The thing is we have been experiencing a crazy market. It has been anything but stable on the up side. Maybe it has slowed down a little, maybe not. The thing is a house could have sold for $400,000 one or two months ago and an almost identical one today might go for $500,000. Prices have been moving targets, some rapidly moving targets.

A friend of mine contracted for a new home to be built in Eagle, ID last year for a cost of $500,000. A few months later, by the time it was built and she closed on it, houses just like it were being sold for $750,000.

The material shortages are starting to show up. My driveway person, in business for 20 years, said he can’t take on any more work, he has run out of epoxy. If I was a buyer I would buy as soon as possible to avoided further price increases, and as a seller, I would sit tight. The Covid pandemic has really served a wallop in many ways.

We bought a fsbo in TV several years ago. We ask the seller what he wanted - he said he had consulted a Villages sales person and they said they would list it for X. We said, okay we will give you X less 3%, splitting the difference between what he would get after the commission. We agreed and everyone was happy.

Sorry but that is just dilusional thinking.:ohdear::ohdear::ohdear:

Go to the tax records and see the most recent sales for a similar house. No two houses are the same because the land is different. For Sale By Owner (FSBO) saves about 5% - 6% depending on the real estate commission. For example if the real estate commission is 6%. You should split the difference. The seller makes an extra 3% and the buyer saves 3%. Some states require a lawyer for a closing. There might be other fees associated with selling a house in The Villages. For example Flip Fee, Transfer of Title Fee...

Really? Did you read Post No. 29? A licensed agent has already offered to do a market analysis.

Is there a bubble within the bubble?

You're talking to me about me and my flip. The total of my work was mowing the lawn, no materials, no improvements. I simply bought a home from someone who based the sale price on an appraisal, I sold it based upon it's value which is what someone would pay. It sold in 2.5 hours for asking. There are lots of opinions on this thread, so far I am the only one that earned tens of thousands of dollars acting on my opinion that appraisals are not necessarily accurate in determining a homes value.

I guess you could say I did more than mow the lawn, I edged it and blew the clippings as well. It wasn't a bad lawn but it needed a mow.

The point here is appraisals are based upon a set of accepted parameters, much like accounting. For appraisals the biggest player established those rules. Fannie Mae set those standards for a safe underwriting of mortgages. All of that is reasonable.

However, we are in an environment where TV homes have risen 21.4% over one year. Comparable sales play the largest factor in an appraisal. Sales six or three months ago lose their respective relevant value in determining what a home is worth to a buyer.

Really? Did you read Post No. 1? The OP stated that his neighbor was willing to sell the house to him with no agent. There was no indication that an agent was definitely forbidden in the transaction.

Stop trying to read between the lines. :blahblahblah::blahblahblah::blahblahblah:

Look up the county assessor’s record, it is free and available. Look for similar homes on real estate sale listings, or hire an appraiser. You will need an appraisal for a loan anyway.

The appraiser for the loan will be selected by the bank, not by you. You cannot use an appraiser that you hire to get the loan approved.