What does it mean to be Full Service?
2020 has brought new challenges to Charleston’s real estate market. Now, more than ever, our team’s “full service” approach is serving our clients.
With inventory at an all time low, buyers don’t have much to choose from. So we go hunting for diamonds in the rough. When the active MLS inventory is stale, we source off-market listings. We are in constant flow with other agents to reveal upcoming listings. Those relationships are crucial in finding houses and also when it comes to multiple offer situations. For the lucky buyers who find “the one,” we have expert tactics for winning the deal over other shoppers. Our clients Pete & Claudia recently won out among multiple offers on a rare one-story home in Oak Terrace Preserve (Park Circle, North Charleston). The listing agent said the offer terms were virtually the same, but the way we wrote the contract and our team’s reputation made the seller feel more comfortable, so they chose to go with us!
When inventory is low, it creates a seller’s market, but that doesn’t mean selling is easy in 2020! Today’s buyers are spoiled by HGTV and Pinterest and expect homes to show like models. Charleston’s influx of out of town buyers continues, so listings must capture a buyer's attention online with crisp staging and expert positioning. Listing prep, staging, photography and videography are more important than ever. We advise sellers on where to start (and stop) on repairs and improvements to achieve picture-perfect status.
This spring we were contacted by a seller who was in the process of moving out and prepping his home for market but had hit a wall and didn’t know where to focus his attention. We guided him through flooring and countertop selection, new paint, new appliances, and new fixtures. Then we worked with a local stager on finishing touches. The transformation was dramatic! Prior to our involvement, he was looking at a $250,000 sales price. We got his asking price up to $279,000 and received a full-price offer after only 3 hours on the market! Trusting our process reduced his anxiety, prevented regret, and ultimately netted him much more money (even with the additional upfront expense).
Our team is always adapting to an ever-changing sales environment, but no matter what, the lifeblood of our business will remain our full service approach!
