The best choice of your home living

Archive for December 16th, 2009

1) First, do your homework. Find out the local market conditions for your neighborhood. Depending on your area, there might be better/worse times to sell. Once you’ve decided to sell, there are three different levels of service that you might want to consider:

• Sell the home yourself (FSBO)
• List your with a Discount / Flat fee broker
• Utilize a full service real estate agent/brokerage

If you are inclined to sell the home yourself, note that you will bear the responsibility for marketing your property, along with full legal disclosures, inspections, appraisals and the like. You should be very comfortable with real estate related documents, and comfortable with the legal implications resulting from the transaction.

You can also choose to use a discount or flat fee broker, who will assist you to sell your property. Depending on the broker you select, you might be healthy to get some assistance with marketing, open houses, disclosures, title/escrow, etc. Make sure that you comprehend exactly what services you are willing to pay. Make sure you comprehend what services are covered under apiece pricing plan. Find out if your listing will be posted on the website, what signage will be acquirable to you; find out if you are posting the home to the respective MLS (multiple listings service) in your area. Each broker is different, so make sure to get references from former clients.

If you want to market your property to the largest pool of doable buyers, list your property with a full-service real estate broker/firm. Now, before you pick up the phonebook or check that postcard you received in the mail, make sure to take the time to interview more than one agent/agency.

Find out if they are a REALTOR® — a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, a trade organization of almost 1 million members nationwide. Members of NAR subscribe to a stringent code of ethics to guarantee the highest level of service and integrity. You might also want to know if they have any special REALTOR® designations, such as GRI and CRS, which require that real estate professionals take additional specialized real estate training. In addition to qualifications, you should check references of the agent. Make sure to talk with former clients to see if the agent is responsive and is acquirable to keep you up-to-date with progress. You need to have direct contact with your agent, so you will need to be as comfortable as possible. The agent that handles your listing should:

• Detailed marketing plan for your house, including online and offline marketing
• Prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) of properties in your area that have sold, as well as properties currently listed
• Help you determine the ideal selling price for your house
• Advice on recommended home improvements

During the time that your home is on the market, potential buyers will make appointments to view your home, along with the planned open-houses that you or your agent might schedule. Try to evaluate the home as if you are seeing it for the first time. Buyers need to imagine themselves living in the home, so take care to present the property in its ideal light. Put yourself in the position of a potential buyer and view the property starting at the front, itemizing the most cost-effective enhancements to make.

2) Clean up as much as possible. You might want to paint walls (neutral colors are best) or spruce up wallpaper. Replace old flooring and worn carpets. Check and repair dilapidated or hideous caulking in the tubs and showers. If possible, hire a cleaning service. Display your ideal linens, towels, and shower curtains. Make up beds, and place fresh flower arrangements on the table. Make sure that there are no offensive odors in the house. Odor is the first thing buyers notice, and often a permanent turnoff.

3) Make your home their new home. Put away or pack small appliances and other items that might be sitting on countertops or tables throughout the house. You want buyers to visualize the space in apiece room, so it is ideal to remove as many smaller items as possible. Remove individualized items, photos and items to present clear shelves, book cases and walls. Move excess furniture to make rooms more spacious. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Clean and organize the closets. If you must, store boxes in an out of the way location. You might also want to rent a temporary storage unit, to grant you to de-clutter each part of the house.

4) Don’t forget the outside! The right landscaping can enhance the curb appeal of a home. Eliminate weeds, patch bare spots, fertilize and water. Take a good look at the shrubbery. Bushes that have grown to cover windows should be pruned to let sun and light into the home. Fill in bare spots with small shrubs and colorful, fast growing annuals, such as impatiens and petunias. A few well-placed flower pots by the front door can be very inviting. Today’s buyers want low maintenance. Your goal should be a beautifully maintained yard that looks simple to care for.

5) Grant your agent/representative to show your home. Buyers don’t want to offend current owners, so they might be more hesitant to think about your home if you are present for open-house events. Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a home ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more often someone can see your home, the sooner you’ll find a seller.