By Jason Boice, REALTOR®, eXp Realty — Published September 11, 2026

TL;DR

31 Hawks Landing in Hebron was listed for $599,900 and sold for $636,000—$36,100 over asking price.

Before listing, we identified two repairs I thought were worth addressing, created a detailed room-by-room preparation plan, and launched a comprehensive marketing campaign.

The property generated four offers and was under contract after just three days on the market.

But here's the interesting part:

The sellers did not accept the highest-priced offer.

We had a higher offer that included a Hubbard clause, meaning those buyers first needed to sell their existing home.

Instead, my sellers chose the $636,000 offer with no inspection contingency, no appraisal contingency, and $25,000 in earnest money.

After looking at the property attached to the Hubbard contingency, I didn't think it would sell quickly enough to justify the additional risk.

It ultimately took more than a month to go under contract.

31 Hawks Landing successfully closed on August 31, 2026 for $636,000.

[VA: LINK — “See the complete 31 Hawks Landing sold story, property video and seller testimonial” — TO SOLD PAGE]

The Work Started Before 31 Hawks Landing Ever Hit the Market

When a house sells $36,100 over asking after only a few days on the market, it's easy to focus on the final result.

But the work that helps create that result often starts weeks before buyers ever see the listing.

When I initially walked through 31 Hawks Landing with the sellers, the house was already in good condition.

I didn't think they needed to start renovating kitchens, bathrooms, or otherwise spending tens of thousands of dollars trying to make the house perfect.

Instead, I was looking for something different:

What could buyers notice that would make them hesitate—and what do I already know is likely to become a problem during an inspection?

Two things stood out.

Repair #1: Fixing a Noticeable Sag in the Deck

The deck had a visible sag.

The issue wasn't necessarily the cost of repairing it. It was what buyers might think it would cost.

A buyer walking onto a visibly sagging deck doesn't know whether they're looking at a relatively straightforward repair or a major structural problem.

That uncertainty matters.

I recommended fixing it before we listed.

I connected the sellers with a contractor I trust, who jacked the deck back into position and installed a new support post.

By the time buyers arrived, the visible concern was gone.

Repair #2: Addressing a Leak Before an Inspector Found It

The second issue was less obvious.

The sellers had replaced the roof only about a year earlier, but there was still a leak involving the chimney, siding, and flashing that the previous roofer had not properly corrected.

Evidence of the prior water intrusion was visible from inside the attic.

Would most buyers have noticed it during a showing?

Probably not.

Would a good home inspector?

Very likely.

And once an inspector identified water intrusion around a relatively new roof, the conversation could quickly become much larger.

Is the roof installed correctly?

Is there hidden damage?

Is there mold?

How much is this going to cost?

Instead of waiting for those questions, we addressed the issue before going to market.

My contractor corrected the flashing and source of the leak and removed the old water-stained materials.

That's an important distinction in how I approach pre-listing preparation:

We weren't renovating the house. We were removing predictable objections.

What We Didn't Renovate

This is just as important.

After correcting those two issues, I didn't recommend that the sellers start updating everything else.

The house was already in good condition.

There's a major difference between preparing a home for sale and renovating a home for the next owner.

Our focus moved to presentation.

I created a detailed room-by-room preparation checklist covering:

• What should remain

• What should be removed

• What needed to be cleaned

• How rooms should be arranged

• What needed to happen before photography

• What needed to happen before showings

Instead of simply telling the sellers to "declutter and clean," they had an actionable plan they could work through room by room.

By media day, the house was ready.

How We Marketed 31 Hawks Landing

Once the preparation was finished, the next objective was getting as many qualified buyers as possible to notice the property.

We listed at $599,900 and launched a marketing campaign that included:

• Professional photography

• Cinematic property video

• Zillow Showcase

• Interactive 3D walkthrough

• Floor plans

• Dedicated property website

• Printed property marketing booklets

• Information about improvements to the home

• Property and neighborhood information

• Local school information

• QR codes directing buyers to additional online property information

The point wasn't simply to put the house in the MLS and wait.

We wanted the property to stand out online and then give buyers as much useful information as possible once they came through the door.

[VA: EMBED 31 HAWKS LANDING CINEMATIC VIDEO HERE]

The response was strong.

We received four offers.

And that's where the next part of the job became even more important.

We Had a Higher Offer—and I Recommended Not Taking It

One of the four offers was higher than the $636,000 offer the sellers eventually accepted.

It would have been very easy to look at the prices, circle the biggest number, and say:

That's the winner.

But that's not how I evaluate multiple offers.

The higher offer contained a Hubbard clause.

In simple terms, those buyers needed to sell their current home in order to purchase 31 Hawks Landing.

That doesn't automatically make a Hubbard offer bad.

But now my sellers' sale would depend partly on the successful sale of another property they had absolutely no control over.

So I investigated it.

I looked at the home those buyers needed to sell and the price at which they planned to bring it to market.

Based on the property and its positioning, I didn't believe it was likely to sell quickly.

That created additional risk for my sellers.

Meanwhile, another buyer had submitted an extremely strong offer.

The $636,000 Offer

The offer was:

$636,000 — $36,100 over asking.

But the price was only part of what made it attractive.

It also included:

• No home-inspection contingency

• No appraisal contingency

• $25,000 in earnest money

• No Hubbard/home-sale contingency

There were very few remaining opportunities for that buyer to walk away from the transaction.

The slightly higher offer gave us a bigger number.

The $636,000 offer gave my sellers considerably more certainty.

After discussing the risks and benefits of both, the sellers chose the $636,000 offer.

Then We Found Out What Happened to the Hubbard Property

This is the part of the story that makes the decision especially interesting.

The property belonging to the buyers who submitted the higher offer eventually went under contract.

But it took more than a month.

Had my sellers accepted that offer simply because the number was higher, their sale could have been dependent for weeks on another property finding a buyer.

Instead, we moved forward with the cleaner offer.

31 Hawks Landing closed successfully on August 31, 2026 for $636,000. 

That's why I tell sellers:

The highest offer isn't necessarily the best offer.

What the Sellers Said

After closing, the sellers left this review:

“Jason and his team were unbelievable throughout the sale of our home. From start to finish, Jason was professional, efficient, realistic, and a great communicator. His strategic methodology was proven when our home was on the market for 3 days and finished the sale $36,000 above asking. I would highly recommend Jason to anyone in the market for an outstanding realtor and team!”

What I like about this transaction is that there wasn't one magic thing that produced the result.

It was the combination of:

Preparation. Targeted repairs. Presentation. Pricing. Marketing. Competition. Offer analysis. Negotiation.

Each part mattered.

[VA: LINK — “See the complete 31 Hawks Landing sold story and property video” — TO SOLD PAGE]

What Hebron Sellers Can Learn From 31 Hawks Landing

1. You Don't Necessarily Need to Renovate Before Selling

The house was already in good condition.

Instead of undertaking expensive renovations, we fixed two specific issues I thought could negatively affect buyer perception or create problems later.

That's often a better use of a seller's money.

2. Fix the Problems Buyers Will Worry About

A sagging deck doesn't just look imperfect.

It makes a buyer wonder whether there's a structural problem.

Evidence of water intrusion doesn't just look bad.

It makes a buyer wonder what they can't see.

Sometimes removing uncertainty is more valuable than making something prettier.

3. Preparation Needs to Be Specific

"Clean and declutter" isn't much of a plan.

I prefer walking through the property and creating an actual preparation strategy based on the individual house.

4. Marketing Helps Create Options

The objective of marketing isn't simply to get views.

It's to generate enough qualified buyer interest that the seller has options.

At 31 Hawks Landing, we had four.

5. Multiple Offers Still Need to Be Analyzed

Getting four offers isn't the end of the job.

Now you need to determine which one actually puts the seller in the strongest position.

Purchase price matters.

So do:

Financing. Inspections. Appraisal. Earnest money. Hubbard contingencies. Closing date. Seller credits. Buyer-agent compensation. And the likelihood that the buyer actually reaches closing.

The Highest Offer vs. the Best Offer

Suppose you're selling your home and receive:

Offer A: $640,000

but the buyer needs to sell another house first.

Then you receive:

Offer B: $636,000

with no inspection contingency, no appraisal contingency, substantial earnest money, and no home-sale contingency.

Which one is worth more?

There isn't a universal answer.

We need to evaluate the specifics.

But the difference between the two purchase prices is only one part of the calculation.

If the higher offer carries substantially more risk, a slightly lower offer may be far more valuable to the seller.

That's exactly the type of decision we made at 31 Hawks Landing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did 31 Hawks Landing in Hebron, CT sell for?

31 Hawks Landing was listed for $599,900 and sold for $636,000, or $36,100 over asking. The sale closed August 31, 2026. (Trulia Real Estate Search)

How quickly did 31 Hawks Landing sell?

The property generated four offers, and the sellers selected an offer after approximately three days on the market.

Why didn't the sellers accept the highest offer?

The higher offer contained a Hubbard clause and depended on those buyers selling their existing home. The sellers instead selected a $636,000 offer with no inspection contingency, no appraisal contingency, $25,000 in earnest money, and no home-sale contingency.

What is a Hubbard clause in Connecticut real estate?

A Hubbard clause generally makes the buyer's ability or obligation to purchase dependent upon the sale of their existing property, according to the specific contract terms. A Hubbard offer isn't automatically bad, but sellers should evaluate the marketability and status of the buyer's existing property because it can introduce another layer of transaction risk.

Is the highest offer always the best offer when selling a house?

No. Sellers should evaluate the entire offer, including purchase price, financing, inspection and appraisal contingencies, earnest money, home-sale contingencies, closing date, credits, compensation requests, and the overall likelihood of reaching closing.

Should I make repairs before selling my Hebron home?

It depends on the house. At 31 Hawks Landing, we addressed a visibly sagging deck and evidence of water intrusion because I believed those issues could affect buyer confidence or become inspection concerns. We did not undertake unnecessary renovations elsewhere.

Do I need to renovate before selling in Hebron?

Not necessarily. A house that's dated or imperfect can still sell successfully. The better question is which improvements are likely to meaningfully improve buyer perception, reduce transaction risk, or improve your eventual net proceeds.

Thinking About Selling Your Hebron Home?

The exact strategy we used at 31 Hawks Landing won't necessarily be the right strategy for your property.

That's the point.

Before telling someone to renovate, make repairs, or pick a listing price, I want to see the house.

We'll look at what buyers are likely to care about, what I think is worth fixing, what I wouldn't spend money on, how the house compares with recent Hebron sales, and how I would position it in the current market.

Then we build the strategy around your property and your goals.

Call or text Jason Boice at 860-452-3153 for a no-pressure consultation.

ABOUT JASON BOICE

Jason Boice, REALTOR® | eXp Realty

Jason Boice helps homeowners buy and sell throughout Hebron, Andover, Marlborough, Colchester, Columbia, Glastonbury, East Hampton, Bolton, Lebanon, Coventry, Manchester, South Windsor, and surrounding Connecticut communities.

His listing strategy focuses on preparation, pricing, professional marketing, offer analysis, negotiation, and helping sellers make decisions based on their overall outcome—not simply the biggest number written on an offer.

860-452-3153