An open house when your property is first placed on the market can be very important, but not for the reasons most homeowners think. Just like with advertising, most visitors to open houses rarely buy the house they come to look at. They may not even know the price of your home when they stop by to visit – they probably just followed an "Open House" sign to your door.

An open house performs a similar function to the neighborhood announcements – it lets all of your neighbors know that your house is for sale, and it practically invites them to come "take a look." Being generally nosy, a lot of your neighbors will take advantage of the invitation.

And they may tell their friends about your house, creating more "word of mouth" advertising.

Of course, there are other reasons for holding open houses, too. Listing agents who "farm" a particular neighborhood use them as an opportunity to meet with other local homeowners who will someday be selling their home. Your agent may hope to list their homes in the future.

Open houses held after your home has been on the market awhile do not usually serve a useful purpose in selling your home. Most of the neighbors already know your house is for sale and open house visitors rarely buy the homes they visit.

However, if you really want more open houses, your listing agent may allow other agents to hold it open. Open houses attract prospective homebuyers and agents hope to convince some of those homebuyers to become their clients.

Contact Barb today for details and photos of available listings in the Topeka market:


Barb Banman, Realtor ABR
RE/MAX Associates of Topeka LLC
E-Mail: barb@barbbanman.com
Phone: Click HERE to talk to Barb NOW!
30+ Years Real Estate Experience -- Topeka Metro Area

Click HERE to search the MLS
Click HERE for Down Payment Assistance Info

Although the recent rise in foreclosures and delinquencies in mortgages have caused hesitation with buyers, these problems are prevelent in the subprime market. Mortgage interest rates are very competitive for buyers with good credit scores. Buyers must remember that home ownership has proven to be a great long-term investment.

For example, a $10,000 investment (over 10 years) in the stock market at a normal 10 percent market rate of return would yield $23,600. The same investment as a down payment on a $200,000 home at a normal appreciation rate of 5 percent would return nearly 5 times the stock market return, at $110,300.

Contact Barb today for details and photos of available listings in the Topeka market:


Barb Banman, Realtor ABR
RE/MAX Associates of Topeka LLC
E-Mail: barb@barbbanman.com
Phone: Click HERE to talk to Barb NOW!
30+ Years Real Estate Experience -- Topeka Metro Area

Click HERE to search the MLS

Interest rates are declining -- now below 6% -- to the lowest rate in 2007. Buyers ask "Is this a good time to buy?" If you want to capture these low rates and make the most of your negotiations with motivated sellers, "Yes, now is a great time to buy." For details and photos of available Topeka properties, log on to www.topekahousesforsale.com.


Barb Banman, Realtor ABR
RE/MAX Associates of Topeka LLC
E-Mail: barb@barbbanman.com
Phone: Click HERE to talk to Barb NOW!
30+ Years Real Estate Experience -- Topeka Metro Area

Click HERE to search the MLS

When you drop your price, your house is "old news." You will never be able to recapture that flurry of initial activity you would have had with a realistic price. Your house could take longer to sell.

Even if you do successfully sell at an above market price, your buyer will need a mortgage. The mortgage lender requires an appraisal. If comparable sales for the last six months and current market conditions do not support your sales price, the house won’t appraise. Your deal falls apart. Of course, you can always attempt to renegotiate the price, but only if the buyer is willing to listen. Your house could go "back on the market."

Once your home has fallen out of escrow or sits on the market awhile, it is harder to get a good offer. Potential buyers will think you might be getting desperate, so they will make lower offers. By overpricing your home in the beginning, you could actually end up settling for a lower price than you would have normally received.

Do you have questions about your home's value? What's happening in your neighborhood? What about the Topeka real estate market? Conctact Barb today for your customized real estate analysis!!!


Barb Banman, Realtor ABR
RE/MAX Associates of Topeka LLC
E-Mail: barb@barbbanman.com
Phone: Click HERE to talk to Barb NOW!
30+ Years Real Estate Experience -- Topeka Metro Area

Click HERE to search the MLS

If you start out with too high a price on your home, you may have just added to your stress level, and selling a home is stressful enough. There will be a lot of "behind the scenes" action taking place that you don’t know about.

Contrary to popular opinion, the listing agent does not usually attempt to sell your home to a homebuyer. That isn’t very efficient. Listing agents market and promote your home to the hordes of other local agents who do work with homebuyers, dramatically increasing your personal sales force. During the first couple of weeks your home should be a flurry of activity with buyer’s agents coming to preview your home so they can sell it to their clients.

If the price is right.

If you and your agent have overpriced, fewer agents will preview your home. After all, they are Real Estate Professionals, and it is their job to know local market conditions and home values. If your house is dramatically above market, why waste time? Their time is better spent previewing homes that are priced realistically.


Barb Banman, Realtor ABR
RE/MAX Associates of Topeka LLC
E-Mail: barb@barbbanman.com Phone: 785-221-4246
30+ Years Real Estate Experience -- Topeka Metro Area

Click HERE to search the MLS