth the return on your dollar. 
  • Comparables - Do whatever it takes to remove the emotion. Study the realtor’s comps with an open mind and note the advantages of each compared to your home and vice-versa. 
  • Pricing – Price your home within 5% or less of what you and your realtor perceive to be your home’s market value. Building in a “cushion” so that you have room to negotiate compromises your equity probably more than anything else. 

Following these four steps gives you the best opportunity to sell your home for the highest price in the shortest period of time with the least amount of inconvenience to you. 

Would you like to add another piece of advice to potential homeowners? Please let us know in the comment section below.

For more information about the real estate market, call our Fairfield office at 203.256.3264 or visit our website at afahomes.com.

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