Brokers at Stirling Peak Properties have been active in the Roaring Fork Valley real estate market for many years and understand the weight of the decision to sell a home. As this is a monumental choice in your life, we recognize your need for experienced, professional advice and assistance. Our team prides itself on the ability to efficiently manage your sale while attaining the highest possible value for your home. We have achieved success for 30+ years through a well-balanced approach to the ever-changing market.
Our Recipe for a Sale
Price – Price is the number one factor in the sale of a home. A property is really only worth what one person is willing to pay another to gain ownership. Price must be in direct relationship to the other 4 ingredients.
Location – We usually cannot move a home. To coin the favorite phrase of appraisers, “Location, location, location!” The pricing of your property must reflect its location.
Condition – The upkeep and presentation of your property is crucial to obtain the highest value for your home in any given market at a given time. The pricing of your property must reflect its condition.
Sales Terms – The more terms available on your property such as owner financing or lease options, the more potential buyers you will reach. The pricing of your property must reflect the kinds of terms available to buy it.
Market – Interest rates, competition, and economy all make up and influence the state of the market when you sell your home. The pricing of your property must reflect the current status of the market.
COMMUNICATION
The announcement of your listing and continuous conversation about your property help us to achieve the sale of your home as efficiently as possible. Your listing broker will pursue his or her active client list and try to find an immediate match. Our cooperative team of brokers regularly taps into each other’s client base, working together to pair buyers and sellers within our existing networks.
However, we most often find buyers for our clients through cooperative work with other offices in the Roaring Fork Valley. In addition to maintaining personal and professional relationships with other brokers, we actively use the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), as well as our broker-to-broker email system. We also include your home in property tours and will arrange attractive open house showings.
MARKETING/ADVERTISING
At Stirling Peak, we work hard to create striking, well placed advertisements in the most popular and effective media outlets throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. We also strive to reach our target audiences through marketing outlets such as e-mail campaigns, social media, web advertising, event sponsorships and referral development. By having traditional, interactive and direct marketing channels already in place, we can tailor a marketing plan to suit your property and find your specific buyer. Examples of these include:
- Property research and positioning.
- Property advertisements and broker biographies in local newspapers
- Full-page glossy ads in prominent local magazines including Aspen Magazine & Aspen Sojourner.
- Sponsorship support and advertising with local organizations including the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club and the Aspen Music Festival.
- Direct mail and email campaigns to prospective buyers and/or sellers.
- Business-to-Business networking and promotion.
- Open Houses & Social Events “sponsored” by your property.
- Online banner ads on AspenTimes.com.
- Striking signage and brochures
PRICING
Your Stirling Peak Properties broker will work with you to help achieve a well-researched, competitive price for your property. Here are eight reasons why it is so important to accurately price your home.
- Over pricing reduces the response you will receive from advertising.
- Your property must be competitive with other properties on the market. Buyers buy by comparison, so homes not comparing favorably with those the buyers have considered do not sell.
- Buyers expect more at a higher price, and failing to find all they had hoped for at the asking price, become disinterested.
- Over pricing causes most homes to remain unsold for too long of a time. Buyers aware of this long period of exposure are hesitant to buy, fearful that there is something wrong with the home. The property then becomes stale.
- Brokers from other offices will tend to lose their enthusiasm for a home that receives unfavorable reactions on price or value from buyers, causing them to discontinue showing the property.
- Time is an extremely valuable commodity. Buyers today are reluctant to even look at a home that is overpriced. If your showing volume is too low, the odds are good that you are losing money by trying to create the market. If no offers come within three months of a high selling season, the property is generally priced beyond buyers’ perception of reality.
- A property tends to get the most attention from buyers and brokers when it is first listed on the market. The initial listing price is the most important and the most remembered. Price reductions unfortunately tend to go unnoticed.
- There exists a price point on every property at which buyers will “beat down the door.” It is generally recommended to price your property ten percent above this price point.
Your Stirling Peak Properties broker can give you an opinion of fair market value, which is a good way to begin figuring out your asking price. It is our aim to bring you the highest price possible for your property. However, we suggest that you review the facts carefully before finalizing your asking price.
SELLER BEST PRACTICES
Together with your Stirling Peak Properties broker, it is your goal to make your house as appealing as possible to all interested parties including other brokers from the area. When your property is shown, we advise you to follow these best practices:
- Clean your house thoroughly and consider adding a vase of flowers to improve the atmosphere.
- De-personalize your home and remove clutter so that potential buyers can visualize the property as if it was their own.
- Clean the yard and exterior to improve the first impression. Consider adding flowers and plants to liven up the appearance in the summer. Remove snow and ice to improve approachability in the winter.
- Turn on the lights and open the shades to assure that the home is shown in good, bright light.
- Make sure that all of the light switches, faucets, hinges and knobs are in good working order for guests who will be moving around the home from room to room, checking everything out.
- Step out when the house is being shown to allow the broker to most effectively work with potential buyers. If any potential buyers drop in to see the property, suggest that they contact Stirling Peak Properties for an appointment.
