An Interview with Team Foster
Unlocking Home Sale Success in West Bellevue
Team Foster has been around for 25+ years and they continue to find success. What’s the driving force behind that?
In-depth market knowledge, trusted client relationships, trusted broker relationships, and expertise in every aspect of what we do. Our team approach ensures that we provide the absolute best service from the moment we meet to discuss working together all the way through closing and beyond. We work with trusted vendors and service providers for every part of the process; we are always pushing to raise the bar. But most importantly we remain grateful. It’s so rewarding to help a client move from one phase of life to the other. To see the happiness—and relief!—on their face when they find the right home or sell their home and make a change. To make that call and tell them the house is sold and they can go travel or spend time with the kids in another state, these moments are our true measures of success.
How has the inventory of homes for sale in West Bellevue changed over the past year, and what impact has this had on pricing and competition amongst buyers?
Inventory, inventory, inventory. The supply vs. demand equation is completely unbalanced and in close in areas like West Bellevue, we simply can’t make more land to build more homes, so the values rise. The Eastside in general has a shortage of homes from year to year. But we are successful in helping our clients find the right one. It’s a competitive market and the broker-to-broker relationship is so important. When a buyer works with us, they are getting the best representation and a competitive advantage because of our relationships.
What advice do you have for homeowners looking to sell their properties in West Bellevue?
Carefully prepare your home and get on the market! The market is active and strong buyers are out there. While interest rates continue to keep some buyers on the sidelines, the market overall is strong for sellers.
Work with an experienced agent to help you strategically price your home in line with your micro area/neighborhood. If you come on the market even a touch too high, it can cause the home to sit. The response to a property is driven in large part by the data available to support the pricing. If buyers sense the pricing is off slightly, they will wait it out. And long market times can be a negative mark against a property.
How important is staging and presentation when selling a home in West Bellevue today?
Sellers don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, both online and in person. Buyers want to get a good feel for the layout and space within the house, and cluttered homes or highly stylized interiors are distractions.
Sellers should prepare their home for market with fresh paint and landscaping clean-up including trimming back bushes to make the home appear larger and groomed. When selling homes with views, it is essential not to block the view for potential buyers. Oftentimes people who have been living in a home for a lengthy period “forget" about the view; the furniture and accessories create obstacles. Sellers are best advised to make the view front and center for those who tour the home.
Of course, staging is an incredibly important tool when we bring homes to market. Staging is not intended to be the focal point of the home. Instead, we want the staging to serve as a neutral backdrop for the architectural and design features of the home. Without staging, we find that buyers fixate on the décor and not the home.
In-depth market knowledge, trusted client relationships, trusted broker relationships, and expertise in every aspect of what we do. Our team approach ensures that we provide the absolute best service from the moment we meet to discuss working together all the way through closing and beyond. We work with trusted vendors and service providers for every part of the process; we are always pushing to raise the bar. But most importantly we remain grateful. It’s so rewarding to help a client move from one phase of life to the other. To see the happiness—and relief!—on their face when they find the right home or sell their home and make a change. To make that call and tell them the house is sold and they can go travel or spend time with the kids in another state, these moments are our true measures of success.
How has the inventory of homes for sale in West Bellevue changed over the past year, and what impact has this had on pricing and competition amongst buyers?
Inventory, inventory, inventory. The supply vs. demand equation is completely unbalanced and in close in areas like West Bellevue, we simply can’t make more land to build more homes, so the values rise. The Eastside in general has a shortage of homes from year to year. But we are successful in helping our clients find the right one. It’s a competitive market and the broker-to-broker relationship is so important. When a buyer works with us, they are getting the best representation and a competitive advantage because of our relationships.
What advice do you have for homeowners looking to sell their properties in West Bellevue?
Carefully prepare your home and get on the market! The market is active and strong buyers are out there. While interest rates continue to keep some buyers on the sidelines, the market overall is strong for sellers.
Work with an experienced agent to help you strategically price your home in line with your micro area/neighborhood. If you come on the market even a touch too high, it can cause the home to sit. The response to a property is driven in large part by the data available to support the pricing. If buyers sense the pricing is off slightly, they will wait it out. And long market times can be a negative mark against a property.
The exception to this is ultra-high-end homes which have longer market times simply because the buyer pool is smaller, and those buyers travel often; they may not have the opportunity to tour the home for weeks or months.
The second most important thing a seller can do is to prepare the home perfectly. Take the emotion out of it and view your home as a product to sell, like a showroom. Don’t think of it as your personal home. Also, trust your agent. They are experts in their field. They know what is best with the presentation, the photography, the video and marketing strategy. Put your trust in them and you will see success.
How important is staging and presentation when selling a home in West Bellevue today?
Sellers don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, both online and in person. Buyers want to get a good feel for the layout and space within the house, and cluttered homes or highly stylized interiors are distractions.
Sellers should prepare their home for market with fresh paint and landscaping clean-up including trimming back bushes to make the home appear larger and groomed. When selling homes with views, it is essential not to block the view for potential buyers. Oftentimes people who have been living in a home for a lengthy period “forget" about the view; the furniture and accessories create obstacles. Sellers are best advised to make the view front and center for those who tour the home.
Of course, staging is an incredibly important tool when we bring homes to market. Staging is not intended to be the focal point of the home. Instead, we want the staging to serve as a neutral backdrop for the architectural and design features of the home. Without staging, we find that buyers fixate on the décor and not the home.