Social Media and Selling Real Estate

Are you looking to sell a property in Pennsylvania? In recent years, social media has gone mainstream, but it isn’t only being used to keep in touch with friends and family anymore. Many companies use Facebook and Twitter to market themselves online, and Chester County real estate is following close behind. When selling a home in PA, it can be beneficial to utilize social media outlets to get a home sold fast and for the highest price possible.

Many real estate companies have an entire Facebook or Twitter page solely for creating posts about new homes on the market. The key to keeping readers updated and obtaining more friends and followers is to update information regularly. Administrators of the page can post basic information about the house, and can also link to pictures and YouTube videos that might give potential buyers a look on the Internet before they see the house in person. 

Social media updates may also include important information, such as when open houses are going to be available.

When selling a home in PA, the most beneficial part about marketing Chester County real estate using social media (rather than a basic website) is that buyers are able to interact with the sellers online. A seller that wants to sell PA property can easily put an advertisement in a magazine or publish content to a website about a house for sale, and have no idea how people are reacting to the ad or how many people are even seeing it at all. When a home is post on Facebook, however, immediate results are seen.

Based on the comments and “likes” for each post, a seller will be able to tell right away what people think of the houses being posted. Likewise, buyers can post on the seller’s wall to provide their opinions or request information for home listings based on their individual needs. It’s a win-win situation.

Posting information on open houses and showings can be helpful, but another important factor that Chester County real estate experts take into consideration when making their posts is that buyers often do not have enough knowledge in the world of real estate when going into the process. Most home listings will not pertain to every single person reading the seller’s Twitter posts, so real estate companies have taken to posting general information about the industry to keep potential buyers informed and interested until they finally find their dream home.

Sharing these trade secrets will make buyers feel more comfortable, and will also invite other professionals in the business to lend their own opinions.

Whether it involves updating information on business trends or posting videos to promote specific homes for sale, social media has proven to be a great aide when it comes to selling PA property. Buyers can ask questions and find the perfect home without having to settle, and sellers can get top dollar on their homes quickly by frequently updating social media pages.

To learn more about buying and selling your home in Chester County, PA, call Liz Saunders at 1-888-914-4833 or send her an email.

The Possibilities for a 1031 Tax Exchange for Real Estate

If you’re looking to sell property in Chester County, one thing you might want to look into is a 1031 tax exchange for a property. Known as a powerful wealth-bringing tool available to sellers, the 1031 exchange allows taxpayers to sell investments, income or business property, and replaced it with a like-kind property. Within a specific time frame, you can sell one qualified property and proceed with an acquisition for another.

What makes a 1031 tax exchange unique is that it is really treated as a literal real estate exchange rather than a standard sale. This method may be right for you, but be sure to know all of the ins and outs of the process before jumping in. That’s where a licensed real estate professional comes in.

If you’re looking for a replacement “like-kind” property to your existing one, you should consider the possibilities of a 1031 tax exchange to sell your PA property. Any other action would require the payment of a capital gains tax, which will likely continue to rise as the years go on. 


The basis of the appeal of the 1031 is that the IRS depreciates real estate investments at a three percent yearly rate until it is completely depreciated. In short, it would be possible for an investor to defer capital gains for his or her entire life. Real estate property used for investment and business qualifies for a 1031 exchange, but personal residences do not.

These days, to qualify for a 1031 exchange, the transaction must really be an “exchange.” This means that you cannot just sell one property in Chester County and then buy another as one normally would. The property being sold and the property being exchanged for it must both be used for business or investment purposes, and they must be like-kind properties.

Whether you want to sell PA property by exchanging a lot of land for an apartment building or a shopping center for an office building, the 1031 tax exchange for Chester County real estate is an exciting option that should certainly be considered when looking to sell a property.

While the benefits of the exchange are great, it should certainly be noted that the rules and regulations are meticulous and time constraints are strict. Special care and planning must be taken into consideration if you are planning on taking part in this exchange.

To learn more the possibilities of a 1031 tax exchange when selling property in Chester County, PA, contact realtor Liz Saunders at 1-888-914-4833 or send her an email.

The Homebuyer Ready Program from Coldwell Banker

In order to be more competitive in today's challenging marketplace, sellers need a way to make their properties stand out and buyers need a way to sift out the good homes from the bad more than ever before.  

The exclusive Homebuyer Ready program from Coldwell Banker offers quicker closings through pre-inspection, corrective work, seller disclosure statements, home protection plans, competitive market analysis and title search. An advantage to sellers and buyers alike, the Homebuyer Ready program provides a simple and direct route to closing on your home.


Buying or selling a home is a huge step in a person’s life and should not be taken lightly. Coldwell Banker Homebuyer Ready participants have all forms of advertisement for their homes stamped with the Homebuyer Ready seal of approval so that they’re easy to spot. This tells buyers that the home is approved by the program and has gone through the following:

•      A pre-inspection by a licensed house inspector
•       Comprehensive marketing analysis to insure fair pricing
•       Complete title work
•       A Coldwell Banker Home Protection Plan

Sellers will enjoy the benefits of the program just as much as buyers. A house that is highlighted as Homebuyer Ready will attract serious buyers who are looking for the best possible option. A “waste-no-time” deal, Homebuyer Ready homes are packaged specifically to get immediate reactions from buyers and other realtors.

These homes will also stand out to buyers because unlike many other houses on the market, they will already be title searched and pre-inspected. An easy, no-strings-attached choice, the Homebuyer Ready program offers both parties peace of mind that they are making a good deal.

Buyers: Would you like to know more about what may be your future home before you put an offer on it? Would you like to enjoy fewer surprises before closing?

Sellers: Would you like to attract serious buyers? Would you like to make your home stand out amongst the competition?

If you’re looking for fewer hassles and quicker closings in Chester County, PA, call 610-363-6006, or contact Liz Saunders directly at 1-888-914-4833. She can assist you with real estate information and connections just about anywhere in the world.

The Best Time of the Year for Real Estate

As any real estate agent will tell you, spring and early summer tend to be the busiest times of the year for buying and selling properties. Experienced sellers know that this is the period when the most deals get done, and buyers are most likely to be looking for homes or other properties during these few months in particular.

However, many sellers don't take into account that it takes time to prepare a home for sale, and it's important to have a property on the market for a while before you start to receive good offers. Thus, even though the market doesn't tend to get really hot until late March or April, it's important to get your property out there a month or so earlier than that.

In fact, over the years I've found that it's best to introduce properties to the market in February, or even as early as January. The reasons for this are many. First of all, it really gives a seller a leg up on the competition when they get started during a time when not as many other properties are available. This means that your property won't get lost in the crowd of new listings that commonly appear in the busiest months of the spring, and buyers will pay more attention to your home.

Another reason for starting this early is that it provides a great deal of momentum for the spring and early summer. Ideally, you would like to be in full swing by April, but introducing your property that late often means that you're still trying to get your footing in the market while the busiest days of the year pass. By establishing yourself earlier, you'll be in full swing by the time April, May and June come along.

If you have a property to sell and really want to get the most out of your offers, I would encourage you to start the process early and bring your property to market in January or February, and not March or April. This will bring noticeable benefits, and you'd be surprised at the advantage it gives you in the marketplace, as more buyers are attracted to your property.

If you have any questions about these ideas or would like to discuss selling your properties in the Chester County or Berks County areas, please feel free to contact me at any time. Happy selling!