Realtor Advice - Okotoks

[MJM]

Could be the area. I know in my neighbourhood houses are selling extremely fast.

I know personally, I would have bought in Okotoks before the boom and often looked out there (more bang for your buck), but when prices dropped I didn't even consider it.

[Jonrox]

So I got my realtor to pull a history for homes sold over the past 2 months in Okotoks. Quite a few 1800-2000 sq ft. homes have been sold for $20,000 to $50,000 less than what I'd like to get for mine (mine's a bit bigger than this), aside from one 1900 sq ft home that for some reason sold for over $550,000. So I don't think my pricing is out of line...

That being said, I told my realtor to drop my price a bit. I'm inclined to think this is more a case of the market being slow than my realtor not working hard to sell it.

Do you guys think people put much value into landscaping and yard size? My yard is huge (pie lot over 100 feet across the back) and has been professionally landscaped (patio, fire pit, large trees, sprinkler system, etc...). None of the houses that have sold have yards anything like mine. I just thought that in times of cookie-cutter neighborhoods and their tiny yards, somebody may see value in having a yard that can actually be used.

[Madman]

Do you have pictures of the yard and everything? Are you using them in the MLS listing?

Trying to sell a yard in December with no pictures is really tough. Even with pictures, I don't think you get the same value for a yard as you would if someone could actually see it.

Although, I'm just a simpleton home-owner.

[Jonrox]

Originally Posted by Madman

Do you have pictures of the yard and everything? Are you using them in the MLS listing?

Trying to sell a yard in December with no pictures is really tough. Even with pictures, I don't think you get the same value for a yard as you would if someone could actually see it.

Although, I'm just a simpleton home-owner.

The pictures on MLS show the yard and were taken in September before there was any snow (probably won't be too difficult to figure out which house is mine now). Not being able to see the patio and firepit very well doesn't help, but people who view the house can get a feel for how big it is and see the trees (I didn't put in the small "saplings", I put in a dozen fairly mature trees in the backyard alone).

I had a good chat with my realtor and did decide to extend the contract. There seems to be some passion and excitement there that I hadn't been feeling for awhile, so gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought it would only be fair to give them January after a slow December.

[BOSSY]

Why wouldn't you put up your number... the more people the see it the better?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by BOSSY

Why wouldn't you put up your number... the more people the see it the better?

Exactly what I've been saying. Not sure why the OP is hesitant to give his MLS listing number.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Jonrox

The pictures on MLS show the yard and were taken in September before there was any snow (probably won't be too difficult to figure out which house is mine now). Not being able to see the patio and firepit very well doesn't help, but people who view the house can get a feel for how big it is and see the trees (I didn't put in the small "saplings", I put in a dozen fairly mature trees in the backyard alone).

I had a good chat with my realtor and did decide to extend the contract. There seems to be some passion and excitement there that I hadn't been feeling for awhile, so gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought it would only be fair to give them January after a slow December.

Why do we have to "figure" it out? Why not just tell us? Are you selling this house secretly with only a few people in the know?

[Sliver]

Because it's not like posting it on here will help and he probably doesn't want to give out information on himself unnecessarily. I wouldn't post it up if I were him, either.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Because it's not like posting it on here will help and he probably doesn't want to give out information on himself unnecessarily. I wouldn't post it up if I were him, either.

Hey, if I was selling my house (and particularly if it had been on the market for a while), I'd be telling everyone that I knew, and telling them to tell everyone they knew, to try and get the word out. Who knows.... maybe somebody on CP might be interested and if there isn't anybody, maybe they know somebody who is looking to buy a house.

You're trying to sell your house man... something that you have hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in. I say shout it from the roof tops.

[Jonrox]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I still say you should tell us the MLS number. Maybe somebody on CP will be interested or know somebody who might be interested.... plus we can critique your MLS ad.

Here's my MLS number (my girlfriend convinced me to put it up - she says it's information readily available on the internet anyway. She said as long as I haven't ticked anyone off on the site, I should be fine )... C3397941.

The price change will take effect some time over the next couple of days. There's a house listed at $499,900 that is just a few houses away and is basically the same plan as mine (I tweaked it slightly to get some bigger rooms, vaulted ceilings, built-in unit in office, etc...). They also back the golf course, while I opted to have the big lot.

Any feedback or buyers you can send my way would be greatly appreciated.

[Incinerator]

Buddy with the golf course view down the block is definitely in your way there, IMO you have little choice but to undercut him if you want yours gone before his. I'd say 9 out of 10 buyers looking in that neighbourhood will take the golf course view over the big yard.

Especially this time of the year, no one will feel your landscaping has any value when they are in a showing because the majority of them will not be able to picture themselves taking advantage of it, roasting mashmallows by the firepit etc.

On the other side of the coin, buyers can still picture themselves staring at the luscious greens in the summer on that golf course. Don't ask me how, it's just the way their minds work. That, and their Realtor will be screaming at the top of their lungs "Look! Golf Course View!" at least 5 times from the moment they walk in until they're done. The same thing about the yard will not happen at a showing of your place.

That's also a pretty steep HOA fee your community has too, so your entire community as a whole is serving a smaller market. No disadvantages between you and your neighbours though. You are all targeting the same type of buyers who don't mind having pretty landscaping in the neighbourhood for a fee.

Just my $0.02, might not be what you want to hear but hope that helps & good luck!


**the above do not constitute formal advice in an agency relationship.**

[Rerun]

Yeah... I think your price might be a little high. I just bought my house in Okotoks (Sheep River Heights area) last summer. I paid $440,000 for it and its a 2 storey with a 3rd level finished walkout basement. My house is also on a cul-de-sac (less traffic) and the backyard backs onto a park area. Its also 2200 sq ft (not counting the walkout basement which is another 1000 sq ft.

Your large back yard is nice though. Families with young children will really like that. Too bad you're selling this time of the year though as you really can't showcase one of the better features of the house, what with all the snow out there.

To tell the truth, unless you're in a hurry to sell your house, I'd probably wait until spring to put it back on the market. Once the warmer temperatures arrive, people are more likely to think about buying and moving.... I sure wouldn't want to spend the weekends looking at new houses this time of year, unless I really had to.

[Madman]

Do you back onto 32nd?

That will have a massive impact on the appeal of your house.

Or are you close to the Penncross condos?

[Jonrox]

Originally Posted by Madman

Do you back onto 32nd?

That will have a massive impact on the appeal of your house.

Or are you close to the Penncross condos?

I don't, but my neighbor does. And I'm not at all close to the condos. I was one of the first houses built in the area, so had my pick of lots. I went with the lot that I thought had the best yard, without backing onto 32nd (and I didn't want to live on the golf course).

[Merlot]

I have used Floyd Rogers from Royal Lepage in the sale and purchase of my last 3 homes in Okotoks. We have always had great results. He advertises your house very well. Even when I run into him on the street he usually mentions one of his listings to me just in case I know someone looking for that type of property etc.