Do Homes Sell This Time of Year Or Should I Wait?


As the weather cools, it's inevitable that many buyers and sellers alike start to wonder if they should move forward now, or wait until either the New Year or Spring. I always answer that question that it entirely depends on what your real estate goals are, why you are buying/selling, and how soon do you need to accomplish this goal? If it's a pressing goal you want to achieve sooner than later, it could make sense to be proactive now, when your competition is waiting.

There are still many real estate transactions happening now and through the rest of the quarter. As you will see in the data above, thousands of deals are happening and will continue to happen in Northeast Ohio in then coming months. Personally, I have 6 current pending transactions, and I have several more coming down the line.

If last year is any indication, over 8,100 homes will sell this quarter. If you have any real estate goals you are considering achieving, I would be glad to discuss and go over the data and my guidance. In some circumstances, it could make sense to wait. In others, it could make sense pursue sooner than later, as you will have less competition and a recent interest rate drop.

Enjoy your Monday!

-Pat

Should I Blur My Homes On Google Maps?

This is a question I get every few weeks is in regards to privacy for homeowners. This is a very reasonable thing to consider whether you've been at your home for 30 years or 30 days. There are certainly some potential benefits to blurring out your home online, and it's a relatively simple process. Should you decide to take it offline, here's the process:

1. Open Google Maps on your computer—not your smartphone. Unfortunately, this process doesn’t work on smartphone apps and can be cumbersome to complete through a website browser on your phone, so be sure to use a laptop or desktop computer.
2. Search for your home address. A picture of your house will most likely appear. Click on that picture. From there, you should see the street view of your home address.
3. Click on “Report a Problem.” You’ll find that in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
4. Select what you want Google to blur out. A red and black box should pop up on your screen, so be sure anything you don’t want to appear fits in that box. Include your home and anything else you don’t want on the internet, such as a detached garage. You can use the buttons on the side to zoom in and out to make this process easier.
5. Select what you’re requesting for Google to blur. Choose whatever applies. Google will also prompt you to provide more detail regarding what it is precisely in the image you want to be blurred. Be as specific as possible, and remember, once something is removed, it’s permanent.
6. Enter your email address and complete the captcha. Then, submit, and you’re all set.

I also get a lot of questions about taking listing photographs from certain real estate websites. This is a little more complicated but I am happy to talk about this if you have any concerns. Please call me and I would be happy to help.