Happy Monday!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend - we had some great weather!

I just wanted to comment about an article published in Saturday's St. Petersburg Times Homes section regarding the buyer's market we've been talking about.

I have some quick advice for sellers; don't list your home now unless you absolutely HAVE to sell. This is not the time to "test" the market and see if you can get your price. This is not the time to try to make a huge sum of money from real estate. The buyers are in control and they are telling us what they are willing to pay. The national average decrease in home prices is about 34%, but we're lucky that in this local market, the decrease average has only been about 11%.

If you do have your home listed and have had no activity, walk out to the street and look back at your home with objective eyes. Is the lawn in good condition? Are the shrubs and plants neatly trimmed? Does the driveway look clean and in good shape? Maybe it's time to pressure wash the outside of the house and clean the windows. Once inside, if you were a stranger off the street, could you tell who lives in the house? Are personal family photos and objects taken down and put away? Is the house clean and uncluttered? Do the walls need a coat of paint to make them pop?

A lack of activity is not always the seller's fault. Is your realtor continuing to actively market your home? Have they run print ads and mailed some target marketing pieces out? Are there flyers posted in local "hot spots"? You have the right to know what your agent is doing to get your home sold, and you should be asking.

Our company has a Pre-Listing Consultant who makes an appointment to see the potential listing and can give some helpful tips for getting the home ready to sell. They can also put you in contact with handymen, pool companies, lawn maintenance companies and any other vendor you might need to help you with your tasks.

If you're selling, it's time to get serious. Review the price, look at your competition and make your property shine!