The Market vs The Calendar

Host: Welcome to Real Stories with Buddy Blake. Buddy, so I'm looking at this story and the first thing that jumped out at me is that you got back from a conference in Dallas, and then you're right into a listing appointment the next morning. Do you ever sit down?

Buddy Blake: Not much, no. My wife and I went to the Brian Buffini Leadership Conference together, and we got back to town late. Then first thing I'm out meeting with sellers about a new home in the Village at Motts Landing. It's a stunning single-family home on a pond. But honestly, the story of how it came to market is the part worth telling, because it goes against what most sellers, and plenty of agents, believe about timing.

Host: Okay, I'm hooked. So what was the timing situation?

Buddy Blake: These homeowners planned to wait until after the first of the year. I met them two or three weeks before. They've got another place to move to and no deadline, so they could go whenever it made sense. And I told them what I tell everybody: don't focus on the calendar as much as you focus on the market.

Host: Hm. Calendar versus market. I feel like most people just default to the calendar, right?

Buddy Blake: Right, exactly. Almost every seller thinks the same way. First it's, let's wait till after the first of the year. Then it's, let's wait for spring. Then, let's wait till school lets out. So everybody lists at the same time. And in a challenging market, I ask people, would you rather compete with the most homes possible or the fewest? That answer tells you a lot about when to list.

Host: Oh, that's a good way to frame it. Fewest, obviously. So what changed for these sellers?

Buddy Blake: So while I was in Dallas, the data moved. I'm an alpha tester for a new all-in-one system a software company is building. I can't say much about it yet because it hasn't been unveiled. An alpha tester is the person they bring in to stomp out the bugs. I'm good at breaking things, and I'm pretty good at figuring out how to fix them too.

Host: Ha! That's a great qualification. So what does it do that mattered here?

Buddy Blake: One thing it does is build competition analysis reports. When the number of competing homes gets abnormally low, not just in the seller's neighborhood but within whatever radius you set, say ten miles, it sends the seller a note. In plain words it says, I know you were thinking about selling after the first of the year, but right now you have zero competition for your type of house, your size and your price.

Host: Zero competition. Wow. And that note just landed while you were away?

Buddy Blake: It did. They called and said they were ready to go. And I'd already shared a competition analysis with them a few weeks earlier. Since then, some homes had sold and some had come off the market, in their neighborhood and in others. So they'd be one of two choices for the buyers I see most active right now. And those buyers aren't tied to the calendar.

Host: I love that. But I'm curious, does a system like that sort of replace the agent?

Buddy Blake: No, no. It doesn't replace relationships or referrals. It points out the opportunity and lets the agent and the homeowner talk when the time is right. If you want to see where it lives, we've put the link in the show notes.

Host: Okay, so the sellers say go. Now, I'd think there's a scramble at that point. Photos, paperwork, all of it.

Buddy Blake: That's the thing, there wasn't. When I meet with sellers this time of year, I get the groundwork done early. We had professional photos shot and the home measured before the grass turned brown and the leaves came down. So when the call came, there was nothing to scramble for. I spent two and a half hours going over the paperwork with them, making sure they understood every page. The sign is up, and the home goes into the MLS tonight or tomorrow.

Host: Two and a half hours on paperwork. I love that. Nobody's just signing where the little flags are.

Buddy Blake: Right. And that's the whole point. Preparing before you list is what lets you move when the market opens up. If you're thinking about selling in town, our page on selling a home in Wilmington explains how we prepare. That's in the show notes too.

Host: Tell me a little more about the house itself. You said it's on a pond?

Buddy Blake: Yeah, it's a single-family home on a pond in the Village at Motts Landing. It's a very popular neighborhood for the buyers we're seeing, and I believe it's priced extremely well. There's a market insights page for the Village at Motts Landing if you want the numbers for the area, and all our current homes for sale in Wilmington are on the site. Links are in the show notes.

Host: And who do you picture buying it?

Buddy Blake: Well, I expect the likely buyer won't be borrowing money. I think it'll be a cash purchase. And that matters more than it sounds, because of what I keep hearing around the country.

Host: Ooh, okay. What's that?

Buddy Blake: At the conference, I heard the same thing from agent after agent: deals falling apart over home inspections. Buyers are nervous. They have choices, and if they're borrowing money, they are not loving the interest rates. So inspections are where deals get shaky.

Host: So what's the fix? Because that sounds like a big worry for any seller.

Buddy Blake: I think most sellers should get a pre-listing inspection, unless the house is brand new. You attach the report to the residential property disclosure and say, here's my house, and we're selling it as it is. You adjust the price for the items that may need attention. And plenty of what an inspector finds is insignificant, and the buyer can see that too.

Host: Huh. So you take the surprise out of it.

Buddy Blake: Exactly. The goal isn't only the most money, it's the best chance of actually getting to the closing table. If you want to weigh your options, read Before You List on the NC Coast: Inspect, Repair or Sell As-Is? and The Deal Killer Report. Our selling page also explains how we handle the pre-market inspection. All of it's linked in the show notes.

Host: Honestly, my big takeaway is that waiting for the calendar might mean waiting right into the most crowded part of the market. Buddy, this was great, thanks for walking us through it.

Buddy Blake: Thanks for having me. And if you're wondering whether the calendar or the market should decide your timing, I'm glad to talk it through. Call or text me at 910-395-1000. The full article is linked in the show notes.