Dawn Isenhower

What do you get when you mix some Realtors, their past clients, a movie theater, and Christmas together? You get Coldwell Banker West Shell’s annual “Santa at the Movies.” This year, the Milford office will team up with the Mariemont office to sponsor the event at the Showcase Cinema at the Rivers Edge in Milford.

I know that Fall and Winter are supposed to be the "off season" in Real Estate, but I think that there are some advantages to having your home on the market during those seasons. As someone who had a home on the market until after Thanksgiving several years ago, I have experience to back up my claims. Here are five reasons why I think that it can be good to list your home in the "off season":

1. The inventory of homes on the market is lower. You will not be competing against quite so many homes.

When gas prices started on their roller coaster ride a few years ago after hurricane Katrina, I would try to strategize the "when" and "where" of filling my tank. I remember everyone around me saying, "make sure that you buy your gas before Wednesday, or the price will go up."

One evening, about a month ago, I met some clients at a property for a showing. They brought their nephew along, so I let him help me open the door. When he pushed the door open, the face of a dog peeked out. Upon seeing the dog, he jumped behind me and I immediately apologized. The homeowners had given their dog the run of the home during our scheduled showing. This was not my listing and I was given no indication that a dog would be in the home at all. What a shock!

There it sits at one end of my street. It was once a lovely traditional two story, but now, it looks weathered and forgotten. The home and its owners are the casualties of foreclosure and I am left to ponder all of the things that I could have done to be of more assistance.

A beautiful blue contemporary, nestled in the side of a hill, sits vacant. It was once one of the jewels of the neighborhood, but the homeowners moved out a few months ago. The home has been on the market for well over a year, and there is no indication that it will sell any time soon.

Here is another great list of tips that I found on www.realtor.org. This checklist is geared toward sellers who are getting ready for a showing.

Low-Cost Ways to Spruce Up Your Home's Exterior
Make your home more appealing for yourself and potential buyers with these quick and easy tips:

1. Trim bushes so they don’t block windows or architectural details.

2. Mow your lawn, and turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes before the showing to make the lawn sparkle.

3. Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter) on your porch.

The more that I speak with homeowners of expired listings who are trying to decide what their next step will be, the less I am confused about why good homes aren’t selling. What I have discovered is that, in many cases, it is not the price, nor the condition of the home; instead, it is the lack of marketing and communication on part of the realtor involved.

Before becoming an agent, my husband and I had to put our first home on the market in a buyers’ market. We carefully searched online for the right agent, and narrowed our search down to 3 agents. Then, we interviewed all three.

We have all seen the shows on HGTV and other networks where a few quick fixes transform an ordinary house into a warm, desirable home. Here are a few "quick fixes" that I found on realtor.org. They will add value to your home to attract buyers, or just give your home a lift.

1. Buff up curb appeal. Make sure that landscaping, paint, gutters, and shingles look fresh and in good condition. Also, add accessories such as flower pots or benches to distinguish your home from the others on the street.