Timing on Market is Key With Sacramento Listings

Timing on market in Sacramento can help to generate excitement and higher offers.

Part of the problem I am facing as a top listing agent in Sacramento, odd as this might sound, is with timing on market; I can’t keep any listings in inventory. Soon as I put a home on the market, we get a bunch of offers and it sells. I honestly don’t think I’ve had a listing stay in active status longer than a week lately. I compare it to the days when I used to put together large dinner parties. I could spend 3 days on my feet, chopping, cooking, creating a Chinese feast and, within 20 minutes, the food is devoured and gone.

Everybody has this impression that I have a whole bunch of listings when I might have 2 or 3 active listings all together. This is a far cry from the days when I handled 75 listings at once, back in the days of short sales when it could take 6 months to a year to close. In those days, the listings piled up.  I was generally at my computer at 5 AM. Now that I am taking a couple of new listings a week on average, it’s almost like I’m on vacation. I have plenty of time to invest in taking care of my clients.

I’m working through the Memorial Day weekend, too, but many other agents are not. Buyers are taking a break from looking at homes, too. There is a spectacular new listing in Curtis Park ready for the market, but why would I advise a seller to put it on the market over Memorial Day? I would not. Because I want what is best for my seller and the highest price. I do not want days on market accumulating due to low demand on a holiday weekend. The odds are the home will sell by the first Lyon open house extravaganza in June.

Timing on market is key. If we went on the market today, when fewer buyers are looking, we could very easily a) not expose ourselves to the largest pool possible of buyers (which drives demand and price) and b) our days on market by next week would be 10. By just holding back a little bit, we can come on the market with a huge explosion!

Besides, everybody will be back at work Tuesday morning and wishing they were not. They will be looking at homes online, you can betcha. And here will be this brand new listing, shiny and happy and ready to buy. Not some dated thing that had the tires kicked by lookie loos over the weekend. But I am a huge proponent for timing on market. I’m not one of those agents who throw everything into MLS, whenever, without thought, in hopes something will stick for a fast buck.

My sellers deserve better. They deserve a prepared marketing plan with a purpose, and a Sacramento Realtor who cares about them.