Over the past 30 years, the real estate market has seen booms, busts, and bubbles, as well as weathered a pandemic. Throughout it all, Julia Wesselkamper has been a constant — a reliable friend and trusted resource for Greater Cincinnati homeowners and buyers.
Wesselkamper attributes her success to recruiting and retaining the best team of professionals at The Julia Wesselkamper Group, providing the highest levels of service, and treating clients like family. “Delivering our very best for clients means adding those extras that can’t be bought or measured with money — expertise, integrity, generosity and empathy,” says Wesselkamper.
She extends her trademark “white glove service” to sellers at every price point and is uniquely qualified to serve the region’s high-end buyers and sellers. In addition to being a Coldwell Banker Global Luxury specialist, Wesselkamper holds the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) designation, recognized around the globe as the gold standard. Wesselkamper is an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP), member of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), and CEO of Stage It! by Julia, a full-service Home Staging company. Listing clients enjoy complimentary Staging services, a value-add that distinguishes Wesselkamper in the market.
Selling? Buying? Got questions? Wesselkamper is happy to answer them.
Q. Is this a good time to sell? Why or why not?
Yes. Inventory is at an all-time low and this is a power position for sellers to obtain the highest and best results for the sale of their property.
Q. Is this a good time to buy? Why or why not?
The best time to buy a house is when you are personally ready. No one has a crystal ball regarding market fluctuations, and there are so many factors to each transaction that can be silver linings. A residential property purchase is for one’s own enjoyment and quality of life, so as long as one is approaching it for those reasons, any time can be a good time to buy.
Q. Do you expect housing prices to drop as rates increase and the market slows down?
“Higher rates are expected to slow the pace of price increases, though.” - Lawrence Yun, chief economist, National Association of Realtors.
He also said in an interview that he now expects home prices to go up 5% this year — about one-third the pace of 2021.
Q. What should sellers do to get their homes ready to go on the market?
A seller who wants the absolute best return and results should hire an experienced Realtor who believes in and is knowledgeable about Staging and combining proven marketing and Staging methods to best prepare for the market. Condition is everything, even in this historic market. Buyers purchase the dream of what their life will be like in a new home, not a seller’s reality or even their own.
Q. Is it worth it to upgrade bathrooms, replace old carpeting with new carpeting or hardwood floors, etc.? Will sellers recoup their expenses?
This is a very relative question and is best answered by an experienced Realtor on a case-by-case basis. Kitchens and bathrooms are very important but there are varying degrees of upgrading.
Most of the time, sellers will recoup expenses for capital investments. Again, condition and presentation are everything in obtaining the best price and results — everyone wants something beautiful, and one’s home is one’s castle.
Q. I live in a high-demand location and am thinking of selling my house. What are the benefits of listing with an agent versus selling it myself?
Selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions a person will ever make. Given the cost of housing, think about it — if one had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to solve it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Weighing the relatively small cost of hiring a Realtor and the large potential risk of not hiring one, it’s smart to find a professional to sell your home.
Q. Is it best to buy a house first before I list my current home?
Selling first is beneficial if you need to access your current home equity to buy your new home. However, selling first often requires temporary housing while buying your new house. From a real estate market standpoint, selling before buying makes the most sense for people who are selling in a buyer’s market and don’t have cash as an option or a loan using their current home’s equity for their purchase.
Q. If my furniture is old and worn, do you recommend renting new furniture to “stage” my house? Can you elaborate on what “staging” means?
The short answer is yes, empty houses do take longer to sell than furnished, occupied, or Staged homes. A study from the Appraisal Institute found that vacant houses sold for 6% less than occupied houses and stayed on the market longer.
Staging is the activity or practice of styling and furnishing a property for sale in such a way as to enhance its attractiveness to potential buyers.
Q. Do you work with a team?
I do and I love it!
I have two teams — my real estate team with The Julia Wesselkamper Group and my Staging team with Stage It By Julia! I surround myself with the most talented, kind, smart, loyal, and hard-working people. I am very blessed.
Q. What is your favorite part of the buying/selling process?
Ah, a tough question, as there is more than one answer. But I would say as for the Buying Process, it’s the moment the buyer›s eyes light up and they have to have a property, and we make that happen and can give them that good news! I always say negotiating is a sport!
As for the Selling Process, I would say it’s transforming a property with our Staging into a showplace that celebrates all the wonderful aspects of a home, leveraging that to obtain the highest and best return for our sellers, and seeing how happy they are with their results and us!