Home Selling Tips

First impressions count…

• Curb Appeal: Bring it to the best appearance possible.
• Driveway: Fix needed repairs, wash it or clean it.
• Roof: How is the condition? It needs to be free of leaks and visible damage or repairs.
• Mailbox: Make it attractive.
• Front Door: Must be in the best shape possible.
• Windows: Clean and crack free? They should be.
• Exterior Paint: How is the condition? It should look pristine.
• Garage Door: How is the condition? It should operate properly and be free of damage.
• Front, Side & Back Yards: Must be in the best shape.
• Your Cars: If not in good shape, remove them from driveway for showings.
• Front Entry: Clean & free of clutter.
• Closets & Rooms: Remove as much clothing and furniture as possible.
• Carpet: Must be clean.
• Door Leading to Garage: Have door unlocked and garage clean.
• Interior Paint: Must be in the best shape possible.
• Light Bulbs: Make sure all work and are as bright as allowable.
• Furnace & Air Conditioner: Clean them up and insure they are working well.
• Kitchen: Clean and bright at all times.
• Baths & Bedrooms & Pool: Clean and bright at all times.
• Home Smell: Must be fresh. If you smoke, use air freshener.
• Home Clutter: Eliminate it.

The list price is how much a house is advertised for and is usually only an estimate of what a seller would like to get for the property. The sales price is the amount a property actually sells for. It may be the same as the listing price, or higher or lower, depending on how accurately the property was originally priced and on market conditions. If you are a seller, you may need to adjust the listing price if there have been no offers within the first few months of the property's listing period.

Price and condition are the two most important factors in selling a home, even in a down market. The first step is to price your home correctly. Use comparative sales information from your agent, or pay for a professional appraiser (usually $350 to $500); to objectively evaluate your home's worth. Second, go through the house and repair any obvious cosmetic defects that could deter a buyer. In a down market, you may have to consider lowering your price and/or making a major repair, such as replacing the roof, in order to lure a buyer. Also, make sure that your home is getting the exposure it deserves through open houses, broker open houses, advertising, good signage and a listing on the local multiple listing service or online listings provider. If this isn't happening, take it up with your agent or agent's broker. If you are still not satisfied you are getting the service you need, you may have to switch agents.

It's very important to price your home according to current market conditions. Because the real estate market is continually changing, and market fluctuations have an effect on property values, it's imperative to select your list price based on the most recent comparable sales in your neighborhood. A so-called Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) provides the background data upon which to base your list-price decision. When you prepare to sell and are interviewing agents, study each agent's comparable sales report. If all agents agree on a price range for your home, go with the consensus. Watch out for an agent whose opinion of value is considerably higher than the others. Sometimes they may just be telling you what you want to hear and not really doing the research.

The appraised value of a house is a certified appraiser's opinion of the worth of a home at a given point in time. Lenders require appraisals as part of the loan application process; fees range from $350 to $500. Market value is what price the house will bring at a given point in time. A comparative market analysis is an informal estimate of market value, based on sales of comparable properties, performed by a real estate agent or broker. Either an appraisal or a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is the most accurate way to determine what your home is worth.

Even in a down market, real estate experts say that price and condition are the two most important factors in selling a home. If you are selling in a slow market, your first step would be to lower your price. Also, go through the house and see if there are cosmetic defects that you missed and can be repaired. Secondly, you need to make sure that the home is getting the exposure it deserves through open houses, broker open houses, advertising, good signage, and listings on the local multiple listing service (MLS) and on the Internet. Another option is to pull your house off the market and wait for the market to improve. Finally, if you who have no equity in the house, and are forced to sell because of a divorce or financial considerations, you could discuss a short sale or a deed-in-lieu-of- foreclosure with your lender. A short sale is when the seller finds a buyer for a price that is below the mortgage amount and negotiates the difference with the lender. In a deed-in-lieu-of-foreclosure situation, the lender agrees to take the house back without instituting foreclosure proceedings. The latter are radical options. Your simplest, and in many cases most effective, option is to lower the price.

• Have sufficient knowledge of the market to help establish the right initial pricing that will achieve my closing requirements in terms of both a timely sale and money.
• Provide me with a tangible marketing plan.
• Provide me advice on prepping my home for showing and sale.
• Provide screening of buyers for security and to minimize inconvenience to me by eliminating showings to unqualified buyers.
• Take my wants and needs into consideration when scheduling showings.
• Inspire and earn my confidence and trust.
• Provide my property broad market exposure, including but not limited to MLS, newspapers, Internet, open houses and other advertising.
• Sell my property in a timely manner.
• Sell my property at the best possible price and terms for me.
• Keep me informed with written marketing progress reports delivered to me in a timely manner.
• Keep all promises made to me.
• Keep me informed in a timely manner as to the transaction process once I have accepted an offer.
• Provide guidance in selecting and coordinating other professionals involved in the process.
• Accomplish a closing on or before the Closing Date set forth in the purchase agreement.
• Be present at closing.
• Shepherd the process through to closing in a timely manner with the fewest number of "last-minute" surprises. In general, simplify the process for me.
• Be available after closing to handle or field any Buyer questions or problems that arise.
• Provide assistance in finding a new home or qualified agent in another market.
• Provide real value for the fees earned.
• Treat everyone I recommend to you like family.