The Seller's Survival Guide - Navigating San Antonio's Shifting Market

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the Danny Buys Houses podcast. I'm your host, Danny Johnson, coming from you right here in San Antonio, Texas. Now, if this is your first time listening, welcome to the show. I'm a real estate investor who's been buying houses in San Antonio for over twenty years and I love sharing what I've learned about our local market with homeowners just like you.

Now, if you're thinking about selling your house lately or if you know someone who has, today's episode is absolutely crucial because we're going to talk about something I just released, my seller's survival guide and why I felt it was so important to get this information into the hands of San Antonio homeowners right now. Now, let's just dive right in. The San Antonio real estate market has changed dramatically, I mean, dramatically, over the past year. And if you're a homeowner thinking about selling, you need to understand these changes because they directly impact your ability to sell your house quickly and for the right price. Here are the hard facts.

Housing inventory in San Antonio was up 20% compared to last year. 20%! That means there are significantly more homes competing for buyers' attention. And here's the kicker, homes are now sitting on the market for an average of eighty seven days. That's nearly three months.

Now, if you've been living in San Antonio for a while, you remember what the market was like just a couple of years ago. Houses would go under contract in days, sometimes even hours. Multiple offers were the norm and sellers had all the power. Well, that dynamic has completely flipped unfortunately. I've been getting calls from homeowners who listed their houses three, four, even five, six, seven months ago and they're still sitting there.

I've got houses actually that are sitting on the market for that long and they're still sitting there not selling. It's frustrating. I'm stressed that people I've talked to that have the same situation are stressed And honestly, some people are starting to panic. One seller told me last week, Danny, I thought I could just stick a sign in the yard and have it sold in two weeks like my neighbor did in 2022. Now here's the thing, we're not in 2022 anymore.

The market has shifted and for the first time in years, San Antonio sellers are facing real headwinds. So what does this mean for you? If you're thinking about selling your house in San Antonio, Texas, well, first, let's talk about the traditional listing route and what you're up against. With inventory up 20%, your house is competing with a lot more properties. Buyers have choices now.

They can be picky, they can negotiate harder, They can walk away if something doesn't feel right because they know there are other options waiting for them. That extended time on market, those eighty seven days, that's not just a number. That represents real cost. And eighty seven is the average. I'm seeing, you know, if your house needs some repairs or updating, you know, you're looking at, you know, can be up to double that.

So we're talking a long time and you're paying that whole time, you're paying your mortgage for an additional two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine months, even up to a year. And you're paying utilities, insurance, property taxes. And we all know what those have shot up through. They've shot through the roof over these last several years and it's insane. You've already moved out, you might be paying rent somewhere else or paying a new mortgage while still carrying the cost of this old house.

These carrying costs will add up fast. And here's something most people don't think about. The longer your house sits on the market, the more suspicious buyers become. It sucks. It really does that that happens.

But they start wondering, what's wrong with this house? Why hasn't it sold? Even if there's absolutely nothing wrong with your property, that perception can hurt you and can take longer for you to sell your house. Now, not trying to scare you. I'm trying to prepare you because when you understand the reality of today's market, you can make better decisions.

And that's exactly why I created the Seller's Survival Guide for people in San Antonio wanting to sell their house fast. Now, this guide isn't just some marketing piece. It's a practical advice based on our over two decades of experience in the San Antonio market. I've seen several market cycles from hot sellers' markets to tough buyers' markets and everything in between. And I've helped thousands of homeowners navigate these waters successfully.

Now, this guide that we created covers three critical areas. First, pricing strategy. In a market with more inventory and longer selling times, pricing becomes absolutely crucial. You can't just look at what sold six months ago and expect the same results today, unfortunately. The guide walks you through how to price competitively while still maximizing how much you can get for your house.

Second, we talk about the property condition. When buyers have more choices, they're going to be more critical about the condition of your home. This guide helps you understand which improvements might help you sell faster and which ones probably aren't worth the investment in today's market. Now third, the seller survival guide is going to cover what's really important. We discuss all your selling options because listing with a realtor isn't your only choice, especially in a challenging market like this one.

Now let me share you a story that perfectly illustrates why I felt compelled to create this guide. Last month, I got a call from Maria. Now that's not a real name, but I want to protect her privacy. She's a single mom here in San Antonio and she had listed her house for four months earlier, expecting it to sell quickly like her sister's house did back in 2021. But four months later, she was still making mortgage payments on a house she wasn't even living in, plus rent on the new apartment that she had moved to.

She had reduced the price twice and spent thousands of dollars on repairs that some buyers had requested, and then the deal fell through at the last minute because their financing didn't come through. Now Maria was devastated. She was stressed. She's running out of money and didn't know what to do. That's when she called me.

She called Danny Buys Houses and within forty eight hours, I was able to make her a fair cash offer. No financing contingencies, no repair requests, no uncertainty about the closing date. We closed two weeks later and Maria finally had the certainty and peace of mind she desperately needed. She had the thing sold and moved on so that she could move on with the rest of her life. Now, I'm not saying a cash sale is right for everybody, but in today's market, it's an option that more and more homeowners are considering because it provides something that's becoming increasingly rare: certainty.

Now, when you sell for cash to a reputable local buyer, you eliminate almost all of the risks associated with the traditional sale. There's no risk of buyers financing falling through because there's no financing. There's no lengthy negotiations over repairs because we buy houses as is. There's no ambiguity about the closing date or the final sales price. The offer we make you is what you're going to get for the house.

Now in a market where homes are sitting for eighty seven days on average, or more if it needs repairs for sure, the speed of a cash transaction becomes incredibly valuable. Instead of months and months of uncertainty, you can have certainty in just a couple of weeks and you can be done with it. You can have closure, you can move on. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking, Danny, don't cash buyers lowball sellers? And I get it, there's some bad actors out there who do take advantage of people, but that's exactly why I always tell people to do their homework.

For example, Danny Buys Houses has an A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau. We've had zero complaints filed against us since we got accredited back in 02/2008. Now we've had hundreds of five star reviews online from real customers. Now these aren't just numbers, they represent real people who had positive experiences during one of the most stressful times in their lives. And I insist that, you know, no matter whether you go with anybody's house or you choose another house buying company, do your homework, check the reviews, check and make sure that, you know, there are legitimate house buyers that have been in business for a while, that are going to be able to do what they tell you they're going to be able to do.

Now, the bottom line is this, the San Antonio real estate market has changed. Old strategies don't work the same anymore. The list it and it will sell approach is over, at least for now, but that doesn't mean you're stuck or that you don't have good options. Whether you decide to list traditionally, make improvements to your house first, or explore a cash sale as is, the most important thing is that you make an informed decision based on your specific situation and today's market realities. Not what worked for your neighbor two years ago, unfortunately.

I wish it was still like that, I really do. The seller survival guide gives you all the information you need to evaluate your options and make the best decision for you and your family. Now it's completely free, there's no obligation, you can download it right now at dannybuyshouses.com. That's dannybuyshouses.com. If you're reading this guide, you'd like to get a free, no obligation cash offer on your house, just give me a call.

You can call us at (210) 881-7707 or you can fill out the fast cash offer form on our website at dannybuyshouses.com. And over the top right of the website, you'll see a Sell My House, the button up there at the top right. All right, and we move quick, we buy as is, we pay cash, and we've been in business for over twenty years, and we'd be happy to talk to you. Even if you just have questions, feel free to give us a call. Now, before we wrap up, I want to remind you that whether you're considering selling now or just thinking about it for the future, knowledge is power.

The more you understand about your local market and your options, the better decisions that you can make. If you found today's episode helpful, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It really helps other San Antonio homeowners find this show. And if you know someone who's thinking about selling their house, please share this episode with them. In today's market, having the right information can make all the difference.

Now, that's going to wrap up today's episode of the Danny Buys Houses podcast. And I'm Danny Johnson, and I'll be back next week probably with more insights about the San Antonio real estate market. Until then, remember, if you need to sell your house fast and for cash, we're here to help. Take care San Antonio.