Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia. 

 In comparison to last week the average price per square foot for Folsom homes, increased by less then 1% and the median sales price decreased by less then 1%.  There are 299 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 28.47% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 81 days.  

"Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it" is one of my favorite sayings.

I've had many discussions over the years with folks who take the opposite view believing that when bad stuff happens it forges an intestinal fortitude that allows us to cope and carry on.  Perhaps both sides are right and it's really a "chicken or an egg" thing that can never be proven,  but in this crazy economic cycle were in right now I'm running into a lot of people who, by their actions when things get tough, must never have faced a single day of adversity in their life.

I'll try and make my point using weather as a metaphor without going to "Zen" on you, well maybe a little. 

Neither you nor I can control the weather.  When there is a snow day that shuts down everything, kids rejoice, while parents who need to miss work or scramble for child care do not. Rain is great when the farmers need it for the crops and devastating when the flood waters burst through levies. 100 degree days are fantastic for people to enjoy pool party, yet miserable when you are in the yard pouring a cement patio.

Weather in itself is neither good nor bad. It is up to us in our decision of how we choose to weather our personal storms and whether they leave us stronger and more resolute or weakened and cowering until the next one.

In the same way, as a seller today you must accept that adversities are going to come your way, just like the waves of the ocean. Expectations you have in terms of price might not be met.  The nest egg you were counting may have shrunk or disappeared altogether.  Appraisals can come in low killing your deal.  Buyers can fail to qualify even though you got the pre-approval letter at the time you signed the contract.  And more.  All you can really do about them is learn to ride them out, or sometimes simply wipe out, get back on your board, and start again.  What other choice is there really?

Which is why I believe that given all that our market has and will yet go through, if you are or will be in it, it is not really what happens to you that matters as much as your response to what happens and how you handle it that is the true measure of a person's character, and the ultimate arbiter of how good or bad things end up.   

As we get into our peak summer selling season the number of Folsom homes for sale sits at 302 active listings.  One reason for the continued high levels of inventory is related to the mortgage market.  Interest rates continued to increase according Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey released this morning.  Three of the four average rates tracked by the survey were the highest of the current year. 

According to the survey the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) jumped to a average rate was 5.29 percent with 0.7 point. This is the highest average rate for the 30-year FRM since the week of November 26, 2008 when it averaged 5.97 percent. 

The 15-year FRM averaged 5.06 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.79 percent also with 0.7 point. The last time the 15-year FRM was higher was the week ending December 11, 2008, when it was 5.20 percent.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs had an average rate of 5.04 percent this week, up from last week when it averaged 4.81 percent. The last time a 1-year ARM was higher was the week ending December 8, 2008, when the average was 5.09 percent.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

In comparison to last week, the median sales price and average price per square foot remained unchanged.  There are 113 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 27.63% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 90 days.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

In comparison to last week, the median sales price remained unchanged.  The average price per square foot for Folsom homes had another slight drop of less then 1% from last week.  There are 123 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 29.71% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 97 days.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

In comparison to last week, the median sales price, and average price per square foot for Folsom homes had another slight drop of about 1% from last week.  There are 113 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 30.29% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 74 days.

Mortgage rates continue to decline.  30-year fixed rates decreased to 4.69% and 15-year fixed rate decreased to 4.44%.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

In comparison to last week, the median sales price, and average price per square foot for Folsom homes slightly decreased by approximately 1%.  There are 110 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 30.14% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 80 days.

In several previous posts and in my print newsletter many of you who own a Folsom home receive each month, I talk about major blunders owners and agents routinely make and how to avoid them.

When it's your turn to sell your Folsom home, it's highly likely that you too will commit one or more costly blunders that will cause your home to take longer to sell, sell for less, or not sell at all, unless of course you know what they are and how to avoid them.

In this post I want to focus on five very specific showing blunders home sellers routinely make.  Every year I counsel my seller clients about what I call the "rules of engagement" for showing their Folsom homes.  Today I will reveal to you my "5 Simple Showing Rules" that will help you sell your house quicker, for more money, and with the least amount of personal inconvenience and hassle.

Rule #1: Get Lost When Your Home Is Being Shown

Yes I know, there is no one better to tell the buyer about the special maple cabinetry imported from Holland or the marble slab counter tops that were cut from a hillside in Italy, but the truth of the matter is that homebuyers will feel like intruders if you are home when they visit, and they might not be as comfortable when viewing your home. Visit the local coffee house, yogurt shop, or take the kids to the local park. If you absolutely cannot leave, try to remain in an out of the way area of the house and do not move from room to room. Do not volunteer any information, but answer any questions the agent may ask, or refer those questions to your agent.

Rule #2:  Light It Up

Don't let the buyer enter your home thinking they've just stumbled into Batman's cold dark and dank bat cave.  When you know someone is coming by to tour your home, turn on all the indoor and outdoor lights - even during the day. At night, a lit house gives a "homey" impression when viewed from the street. During the daytime, turning on the lights prevents harsh shadows from sunlight and it brightens up any dim areas. Your house looks more homey and cheerful with the lights on.

Rule #3: Fragrances

Most agree there's nothing worse than entering a house that smells, except if you happen to be the owner and you are the only one who doesn't know it smells.  Have a friend or better yet, a professional home stager do a 'whif' test and if the results for smells come up positive here's what you should and should not do.  Do not use scented sprays to prepare for visitors. It is too obvious and many people find the smells of those sprays offensive, not to mention that some may be allergic. If you want to have a pleasant aroma in your house, have a potpourri pot or something natural. Or turn on a stove burner (or the oven) for a moment and put a drop of vanilla extract on it. It will smell like you have been cooking.

Rule #4: Pet Control

If you have pets, make sure your listing agent puts a note in the multiple listing service. The last thing you want is to have your pet running out the front door and getting lost. If you know someone is coming, it would be best to try to take the pets with you while people tour your home. If you cannot do this, it is best to keep dogs in a penned area in the back yard. Try to keep indoor cats in a specific room when you expect visitors, and put a sign on the door. Most of the time, an indoor cat will hide when buyers come to view your property, but they may panic and try to escape so let agents know how to handle things before they show up so the showing doesn't turn into a mad dash to catch the dog or cat that's out the door and heading down the street.

Rule #5: The Kitchen Trash

If you don't want visitors to think your home is garbage don't let it smell like it.  If your kitchen trash can does not have a lid, make sure you empty it every time someone comes to look at your home - even if your trash can is kept under the kitchen sink. Remember that you want to send a positive image about every aspect of your home. Kitchen trash does not send a positive message. You may go through more plastic bags than usual, but it will be worth it.

Following my "5 Simple Showing Rules" will help your home sell for more money in less time, which in the end will almost be certain to create a more enjoyable selling experience for you.

Here is this week's Folsom Homes Report, for sales activity in the Folsom real estate market as reported by Trulia.

In comparison to last week, average price per square foot for Folsom homes slightly increased and the median sales price had a large increase from $340,000 to $365,406.  There are 100 Folsom homes that are pending sales representing 27.93% of the available inventory.  The time to sell Folsom homes is currently 75 days.