<![CDATA[Kimberly Davis Blog]]> <![CDATA[Market stabilizes as home prices level off, buyer activity increases]]>

Our MLS experienced a 23% drop in closings starting in September 2022, and that slowdown grew to a 28.5% decrease by the end of the year. During that time, listing inventory increased 8%, and the time on the market for sellers increased by 20%. As a result, an increased number of sellers have seen the value in the expertise and marketing efforts we provide, and the realtors at Chinowth & Cohen have gained a significant increase in market share

Prices have leveled off, and we have recently seen an increase in sellers negotiating more on their prices. We've also seen a noticeable uptick in sellers offering credits for closing costs or buy-downs on buyers' mortgage interest rates.

It appears more favorable market conditions are on the horizon. Many of our realtors have reported a drastic increase in buyer activity since the beginning of 2023, and we have seen a strong surge of new contracts turned in for closings on March.

Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, has recently predicted interest rates will slightly decrease over the course of the year, and 2024 is likely to be the strongest year of sales in the nations history. He attributes that to buyers realizing that waiting for extremely low interest rates to return is not likely to happen and there is still a massive amount of pent up demand from buyers. Across the country, and in our market, there are a lot of buyers that have been looking for homes since the start of the pandemic and still have not purchased a home.

All of this news is positive for the realtors at Chinowth & Cohen. Although homes aren't selling the moment they're listed, more and more sellers are seeing the value in what a real estate professional brings to the table. Our Chinowth & Cohen agents are equipped and ready for what looks to be a stable remainder of 2023 and a potentially record breaking 2024.

]]> <![CDATA[Chinowth & Cohen #1 in Oklahoma and #3 in nation for highest producing agents]]>

According to a recent study, Chinowth & Cohen REALTORS® has the highest producing agents in Oklahoma and ranks third nationally.

Steve Murray, senior advisor and co-founder of Real Trends, said Real Trends examined the performance of the largest 750 real estate brokerages in the last ten years, and Chinowth & Cohen has been named among the best performing brokerages in growth of number of agents, growth in transactions, and growth in agent productivity. 

Murray said, "I'm a great fan of Sheryl, Lee, Leland, Taylor, and just the entire company."

Now, at more than 700 sales associates, 15 real estate offices, and over $2 billion in annual sales. Chinowth & Cohen continues to dominate the real estate market in Oklahoma as the largest independent real estate company in the state.

Watch the video below:

]]> <![CDATA[Ready to sell? Check out these tips to spruce up your home]]>
If you are thinking about selling your home, you want it to look beautiful for potential buyers. There are a few simple tasks that will help it look its absolute best. Think of making your home a blank canvas, so buyers can create their own masterpiece in their mind. This is where staging comes into play.
#1 You don't need to stage every single room – Think about the rooms that matter the most to you when house hunting. What are they? They are most likely the living room, kitchen and master bedroom. Focus your efforts of these particular rooms. Buyers don't typically spend much time looking at the guest bedroom, bathrooms or kid's rooms.
#2 De-personalize – Like I mentioned above, think of it as a blank canvas. Remove any family photos and personal belongings that belong to your family. You want your home to have some charm, but nothing that is personal. Keep clothes stored away neatly. Remove personal hygiene items from your bathroom such as toothbrushes, hair brushes, contact solution and such.
#3 De-clutter - clutter takes up space and we want your home to have as much space as possible. Make it look bigger. You don't have to get rid of things, just simply box them up and store them somewhere. Remove any unseasonal clothes (winter coats if it's summer), décor even if it's over crowded. Keep it simple and remove anything that you don't need day to day. Yes it will be odd for you to live in space that doesn't show off your family, but this will be short term. Even think about what is in your closets. Buyers WILL be looking in there as well.
#4 First Impressions – Think about what a buyer will see when they first walk up to your house. How is that front door/entryway? Is it dirty? Power wash it or give it a fresh coat of paint. Power wash that walk way. Remove any seasonal décor. You want a good first impression. Maybe a new door mat and a plant or so. You want it be welcoming.
#5 Freshen up – make sure there are no odors. Maybe have those carpets shampooed. Think about adding in a subtle scented plug in. Nothing that is too overwhelming or strong.
#6 Lighten up the rooms! – Open those blinds, turn on those lights for those showings. Even the lamps and closet lights. No one likes a dark room.
#7 Think about your furniture layout – You want it to appear open and walkable. Not only does it help buyers navigate your home, but it also helps them visualize their belongings in each room. Take out extra furniture if need be and put it in storage.
In general, staging a home doesn't have to take a lot of money. Keeping it simple, cleaning and decluttering can go a long way.
Reach out to me, if you are thinking about selling your home or simply have any questions that I can help answer.
]]> <![CDATA[$2 BILLION in Sales!]]>

Oklahoma's Largest Independent Real Estate Company Reaches Milestone!

 Chinowth & Cohen Realtors ended the year of 2020 by reaching the record-breaking $2 Billion mark in annual sales.

Founded In 2004 by Sheryl Chinowth and Lee Cohen, Chinowth & Cohen Realtors opened the brokerage with only one office and 25 Sales Associates. Today, Chinowth & Cohen Realtors has grown to be Oklahoma's largest independent Real Estate company, with over 800 agents operating out of 15 offices across the state of Oklahoma. 

Chinowth & Cohen Realtors is one of the fastest-growing real estate brokerages in the U.S.

Doubling their annual sales since 2018, independently-owned Chinowth & Cohen Realtors dominates the Oklahoma Real Estate market across all aspects of the business, including first-time homes, luxury homes, land and ranch, lake properties, Commercial, and Relocation.  Chinowth & Cohen Realtors' track record is unmatched in the industry. Sheryl Chinowth attributes the company's success to its team of experienced sales professionals and top-producers who consistently deliver strong performance through all economic cycles. "We are committed to our agents by providing top-tier marketing and cutting-edge IT services," Sheryl says. "Our agents undergo extensive training, are backed by the very best support team, including Managing Brokers, Administrative Staff, Training Specialists, and Marketing creative talent, and have access to global referral networks."

Recipient of Countless Honors

Sheryl Chinowth and Lee Cohen recently were honored at the Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate 24th Annual Luxury Fall conference with the "Lifetime Achievement Award." This prestigious award is given to Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate members for their outstanding peer recognition, hard work, and persistent dedication to the global luxury real estate industry.

Recognized as forerunners in the industry, Chinowth & Cohen Realtors has also been honored with:

  • Oklahoma Magazine's "Best of the Best" Real Estate Company - 15 consecutive years
  • Tulsa World's "Best in the World" Real Estate Company – 8 consecutive years
  • The only Real Estate company to win Tulsa Business Journal's "Besties Award"
  • U.S. Local Business Association's "Best of Local Business" – 2008 - 2010
  • Real Trends' #1 Real Estate Company (based on organic growth among all independent privately-owned firms)
  • Power Broker with Real Trends and Rismedia 
  • One of 12 National Game Changers in Real Estate by Real Trends 

Giving Back to the Community

Chinowth & Cohen Realtors' owners are passionate about giving back to their community. Sheryl's altruistic concern for human welfare, and generosity to socially responsible purpose was recognized by Who's Who of Luxury Real Estate with the prestigious "Extraordinary Philanthropists" Award. The company continually supports and is actively involved with local hospitals, police departments, public schools, food banks, and organizations. Here are a few out of the many:

• The Junior League

  • American Cancer Society
  • Habitat for humanity
  • Big Brother/Big Sister
  • Cancer Society's Relay for Life
  • Light the Night for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • American Red Cross
  • Susan G. Komen Foundation

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