Do You Have Problems Selling Your Home?
Even in a white-hot market, average sales times are about three months. That means some homes sit for as long as six months. If the market is moving more slowly, the process only gets dragged out longer.
A big problem in the home-selling process is that so many realtors are inexperienced. They start by telling you they can get more for your home than it’s worth. Then, only after you enter into an exclusive listing arrangement that lasts six months, they will back off and say the price needs to be lowered to drum up interest. Ultimately, the woes in the current real estate climate are primarily the result of misaligned interests. Realtors might be using your listing as a marketing tool to acquire new leads instead of truly working toward selling your home.
Fortunately, trade-in programs have emerged to solve many of the headaches associated with the home-selling process.
From a Need to an Advantage
We started our trade-in program at Marketplace Homes back in 2003 because we believed there was a huge niche — especially in the new construction industry. This belief came from my experience working for a builder when I saw plenty of homeowners have a catch-22 experience.
They’d need to sell their home to remove some of the financial strain of building a new one, but the construction process took months to a year to complete. Once their home was sold, they would have 30 days to move out, leaving them without a place to stay. Other clients started construction only to have their current home sit on the market for ages, forcing them to double down on payments.
Through these scenarios, the trade-in program model has a big advantage over traditional home sales. We make homeowners an offer first, and if they accept, the home is sold and closes back-to-back on the same day as the new home, relieving the stress of unpredictable timing conflicts.
Get the Most Out of Trade-In Programs
Aside from Marketplace Homes, there are at least three other viable trade-in programs already in the market. We’re all going to say why we’re great, but at the end of the day, it’s about the check in your pocket. Money is a commodity, and if one offer stands above the rest, it makes sense to take it. With that in mind, here are four ways you can get the most money out of whatever trade-in program you choose:
Even in a white-hot market, average sales times are about three months. That means some homes sit for as long as six months. If the market is moving more slowly, the process only gets dragged out longer.
Will Dickson is the President at Marketplace Homes, a national brokerage and property management company, and Managing Director for Finance Michigan, Inc., overseeing investments in real estate, commodities trading, banking, and private equity. With previous experience at Walleye Trading Advisors and Citigroup, Will brings a strong analytical and risk management background. He holds a BA in Economics and Philosophy from Kalamazoo College, a Master’s in Accounting from the University of Texas, and studied abroad at the London School of Economics. He is registered as a Certified Public Accountant, holds the Series 3 and 30 licenses, and is a licensed Title Agent in six states. Recognized for his achievements, he was named a DBusiness “30 in their 30’s” honoree. Will resides in metro Detroit with his wife and two young children.