As I write this article the market is changing. Today it is a seller's market just brimming with high hopes for all sellers - and then tomorrow it has hit the top and is tumbling faster than dice on a hot crap table in Vegas. Well, not exactly, but the question on everyone's lips is can it sustain itself?

I read that the Santa Clara market was slowing down. Which usually means the Santa Cruz market will follow. Yet we are seeing places selling for more than ever in pockets around the county., like Capitola and the west side of Santa Cruz. If you venture out from town a little to the hills of Corralitos and Watsonville, you find homes that linger a little longer on the market. Prices are a bit more flexible and negotiations are the norm. 

  

Where a house is located does matter. and how it’s price compares to the market price matters as well. Different areas are exhibiting different lengths of time to sell. Different price ranges have different lengths of time to sell. But actually, there are many factors that affect real estate sales and it is difficult to point to just one statistic and say that’s it! Which, of course, is why you want an experienced professional involved in helping you to prepare, price and sell your house. :-) Call me if you need a referral.

The graph below shows condos sales in the different areas of the county. The numbers at the top of each column show how long it is taking homes to sell in those areas and the red line is showing how close the sale price is to the list price. If looking at this graph one could deduce that it takes longer to sell a condo in La Selva than is does in Seacliff. What is being totally neglected is the fact that there just aren't a whole lot of condos in La Selva and the ones that are there, are the higher priced beach condos. The higher price alone will be a major factor in determining length of time to sell. The other factor is not knowing what price the sales started at. Were they at a reasonable market price or were they pricing higher? That too will affect the length of time on the market. 

I like to use these graphs as a starting point for discussion and then do more research to find out the rest of the story. 

How quickly a house sells might also just depend on how long it takes for the “perfect buyer” to come along. The "perfect buyer" is defined as that person looking for exactly what you are selling. If the buyer looking for the Victorian house with a white picket fence in the school district of her daughter's best friend, and you happen to be selling that house, then Voila! Your best chance of selling your house has just walked in. Don't let that one get away!

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