Hi Sharobh,

My name is Elizabeth Bonomo. My husband Jonathan and I are a Realtor team. You should start by interviewing a few realtors to get a feel for what your current price in this market is and what they would do for you as far as marketing your home. Make sure you are working with a top producer in the Valley. We would be happy to come out look at your home and offer you a complimentary customized marketing plan and price trend analysis. If you would like to see what we could do for you please call me on my direct line at 267-307-9985 or my husband Jonathan at 267-265-8320

It sounds like it will take a special buyer for such a unique home. And that is why I suggest you have multiple realtors come over and provide you with a CMA. It very well could be worth more than what you paid. But there is more of a chance that it is not. I will only know once I did the research.

Either way, I wish you all the luck in getting what you are trying to acheive. Please let me know if I can be of any help.

Sharobh,

You might want to discuss the site attached to the link below with your agent.

Thanks Sean, I will take a look later.....this is one of the oldest homes in the area....we heard 1802...so it is a specialty home....small bedrooms, small closet space, but people who like these kinds of homes generally know what they are in for.....how do you compare this house to others.....it is so unique. I understand # of bedrooms, sq footage, etc.....but comparing a home that is historic to others much newer is difficult, no? We were told this home is for a specialty market.....thanks for your help...I so need it...very sad over this.....really struggling...and don't want to lose our shirts....we are 50, so this is huge for us!!!

Good morning. It all comes down to the comparables. It sounds like you did get a great deal. However, you need to dig deep into recent sales of comparable homes. I really can't tell you what your home is worth unless I do a detailed evaluation. I am very confident that they way I do it is very accurate. It is very similar to an appraisal except I do not charge anything. In fact, you should have a couple of realtors come in and take a look. But you have to be weary of someone who tries to "buy the listing". You should ask for a copy of the ranking report for the lehigh valley association of realtors to see how much experience an agent has. it takes a lot to sell a home. Its not just a matter of price, but also a matter of matketing and experience. Take a look at my profile and tell me what you think.

Sean, I could not take the apt away from family.....our landlord loved us (after 16 yrs we were like family) but we asked my nephew and his girlfriend if they wanted it and of course they did...both gradulated recently from Moravian College...very excited to be living there at that great rent. I never had a place so great at 23!!! Our landlord did say as soon as they leave, it's ours again....But I want to be back in the city before then! I likely can find something, until that one is avail again!!! So if we paid $270k in Nov, 50k under asking, and appraised in Nov at 299k, now it is worth under 270k? This is all very scary to me.....people kept insisting this was such a wise investment even if we did not hold onto it long. I feel so trapped now! How do we break even? How long do you think we have to wait??? There were 3 other offers the week we got this....and all were higher....the previous owners liked us and wanted us to have it more than the others.....

Hello again,

It really is unfortunate. Did you ever ask your nephew if they would consider letting you take over their lease?

One thing you need to consider is what is the value of the house you are living in. It is unlikelý that it is worth 290,000. Unfortunatly values have going down over the past year. Very few homes have appreciated in the area. Do you have a copy of the appraisel from when you bought the home? I'd be careful about listing it too high. It can become a dead listing and actually wind up costing you more money in the long run.

Please call me if you'd like a free CMA. 610-737-5369

Sean LaSalle

Thanks for all of your answers.....I have to think on all of this....it has been so very stressful for us....the realtor who was part of the purchase, said we should ask 299 to break even, we paid 270. We just settled in Nov...I have interview others and understand all of his...we are so sad...we loved our apt in town...and we loved our landlord.....hence the 16 yr stay! Now my nephew and his girlfriend live there..which makes it hard for us!!! They love it too.....

Sharobh,

I can imagine your pain. After over 45 years of the struggles of home ownership, we chose to live the lifestyle you enjoyed for 16 years. We have just celebrated our first anniversary as renters in the So Co area of downtown Austin. We almost have to pinch ourselves everyday to make sure we are not dreaming.

The first link below may be of some help in you landing an agent that gets you back to where you can be happy again. The second link is on doing a FSBO. Even if you decide on using an agent the blog has ideas in it that you will be able to use to supplement the agent's marketing efforts. However, before you do anything on your own while represented, consult with your agent first, and always use him/her for the contact person.

http://www.trulia.com/blog/rockinblu/2008/12/i_ve_got_my_fin…

http://www.trulia.com/blog/rockinblu/2008/08/thinking_about_…

Hello,

My name is Sean LaSalle. I would be more than happy to help out. What you need to do is interview a few realtors like myself. The reason is a Realtors fee is always negotiable. But you don't want to make a decision based on what the realtors fees are. You want to find out what they are going to do for those fees. In todays market it is crucial that a realtor advertises it properly and prices it correct. You also want to work with someone who does a lot of seller agency. And don't be afraid to ask for proof. Every realtor should provide you with a ranking report from the association of realtors which will show you how many homes they sold year to date and last year. Feel free to contact me if you would like to set up a time for me to view your home. My cell is 610-737-5369. My email is slasalle@weichert.com

Sharobh,

Don't feel alone, the whole house selling process can be somewhat overwhelming if you are not familiar with the process. My best suggestion is to ask your trusted friends and family if they know of a full-time professional Realtor that understands the real estate market in the area you bought your home. They will be best suited to understand the value of your home and advise you on the best strategy for selling it. The Agent will walk you through the entire selling process as well as educate you on the market statistics in your area so you can make an educated decision on how to sell your house for the highest price in the shortest amount of time!

My company has an office in Bethlehem near Lehigh International Airport. If you would like me to interview a few agents and make a recommendation, just say the word.

I wish you the best and hope you get a quick sale so you get back to Sanity in the City!! Good Luck!