In the last year or so, Seattle has become a tight seller’s market with a low inventory and a common occurrence of multiple offers per house for sale. Many buyers have described it as an all-out war trying to buy the house they want. Owners who waited out the housing recession are more than willing to engage in a bidding war in an attempt to get the highest offer.
The following are some good real estate tips for both buyers and sellers in the Seattle market. These real estate tips can also be applied to many of the surrounding real estate markets like Tukwila, Renton, Sea-Tac, Burien and more.
For Buyers:
1.Decide what you can compromise on. Of the three big factors: condition, location and size, which one isn’t as important as the other two? In most cases, you’ll need to compromise on one of them.
2.Understand what you can actually afford in this market. Because the real estate market is so tough in these areas, agents and sellers look at every detail of competing offers, and larger down payments often win out as many houses are unlikely to appraise at the price being offered.
3.Be patient and don’t give up too soon. Losing the house you thought was perfect can be a crushing disappointment at the time, but it’s important to keep looking. During the time you’re looking, you can also save extra cash for a bigger down payment.
4.Find out what the seller wants. Knowing what constitutes the perfect offer to a seller can be half the battle. In a seller’s market, the buyer cannot make too many demands on an offer and expect to win the house if there are multiples. In some cases, it’s simply the highest, in others, the most cash, and sometimes they just want a quick closing.
For Sellers:
1.Price your house competitively. Most properties in this market are getting multiple offers, but if you price your house too high to start, you may not get the right bites.
2. Be clear about what you want and where you won’t compromise. If you need a quick closing or the ability to rent the house for two months from the buyer, make sure to have this communicated so you can get an offer that meets your conditions.
Listings dropped by 10 percent in Seattle’s market in 2016, but demand remained high and is expected to increase in 2017.
