I thought I would do this separately from the other thread. I need an answer pretty quick.
In all my travels today to find things I found a couple of duvet covers (since the one I wanted to use is packed away somewhere). I found 2 but neither are perfect. I don't have time for perfect unfortunately. here are the pictures from the packages.
I'm thinking that duvet is so poofy it may be better just to hide the duvet for showing and use the covers like a bed spread for now.
The black and white one is 4" too short for my over sized queen duvet but I can probably live with that as it will just be extra poofy when I put it all together whenever. It's reversible, black background or white, same with 2 shams. The problem is my bedskirt is chocolate brown...not perfect but I can't change it now. So can I get away with it or am I pushing my luck?
The second one is a king size I found at Costco (I think they came in about 4 different colour combos, very nice for about $70). It's too big but I thought I would try it anyway because the colours looked right.The feel of that thing is heaven. Just like my favourite sheets I got from Costco. It's about 8" too big for my duvet. The stripe is chocolate brown with a blue background that matches my sheets but is a not quite with the blueish walls (it's too cloudy here to actually see what it looks like in daylight so that is my judgment with the lights on). I tried this one on the bed and the stripe around the perimeter more or less falls off the mattress instead of being on top and I worry that it will be a pain to keep straight.
So thoughts? Will one of them work or should I just go back to boring duvet without cover? Here is the way it's been for showings (I have not been using the blue/grey pillow) or one of the new ones?
Oh yes for those who are following along, I got the mums. Nice bright yellow ones for the front and back of the house. I also got some nice bright yellow glads I think I will put on the mantel. Costco's mum's are always so nice and only $12 for a huge pot of them and they last through frost too which is probably a good thing since we are cold here again right now (11 degrees and dropping).
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I'm not sure how many homes go into multiples that end up above list here right now. My last house sure experienced that but in all the solds I've seen, not one was above list.
I am worried about the very things you mentioned though especially after being in pending for 8 days and then back on the market. I would assume people are going to think the inspection showed something (it showed nothing of consequence and the house was rated as average/typical so that is a clean inspection in real estate terms) and apparently the Realtor can't disclose the inspection for buyers (I understand that she can mention it to individual Realtors, but not on the MLS) so it gets left to the buyer's imagination basically. I asked if it would help for me to get my own so we could mention condition officially on the MLS or leave it out for buyers to see, but was told it wouldn't be trusted anyway so no point.
The only thing that is somewhat hopeful is most of the houses around here sold anywhere between 10 an 53 days so I am still well within that and statistically things usually pick up in Sept again.
What's interesting (to me) and something I am considering before lowering price, is apparently many listings up the buyers commission by another .5% on the first $100,000 (this I've heard from a few sources). I was warned about that and do wonder if some Realtors are holding their clients back a bit (not encouraging in other words) in hopes of selling them a house that nets them more commission. Seems to me even offering them a full 1% more might be worth the price if it got me my price. that gets them an extra $!000 which might entice some to push their clients in this direction.
I have to think on that one a bit but I think if I am going to do it, now is as good a time as any to do it.
A house, or anything for sale, is really only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. The longer a house is on the market, it risks being labeled "stale". Once prospective buyers get it in their collective heads that there might be something wrong with a house, OR that due to a high price the vendor might not be serious about selling, the seller is doomed. Lowering the price just might generate some more interest - rain or shine - and possibly a buyer. I don't know the market in Calgary, but still here in Ontario a lower asking price often generates multiple offers....and goes for well above ask.
Something to think about........
FYI, I removed the MLS # from the posts after realizing a google brought up the thread. If you want to see it, PM me and I will give it to you but I don't want it coming up on google.
As an aside, I will tell you that I learned the hard way why you never want to own the lot next to commercial property. My first house was in such a position and if it wasn't the garbage blowing out of their dumpsters into my yard (and we are talking major paper stuff, every day), it was the noise. If that wasn't enough it was higher walls they have to have as a fire thing meaning no light at certain times of the day and no breeze from that side (although that was sometimes a save since I lived next to a garage with had lots of stinky stuff going on sometimes) as well as more than a few police visits when something happened next door. It also meant they could clear their snow in the middle of the night with noisy trucks which I never appreciated at 3 AM.
Then the big one, the house next to a commercial lot is subject to whatever happens to that lot. IN my case the lot got sold and a developer bought it, tore down what was there and put in a 5 story building that ran the whole length of the lot with windows all along my side. That added 25 trucks a day to the alley, no privacy ever as it was a residence for seniors, and there was nothing I could do about it but sell to them. So I was basically forced out after working on that house and loving it for nearly 13 years. In other parts of this area anyone backing on the commercial of the main road lost their homes when they added 4 more lanes to the road. No mercy, the city takes it at supposedly market value. You do not want to be close to commercial, it's very bad news in daily living and whether the house has a future or not.
The top 3 important things in real estate are location, location and location. It sounds like you have it. I think talking about lowering your price this early in the game (and last weekend was raining!) is unreasonable. Did you write down her commission as suggested so you can keep that in mind when she talks to you?
It really sounds like she just wants to turn it over as fast as possible - that's what is best for her. I would stick to my price if I were you.
Yes DBD, welcome to the real world.
I would not drop the price at this point. Besides, you don't have to sell so you can take as long as you wish :D
I think it really depends upon each individual buyer as to what they are looking for so you cannot really compare the same house in a quieter or busier neighbourhood. A house located near a commercial area might be a huge plus for some people who enjoy walking looking at shops and restaurants for example. Trees might be viewed as extra raking work in the Fall. People have different ideas as to what Shangrila is.
I paid to have the house appraised last year and it appraised higher than what she wants me to list for (she wants to list for $399,000) and I've done some upgrades since then. From what I can determine, the prices really haven't dropped at all in this area since then (and have probably gone up by 5 - 10% just because of this being where it is). As well my city tax assessment (which usually isn't close to realistic) was adjusted this spring after me appealing since they had some details incorrect. They recalculated and came up about the same as the appraisal I had so I do have that as a starting point. It's nearly $420,0000 so add 5 - 10% and you come up way higher than I am listed.
I would have bought into listing at her price maybe if she had said it was to encourage a bit of a bidding war on those first days, but she didn't ever mention that so I assume she does believe that is the price it should be regardless. As it was, the offer I did have was higher than that so I still think it's too low and I would never have room to negotiate listing that low, but maybe I'm not seeing something.
My contract can be broken any time according to how we arranged it. I really don't want to break it without being certain it's warranted. I don't think she is being dishonest or anything, just we don't seem to be on the same wavelength so it's difficult to come to some understandings I think should be pretty straight forward but I may be off base (in which case she should be able to swing me around without much effort (...(At least that is how I view things since I think of myself as reasonable as long as someone shows me some logical reason and this is one of those things based on stats and such and I totally understand stats but I am not seeing what she is talking about at all).
Insurance really only estimates cost to rebuild as I understand it so they don't account for the lot or what market conditions are with buying/selling so I am not sure how that would apply.
Meanwhile she showed the house again today and said it looked fine to her so that is on the upside.
There are two other ways to establish the value of your house that might be worth exploring.
1. Your bank by asking them to appraise it for a mortgage to do some work on the house.
2. Your household insurance company for value because they use that to determine the insured value.
Neither are likely going to be free, but a talk with your bank might get you a good customer reduced rate or they turn you over to the appraiser and let you negotiate.
Even if you did have to pay a few bucks for it , the end result would be that you have an independent valuation that you can use to show that agent that doesn't want to do a lot of work on your behalf. Her - I would tell her to call me only if she has a showing or an offer. No other reason permitted. Tough love and don't forget to push the point about her reducing her commission if you ultimately agree to reduce the price.
what was the original number your realtor suggested for your house?
I would hold firm and not lower your price. Agents (well, some) always want to sell lower so they don't have to work as hard/long with open houses etc.
I may have missed how long the contract is for, but you are the customer and if not happy, you should be able to deal with another realtor.
As others have said, it's your $$. Where I live, the homes sell very quickly-sometimes before the sign gets on the lawn. So...does that mean that the houses have sold for too little? Maybe so...
Will go on-line to MLS shortly and check things out:)
IMO the best way to know what your home is worth is to ask your Agent to supply you with a list of all the houses similar to yours, in your neighbourhood, that have sold (and for what price) in the last six months......
Been there done that as well as houses in similar areas (there are only about 3 others where you have this inner city, walk to work in 10 minutes, older homes thing going) and so begins the wondering as most of the houses have sold for more than I am listed for. The trouble is in an area like this, there are a lot of variables since a lot have had various work over the years (some remuddles, some guts gone very modern/high end, some just updated, some with nothing done). Some are surrounded by apartments (high density) or on busy streets and that all effects price. What I can't seem to get explained to my satisfaction is where she gets her price from. She showed me 1 comp from last winter and seem s fixed on that one while the ones sold in the last 4 months are all higher. That actually seems to go with the stats I've seen for home sales for the city.
What really got my attention was one house i thought was pretty close as a comparable that sold last month. Same size, age, smaller lot with no back alley, but not as nice a location being closer to a busy street, no trees, and next to commercial. it sold for more than mine is listed. now I thought things were supposed to be logical so I tried some round, but what I think is reasonable numbers with her from what research I have done.
smaller lot (-$10,000),
nice new kitchen cupboards (+$10,000),
partially developed basement (+$10,000),
next to commercial, no alley, no trees, lots of traffic noise (-$10,000),
just a really cute house (+10,000)
which puts it about $10,000 higher than mine if I am being generous and low and behold mine is listed at $10,000 less than that one sold for, so I thought my price was okay. She told me it had pot lights (!) which meant it was more desirable.
Next house that was sort of comparable was a complete remuddle (IMO). I have no idea what is going on there but she loves that house. I pointed out it had 12" tiles up to the ceiling in two rooms (not the bathroom or kitchen) that apparently was a fast fix for some cracked plaster, no windows that opened, a very strange front deck. Just seemed like a very strange job that didn't actually look like more than a flip without the help of a designer or architect. I didn't even want to mention what a tiled house with windows that don't open might imply but it's just a weird house to me. The lot itself was run down and on a corner which to people like me is not a good thing as that is twice as much walk and boulevard to take care of. Anyway, even with house and lot size about the same it sold for way more than I am listed. her justification is that tile is very unique and the house has new vinyl siding (which around here is considered a major yuck and discouraged by our community planner types as it doesn't fit the character of the area).
One house on a smaller lot, busy street, just sold in a day. It was totally underpriced at $320,000. I'm familiar with the house and it's been totally renovated with laminate etc. (so not a high end reno) but the worry is there wasn't one permit pulled on any of it and they sold it for less than what they paid 6 years ago. This is unheard of and screams red flag to me so I don't consider it a comparable as something is going on there that had them wanting rid of that house and with no conditions attached.
I tried calling some other Realtors today to see if it was possible to get an estimate but was told as long as the house is listed, they aren't allowed so I have no way to get alternate opinions right now.
If anyone has the time, I would really appreciate your opinions. If you look on the old MLs site [url]http://cobrand.mls.ca/map.aspx?CobrandID=181[/url], click Alberta, calgary, District A, Crescent Heights - 404, and do a search by detached house all the ones for sale show up including mine (I'm removing MLS # for personal reasons). I've checked out all the houses and each and every one of the ones under $500,000 right now are beside commercial or surrounded by apartments (literally, there are I think 3 that stand by themselves stuck between 4 story buildings and face more of the same across the street) or on a busy street. That, to me, makes mine more desirable since I don't have any of that on this block. yet mine is not priced anywhere close to the others. One has been on the market for months, is almost identical to mine in appearance and has had some nice work done on it. It's now reduced to $489,000 from $499,000 but sits right beside a 5 story office building and across the street from a car dealership. To me, that is all that is wrong with that house as it's one that's an ace (IMO) otherwise. Oh yeah, the first house that comes up is a tiny little place being sold as land value only, and just reduced $20K....guess whose Realtor that is? She obviously applied some pressure there too. What's odd to me is other houses just as tiny have sold but for way more than land value... go figure.
Meanwhile my Realtor is still calling me telling me my house is priced way too high. I just don't understand. Help me figure this out if you can please. I am open to all you can say even if you don't think I will like it.
I don't know who you will be calling in to re-estimate your house, but IF you are thinking of other Real Estate Agents, they may very well "estimate" on the much higher side in the hopes of getting the listing once it has expired. Once (IF) they get it, they will then start telling you that YOUR price is way too high!!
IMO the best way to know what your home is worth is to ask your Agent to supply you with a list of all the houses similar to yours, in your neighbourhood, that have sold (and for what price) in the last six months......
SO WHAT if she thinks you are a pain (you [U]have not [/U]been unreasonable) Remember SHE'S WORKING FOR YOU. She's got to earn her income!
As of a couple of hours ago, the new duvet is apparently loaded for the MLS. Yes I took the new picture and the new on of the LR to save her the trouble. She just likes the white duvet better as she feels it looks more airy. I tend to go with the comment that it's a bit untidy. We'll see. Neither are staging perfection at all, but I really wasn't liking the first one at all.
I am sure she thinks I am being a pain asking to have the description changed to point out more than just the features and to ask for new pictures to be added but I don't feel bad about it as I think it should help.
Once I get a handle on what price this house should be (going to call a few folks and see if they will do an estimate for me), then it will tell me if she has been right or not.
Write down on a piece of paper what this agent stands to make and look at it every time she mouths off at you.
Ha ha ha - that's the best advice I've seen in ages.
Seriously, expecting you to lower your price this soon is just unreasonable.
WTH? Since when should it matter to your agent what type of duvet you have on your bed for MLS photos? :hairpull: Just remind her that she is supposed to be working for you and ask her if she would like to cancel the contract you'd be more than happy to accomodate her.
Please bear in mind that this is not the first time I have heard complaints from agents about photos. I think they feel they should only take the time to do it once and consider it wasted time more than that. Agents must be very hard to deal with in your area because they have been so spoilt for a long time they forget or may not even know what it's like to really work for their commissions.
Write down on a piece of paper what this agent stands to make and look at it every time she mouths off at you.
Mrs Fancy we actually tried that layout when we first tried staging because I remembered the suggestion. What it did though was completely cut off traffic to the hall and with a 3 seater, it looks a bit too crowded, like everything is pushed to one end of the room and too big to fit.
While cutting the grass i decided to cool off and when I came back in I looked at every house on the mareet in comparable districts and you know there really are none the type of person who would buy my house would go for that are listed lower. They are either fixer uppers or in very bad locations (like across the road from the commuter train tracks). The rest are all priced $50,000 higher than mine. I call that encouraging and is why I think I really am not overpriced.
My big mistake was not getting at least 3 other Realtors to give me their estimates before I signed with this one. I just really thought by the way she was talking she'd be good to deal with and she still might be, I just don't have that confidence because I have nothing to tell me she is without those other estimates.
Getting to the comments I missed last time I posted, I can't really angle the bed as the room is just too small. As it is, there is basically about 2' between the end of the bed and the wall so angling cuts that short with the corner of the bed. I could put another bedside table in but opted to leave more room since the closet door is right there.
Wolfbaby the reason I moved the sofa back is that not fitting thing was exactly what I was thinking some buyers were thinking. It's a funny room to imagine furniture in so seeing it placed awkwardly didn't seem like something that would help. Again, it was as soon as I flipped that furniture around that I got the offer so I wonder if it did make a difference. That is why I wanted a new picture on the MLS. Just in case any of those first folks through happened to look at the pictures again they might see the possibilities. There is probably no way to get them back here, so that MLS is the only way to maybe reach them.
She wants you to drop the price already!?! I she nuts.:eek: Hold firm DBD ...it's your money! ...not hers. Just tlell her to do her job and get it sold.
I'm with Wolfbaby if she wants you to lower the price then she has to lower her commission.
From the photos, I do like the sofa in front of the fireplace. It gives it more of a complete, cozy feel to the space.
i like your new bedding. it looks more tidy.
the fireplace wall looks much cozier with stained glass and clock and long candles on the floor - no need to do anything there.
as far as i remember you have the door right behind your sofa (second layout). so i can understand your realtor: because if you enter the room you face the back of the sofa and it's not the best feature (correct me if i am wrong).
when sofa is placed between 2 spaces, it looks a bit too big (1st layout).
how about trying this:
move the sofa to the right space (that wall is currently empty, infront of the windows), take the whole TV set up and move it where you used to place the floor mirror. so the whole TV area will be positioned to the right and 'nobody' will compete with beautiful FP settings.
chair? i don't really know - try to finish the sitting area near TV or another choice - keep it near FP. the same for the rug - try in both spaces.
p.s. i stay true to my first advice i gave you couple years ago (make a tv area in the right space) ;)
maybe it will work this time? :D
I think you are doing great dealing with your agent DBD. Personally, I'd be much less interested in dealing with her than you are, and probably would have gone into her office to lodge a complaint with the head of her company by now.
Trying to get you to lower your price is typical - the less work she can do to get the commission the better - and she gets her half of the commission no matter what you do now, because you've signed with her. Buyers are much more difficult because they can walk out and go and deal with another agent whenever they want - the seller has to sign a contract.
I sold a business once where the real estate sales person wanted me to lower my price - so I got them to lower their commission by a considerable amount so that they lost more money than I did. Just something to think about.
eta: I don't know why this post went above DBD's, but obviously it should be below it.
Here is the latest listing this won't appear on the public MLS until probably later tonight or tomorrow. We rewrote the description (something I wanted done so I helped...) Not sure what happened to the bedroom picture that was there but there is 2 of the same now but Realtor says that isn't possible even though I told her that was what my computer was showing so maybe she might take a look before it does go public.
The clock can actually be moved now for showings since I have a big arrangement of yellow glads that can go there. It's kind of an odd spot to put things really with the windows there.
Thanks for the comments. For some reason she absolutely does not want a picture with the new duvet. I just had her call me and say that since we only had one showing in 3 days I should drop my price even though I've told her I am more interested in logical reasoning. I won't go into the gory details but was getting quite annoyed because with something like this I think I need more proof than just thinking we want a fast sale regardless of how much it costs me. I don't think it's time to panic yet given we were off the market for a week and Sept is supposed to be a good selling period here but she isn't buying that.
Meanwhile, it's outside for me to cut the back lawn before it starts raining again. Probably a good way for me to work off some of the steam that is gathering too.
That thread is not working for me but I would love to see the listing. Do you have the MLS #?
I'm wondering if you move your bed on an angle to the corner wall if you might have room for another bedside table, it doesn't have to match the existing one but that makes me think there isn't enough room for 2 the way it is now. Otherwise I would try and have the photo show both the closet and window.
For the MLS photo I would use the original one because it shows off the fireplace but I would keep the sofa in front of the fireplace for every day living, the photo looks a bit cluttered compared to the original one is all.
The bedroom looks great.
I think you are right Wolfbaby....so, since you do not see the other end of the sofa, why not take the same shot but pull the sofa out from the wall, show perhaps half the length of the sofa in the picture. It will not look crammed in there and since you do not see the whole room you will have a sense of space.
If I looked at your living room the way the real estate agent wants it, I would think "hmm, obviously the sofa doesn't fit any other way, and has to be jammed up against that wall which looks soooo awful, I'm not interested in a room I can't even set up to look cozy and comfortable, and that doesn't look comfortable". I would reject the house based on that.
You can take all the furniture out of the room if the idea is to make the room look bigger, but I wouldn't show anyone the sofa jammed up against that wall.
The bedroom looks great.
Forgot to add in,
I even think that a photo of the bedroom window and/or doors would be helpful for potential buyers.
If I were checking out the MLS listings I would more attracted to your living room layout...by far!!! It looks like a room that actually has a function - living.
As for the bedroom......If I were viewing your home, the "prettier" it looked, the better. However, for the MLS pictures, I think it is important to show as many architectural details as possible....in other words the features that will remain.....windows, doors, trim work, etc.
I always find that you have to think strategically when it comes to what you post on MLS and what people see when they actual visit your home. The MLS photo is what draws them in so really it should promote the 'space' factor IMHO. Of course when somebody visits they can see the cosier set up. When people are looking on-line they have a difficult time imagining what is behind this and that and where that leads to etc. etc. So, looks like I am all alone on this one, but I think for the purpose of MLS you need to go with the first pic.
I am not crazy about the B&W in the bedroom but really that would not matter to me at all if I was looking at a home. I tend to edit out the personal effects of the people living there and focus in on the detailing of the room, height of ceiling, woodwork etc. I am sorry to say but I find that there is a lot of time and money spent on creating a look that you think will be appealing to others which in my opinion is pretty hard to do given the multitude of possibilities for personal style and taste.
Your home is lovely and I think the buyer that will be interested is an individual that wants the appealing character of a home such as yours.
DBD: I like the first B&W pic of the bedroom but do you have another lamp to put in there. I am finding the stain glass clashing with the B&W. A tall black, white or shiny silver would be better. If there is room, lay out a hard cover book (no paper cover) open with the cover showing and even a pair of glasses on top of the book on the night table or if there is no room, what about on the bed on top of a white throw strewn across the bottom of the bed.
Also, for the living room, I like the last pic but could you remove the coffee table/ottomans(?). If I am seeing right, I think there are two of them together so maybe even just one of them but I think take them out all together and/or find something smaller like a narrow short bench. This might help with making it look like more room. Did you find anything to replace the clock yet?
Upon closer inspection I see where she is coming from. The LR does look more spacious her way, but doesn't it also block access to the DR? Looks like it does and that's bad so I would go with your placement. Her way also takes the table out of the scene and renders it useless. Not good.
Go with your room the way you live in it because people will likely want to see how a room is used so they picture themselves being there. Now about that clock.......broken record I know.;)
OK, this is not a house for a family of six (don't be insulted, it isn't or you wouldn't have bought it!), so I like the warm and cozy look of YOUR living-room arrangement - space for watching TV, space for having a friend or two round for drinks/conversation etc. ADDED : her way, the chair is way out in left field, and has no relationship to the couch at all! The stained glass adds a LOT of warmth and the "charm" that people are looking for in a house like this
I like the first pic of the black and white bedroom, that one shows that there is a little space between the side of the bed and the wall, ADDED : and shows a little bit of the closet - fictitious young couple looking at MLS : "Oh look, hon, there is what looks like a good-sized closet in that room"!
Can't see the pics from here, but will maybe do a bit extra on an edit once it is posted and I can see the pics again!