Price
The first question our customers usually ask is, "How much can I get for my property?"

Value is determined by many different elements, with a basis generally being established by a sales history of like properties. In Columbus and Luna County we may be talking about bare land, commercial property, a mobile home, a retirement home made from traditional frame construction, or a weekend getaway house made from adobe or straw bale.

Here are a few common factors which help to determine real estate value:

• The value of your property relates to sale prices here in Luna County only. The same home, located elsewhere, would likely have a different value.
• Sale prices are a product of supply and demand. If you live in a community with an expanding job base, a growing population and a limited housing supply, it's likely that prices will rise. Alternatively, it's important to be realistic. If the local community is losing jobs and people are moving out, then you'll likely have a buyer's market. 
• The seller motivation can often impact sale values. If a seller "must" sell quickly, he will have less leverage in the marketplace. Buyers may think an owner is willing to trade a quick closing for a lower price -- and they may be right. If a seller has no incentive to sell quickly, he may have more marketplace strength.
• Sale prices are NOT the whole deal. The terms of the sale also carry financial considerations. Maybe you can get a larger sales price but then be required to offset the buyer's closing costs, take some payments over time, pay allowances for property repairs, fund mortgage points, re-paint the entire house and leave the washer and dryer. The whole deal should be discussed with us upon listing so that the maximum advantage can be held by the seller, and the price set accordingly.

Timing
Generally speaking, markets tend to have some balance between buyers and sellers year-round. In the Columbus, Luna County area for example, there may be fewer buyers in late summer, but there are also likely to be fewer homes available for purchase. Seeing that buyers may have school children, a single-family home may be best marketed to sell in early summer. That same house may then be better marketed to relocating retirees later in the year or early in the spring.

In our greater Columbus marketplace, owners are encouraged to sell when the property is ready for sale, and when there is a need or desire to sell. How to properly market and price that property will then be best aided by using our services. 
 

Marketing
In the past, Real Estate agents relied on word of mouth and simple announcements to help sell their client's property. Soon, printed flyers, signs, and newspaper ads dominated the way Real Estate was marketed. The advent of the Multiple Listing Services changed everything, bringing the widest based publicizing of potential property sales to the widest based audience. Today, it is the internet with 'search specific' keywords driving the marketing.

Puerta Realty is at the forefront of internet technology and marketing, specifically designed to create the greatest exposure for our client's Real Estate offerings. We have invested the time and resources so that we can effectively market your property - and get it sold!  

Marketing Marketing Marketing

We will work together with you to make your property ready to sell.
• Preparation: Before being placed on the market, homes must be in "show" condition. We have a section at the end of this page to help you as the seller best prepare your property, both in terms of improving value and improving it's marketability.
• Proper Pricing: Together we'll do more than just price your property for sale, we'll also construct sale terms designed to speed the selling process. 
• More Marketing: Beyond the internet, Puerta Realty will execute strategies and programs to get the property sold. Newspaper ads, open houses to other brokers, features in trade publications, and our vast person to person network established over the years all combine to a mass marketing approach.

What can you do to improve your home's value and increase its marketability?
The general rule in real estate is that buyers seek the least expensive home in the best neighborhood they can afford. If a seller is motivated, there are some improvements or fix-ups they can perform which will increase the appeal of their home or land. Improvements should be made so that the property looks clean and well kept, and is of consistent or better appearance than the surrounding neighborhood. The objective to make improvements that do not involve capital investments, the cost of which cannot be recovered from the sale.
From experience, real estate agents know that a "well-kept" house appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable purchasing a well-cared for home because if what they can see is maintained, what they can't see has probably also been maintained. In readying your house for sale, consider:
• how much should you spend
• exterior and curb appeal
• preparing the interior


How much should you spend
In preparing your home or land for the market, spend as little money as possible. Buyers will be impressed by a brand new roof, but they aren't likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive "polishes" and "touch-ups" to your house, such as putting new knobs on cabinets and a fresh coat of neutral paint in the living room, and doing extensive and costly renovations, like installing a new kitchen. 
Before putting your house on the market, take as much time as necessary (and as little money as possible) to maximize its exterior and interior appeal. 

Maximizing exterior and curb appeal
• Keep any lawn areas edged and cut.
• Trim hedges, scrape weeds, clean flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly.
• Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
• Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint.
• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles.
• Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking.
• During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance.
• Keep your garage door closed.
• Store RVs or old and beaten up cars elsewhere while the house is on the market.
• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door.
• Keep the front door area swept and clean

Maximizing interior appeal
• Giving every room in the house a thorough cleaning, as well as removing all clutter. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter.
• Removing the less frequently used, even daily used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting. Since you're anticipating a move anyhow, holding a garage sale at this point is a great idea.
• If necessary, repainting dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets and linoleum.
• Checking for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.
• Repairing cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
• Replacing broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork. Inspecting and repairing the plumbing, heating , cooling, and alarm systems.
• Repairing dripping faucets and showerheads. Buying showy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
• Sprucing up a kitchen in need of more major remodeling by investing in new cabinet knobs, new curtains, or a coat of neutral paint.
• Leave low table lights on in rooms when showing home.