Stafford—Before the bubble burst, people would come down here in January and start looking and buy in March before they left. When things started to plummet, they still wanted to buy, but they’d look and go home because they didn’t feel it was the right time to buy. This year, they started buying in January, in February, in March; and now we’re seeing them come back to buy in the summer time as well.

Linda—We’ve had our strongest summer in my 30 years’ experience!

Q: Is that why we have the lowest inventory in a long time?

A: Stafford—We’re down to less than six month’s, which is actually normal levels and healthy.

Linda—We have had a number of instances of multiple offers, where buyers are competing for a property. When things look good and the price is right, people jump right in. As a result, we had three homes that sold and went well over list price. We also sold four new, partially built homes, so there is more interest in new construction, which is great. People want what they want, and if they can’t find it in the current inventory, they will look for something new.

Q: Are we back in a Seller’s Market?

A: Stafford—We’re heading in that direction, but we’re not there yet. But because there are fewer properties out there, sellers can be a little stronger during negotiations. They can hold out for the extra $2,000 to $5,000 that they would have been too nervous to bargain for last year, because then they felt there was only one opportunity to sell.

Linda—Sellers can get results a lot quicker now, too. If they want to move on to something different because their lifestyle has changes—downsizing the way they want to live, for example—they can do that. They can give themselves permission to move forward, still buy low and stay in their new home for the next 10 years and still have good value.

Q: What else should sellers keep in mind?

A: Stafford—Buyers want to have as little to do as possible when they move in. They don’t have the time, energy or local connections to fix things. If they’re choosing between comparable houses, they will pick the easier one.

Linda: There are many things sellers can take care of in an economical way—things that will add eye appeal, but won’t cost lot: Cleaning up the yard, putting in mulch, getting rid of old wallpaper in the bathroom, a fresh coat of paint, getting rid of the clutter. It is a process and it is hard to get rid of our treasurers. Sometimes we start it six months or a year in advance. I usually won’t list a home if it isn’t ready. It’s important to put your best foot forward.