The Essential Coweta County, GA, Home Seller’s Guide
Yes, in most markets across the county, inventory is low, demand is high, and home prices are rising. A seller’s market obtains in most places, and selling a home should be easy, right?
Mostly. But keep in mind that market conditions are slightly different in Coweta County, GA. And that’s why we’ve put together this guide for Coweta County home sellers.
We’ll begin with the home-selling principles that apply everywhere and then move on to some specifics of selling in Coweta County, GA.
General Home-Selling Guidelines
The general guidelines for selling a home remain the same no matter where you are. Here are the ones we consider the most important . . .
Price It Right
“One of the most effective ways to sell your home fast is to price it competitively. If you price it too high, then your home will spend more time on the market. Also, if your home is overpriced, then you may end up selling it for less eventually – it will just take a lot longer.”
The best way to arrive at an accurate estimation of fair market value, which will allow you to price competitively to sell, is by means of a comparative market analysis (CMA). A CMA will allow you to know pretty accurately what buyers are actually willing to pay for a home like yours. This works because you will examine the prices of a number of homes very much like yours that have recently sold in the neighborhood and immediate area.
The difficulty, though, is that no two homes are ever exactly alike. To find out more about pricing right, contact an experienced Coweta County agent.
Declutter, Deep Clean, and Depersonalize
If you want to sell quickly and at the best price possible, your home has to look its absolute best. Typically, that means first getting rid of all the clutter and accumulated stuff and then thoroughly deep cleaning from top to bottom. Then do more.
You also have to depersonalize your home, which involves removing everything that marks the house as your home, things such as family photos, idiosyncratic artwork, and weird colors. Your aim here should be to create a blank palette so that potential buyers will be able to envision your house as their own home and imagine themselves living there with all their belongings in place.
Don’t Neglect Curb Appeal
First impressions are hugely important. You never get a second chance to create a great first impression. What buyers first see when they pull up to your home has to look attractive and appealing. So focus on curb appeal first.
“If you want to sell quickly, then it’s essential to make a good first impression. And the first thing a buyer sees is a home’s exterior and how it fits into the surrounding neighborhood. . . . Keep in mind that a tidy exterior not only looks nice but also signals to potential buyers that you’ve taken good care of the place.”
Many sellers, understandably, often make the mistake of concentrating on the interior of their home and neglect the outside. Don’t be one of them: focus on curb appeal first and make a great first impression.
Make Repairs
You don’t have to go in for major projects like a full-blown kitchen remodel, but you do need to take of all the smaller, necessary repairs, especially those that promise a good ROI. “Depending on how much time and money you want to spend getting the home ready, you might also want to update fixtures, buy new appliances, install new hardware on the cabinets, and give the interior a fresh coat of (neutral) paint.”
Sweeten the Deal
When you have a buyer lined up, it’s usually a smart move to sweeten the deal by throwing in some extras so that buying your home becomes nearly irresistible. “Another way to make the home and deal more attractive is to offer something to sweeten the pot. You could offer, for example, to pay some or all of the closing costs [or offer a transferable home warranty]. Buyers are looking for a deal, particularly in a down market, so do your best to make them feel that they get one.”
Home-Selling Trends in Coweta County, GA
An examination of home-selling trends in Coweta County will allow us to arrive at some tips specific to home sellers in Coweta County. Let’s look, then, at some pertinent statistics from Newnan, GA, the county seat of Coweta, for illustrative purposes . . .
Median Price
“The median home price in Newnan is $290,000, up 9.4% since June 2020. But compared to May 2021, Newnan’s median home price has dropped by 4.0%.”
Sale-to-List Ratio
The current sale-to-list ratio of 1 indicates that homes are selling at or very close to at list price.
Days to Close
“The median days to close in Newnan dropped to 43 days, which is 16 days fewer than the median in June 2020. But month-over-month, days to close increased by 10.3% in Newnan, showing that homes in Newnan aren’t selling as fast as they had been.
The really good news for home sellers in Coweta County, GA, though, is that bidding wars are becoming more common and growing in scope. “As more people want to live in Coweta, tight supply has led to bidding wars with multiple offers just a day or two after a home goes on the market, and buyers having to make split-second decisions on whether or not to put a contract on a particular home.”
Further, buyers are looking for more land, that is, seeking to buy homes with larger yards. “When it comes to changes in the things people want in a new home, there definitely seems to be a trend toward larger yards . . . Buyers who are on 1/3 to ¼ acre lots . . . are looking to move into older developments with larger lots.”
Slightly dropping home prices, more days to close, bidding wars and split-second decisions, larger yards – what does all this mean for Coweta County home sellers? Primarily, it means that the services of an experienced local agent are more critical than ever.
Your Agent Advantage
While most markets favor sellers today, that seller advantage is slightly diminished in Coweta County and in Newnan in particular – especially considering the lower prices and longer selling times than just a short time ago. And while bidding wars are a great thing for sellers, they don’t always just happen. They frequently have to be instigated and then managed for best results.
And that’s where your local agent comes in.
A great local agent can make all the difference for Coweta County home sellers. With a great agent in your corner, your chances of selling faster and at a better price are markedly increased.
