Hill Slowinski • Real Estate: Blog

SELLERS: Why Your House WILL Sell When Others Don't;
BUYERS: How to Prepare For, Find, and GET the Home You Want 

FREE SEMINARS and WORKSHOPS

Navigating today's dramatically changing real estate market can be challenging. Add to that the complexities of buying or selling a home and you have the makings for a whole lot of confusion. These free seminars will give you the tools, resources and information needed to make the best decisions for one of your biggest investments.

Here are the dates for the upcoming seminars. Each seminar will be held from 11:00 am-12:30 pm at the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Station located at 8001 River Road, Bethesda.

June 12 - Seller Seminar • June 26 - Buyer Seminar

July 10 - Seller Seminar • July 24 - Buyer Seminar

September 11 - Seller Seminar • September 25 - Buyer Seminar

October 9 - Seller Seminar •  October 23 - Buyer Seminar

SELLER'S OUTLINE:  Sell Your House This Year:  Why Your House WILL Sell When Others Don't
Description: Tips, advice and suggestions to help your home outshine the competition in today's buyer's market. Topics covered include:
 
The Seller's Role:
· Getting your property market-ready
· Understanding buyer expectations
· Seven pitfalls to avoid
Your Agent's Role:
· Up-to-the-minute market conditions
· Marketing Do's and Don'ts
· Leveraging relationships
· Pricing strategies for value 
Making the Sale:
· Attractive buyer financing options to consider
· Flexible negotiations
· Win-Win results
 
BUYERS OUTLINE:  Buy Your Dream Home This Year: How to Prepare For and Find THE Home you Want
Description: Tips, advice and suggestions to help you succeed in geting your next home in today's buyer's market. Topics covered include:
 
The Buyer's Role:
· Getting your financial profile ready
· Understanding seller expectations
· Seven pitfalls to avoid 
Your Agent's Role:
· Up-to-the-minute market conditions
· Buying Do's and Don'ts
· Leveraging relationships
· Comparing strategies for value 
Making the Purchase:
· Attractive financing options to consider
· Flexible negotiations
· Win-Win results

 For more information please contact

An Alternative to Brokerage

As consultant to clients who wish to explore all the available avenues for the disposition of real estate, I occasionally am asked what are the characteristics and benefits of the traditional brokerage vs. the marketing method in support of an auction.

Briefly, a transaction conducted in traditional brokerage is a negotiation that occurs over a period of time, with a seller and buyer bargaining and eventually coming to agreement on all terms, conditions, contingencies, prices, and schedule for settlement.  Auctions, on the other hand, are deliberate and competitive interactions among all willing buyers to offer a price for the seller to accept, without negotiation of all the other terms, conditions, contingencies, and settlement date. Those terms are pre-established by the seller and set forth in a property information package.

• Three types of residential auctions: Absolute (no minimum or reserve); Public Minimum (published and made known to buyers), and Reserve (confidential minimum amount set by the seller).

• Seller benefits: Quicker sale; maximum advertising exposure; maximize buyer participation; maximize dollars; no contingencies; property sold in as-is condition; buyer pays all documentary stamps and transfer taxes; commission free to seller in most auctions.

• Buyer benefits: Auctions are fun; bidding process is open and fair; buyers buy at their prices; decision to bid is reinforced by the immediately preceding bid; buyers compete on a level playing field with other buyers because terms and conditions are the same for all.

If you think this alternative might be right for you, call me and I'll help you make an informed decision.  For more information, contact me to talk about whether thisthis is an approach you could consider.

F. Hill Slowinski, JD, REALTOR^® in DC, MD, and VA
W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long & Foster Company
Exclusive Affiliate of Christie's Great Estates,  President's Club 2009
Consultant, Luxury Real Estate, Sloans & Kenyon Auctioneers and Appraisers
4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, Maryland  20816
Tel: 301-229-4000  Fax: 301-229-4015
Direct: 301-320-8430 · Cell: 301-452-1409 
Email:  HSlowinski@LNF.com  ·  Web Site: www.HillSlowinski.com 
Weblog: http://HillSlowinskiRealEstate.com

"It's all about my clients ... "

         When clients engage me, either with the renowned Washington brokerage of W.C. & A.N. Miller
REALTORS®, exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates, or with Sloans & Kenyon in its marketing
association for their luxury real estate needs, they find my service levels cannot be matched. 
          My clients understand and appreciate the need for the extensive resources and professional services
 of a full-time, experienced, dedicated REALTOR to purchase or market their largest asset.
          I always have time to help you, your friends and neighbors, and family.  My goals are to provide
excellent service, to fully represent you, and to exceed your expectations.

          Read what THEY say about my services ...

You've heard it before, the three most important attributes of real estate -- 1) Location, 2) location, and 3) location.  Real estate is local.  In these economic times, some experts will tell you that in your neighborhood or general location now is not the time to sell your home.  

But selling might be the only option if you have to move for work, are selling an unused family or vacation home, or are committed to another new home elsewhere. 

Fortunately, most clients I serve in Northwest DC, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia are seeing stabilization in prices.  But no matter where you are, it is wise to consider the following tips to help you get the most in your transaction:

• Call me first rather than simply posting "For Sale by Owner" signs in your front yard. The commission I earn is worth its weight in the assistance and advice you'll receive in return.  I have experience selling in these markets and I offer a free Homesellers Handbook to get you started.

• You'll also want to make sure your house is priced correctly, that is, priced for the current market regardless of what you think its true value is. Although it can be tough to take a loss, your house may never sell if it's priced incorrectly. To offset this, I can help your house sell faster by being more proactive about marketing.  I use Voice Pad technology and additional Internet resources such as Craig's List and YouTube, my real estate blogs and websites, and many secondary internet sites to reach a much wider audience.

• For further assistance, you may want to think about enlisting a staging company or an interior designer. This can seem counterintuitive when money is a concern. But studies show that staged houses typically sell in less than half the amount of time as their unstaged competitors - and for more money. In other words, your small up-front investment in new paint, accessories, and landscaping can end up saving you money in the long term. I have a special list of proven contractors and vendors I and my W.C. & A. N. Miller Realtor colleagues have used for recommendations to you.  You can do a simple search for a provider in your area on our website.

• Even with the help of a staging company, however, you will still need to make any necessary improvements and repairs to your house to keep it competitive with other houses on the market. Again, I can recommend many proven, established contractors and vendors W.C. & A. N. Miller Realtor colleagues and I have used. Be sure these changes have a good return and will not cost you more than they're worth. If they do, you may want to consider offering the buyer a cash allowance toward the repair instead.

You may believe now may not be the best time to sell. But that doesn't mean good home sales aren't made every day. Contact me to help ensure your home is ready for a good offer by making smart choices.

Hill Slowinski, licensed in DC, MD, and VA

W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, A Long & Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000

         Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com

When: Saturday, May 2
Time: 11:00 am
Where: West End Library, 2nd Floor, 1101 - 24th Street, NW, Washington DC

Join us for this FREE sellers' seminar.  Description: Tips, advice and suggestions to help your home outshine the competition in today's buyer's market. Topics covered include:

 The Seller's Role:

• Getting your property market-ready
• Understanding buyer expectations
• Seven pitfalls to avoid

Your Agent's Role:

• Up-to-the-minute market conditions
• Marketing Do's and Don'ts
• Leveraging relationships
• Pricing strategies for value

Making the Sale:

• Attractive buyer financing options to consider
• Flexible negotiations
• Win-Win results

 R.S.V.P.:  Email: hslowinski@longandfoster.com or Hill@HillSlowinski.com

 Hill Slowinski

WC & AN Miller Realtors, A Long & Foster Company

4701 Sangamore Road,  Bethesda, Maryland  20816

Cell: 301-452-1409  Direct: 301-320-8430  Ofc: 301-229-4000