Prices of homes are still on the rise and the buyer’s competition is still booming. Inventory is still low, so now is the time to sell a hard-to-love home.
“In years past, it would have been very hard to sell on a busy street to a builder. Not now,’’ Judy Alexander, a realtor at Barrett Sotheby’s International Realty in Lexington said. “There are some towns that we cover that have zero listings — which, in my 36 years, I’ve not heard of,’’ Alexander added. “There’s always been something for sale, even at Christmas.’’
There are many buyers who need to move and will take into consideration an odd, quirky, or antique home. “In previous years, antiques would sit on the market for years. And now, there’s just not a lot to choose from, so people are at least considering older houses,” Dana Bull, a realtor at Sagan Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty said.
“A lot of antique homes are on main streets, because that’s just how the neighborhoods kind of developed around the older parts of town,’’ Bull said. “Five years ago when I was selling real estate, that was the kiss of death — an older property also on a main street? …Those are things that people just couldn’t get over. And now it’s fine.”
Bull says that she is seeing younger people buying older homes. Many homebuyers come into antique homes and overlook the closed-in floor plans or ancient plumbing. These homes are selling but may sit on the market a bit longer than a move-in-ready home that sits on a cul-de-sac.
Not only are antique homes selling faster, but those with odd layouts, challenging lots, ugly features, and structural issues are selling. Dana listed a home with foundational issues but because it was in a good neighborhood it sold without any issues.
More homebuyers are also considering a fixer-upper. “We speak with a lot of buyers who are more concerned with being able to secure a home than they are that it’s beautiful and move-in ready on day one,’’ he said. “Many buyers are handy, or have relatives who are, and if they can get the house under agreement, they’re willing to do some of the cosmetic legwork to make it their own,” says Corey Morris, team leader at Level Up Group in Quincy.
The spring is the perfect time to sell in any market because of the pent-up demand in wintertime. It is a perfect time to sell a unique property. If you are in the market to sell, contact a local Realtor who can help you get the deal done.
