Sellers Tips
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When selling your home there are no guarantees that a buyer will simply walk through the front door. In many cases you may have to bring your home to the buyer. Effective marketing will help in sure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer. The appearance of your home, a buyer's first impressions, and other considerations can also affect the sale of your home. Be sure to explore tips for increasing your home's value. Have you considered that home prices in your neighborhood and the value of your property are also factors used for pricing your home? |
More Help
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Whether you have moved once or a dozen times, it never seems to get any easier. Here are some hints that we hope you will find helpful as you prepare for moving day.
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Make agreements with buyers about possession of the home and moving date. Having sellers and buyers meet on the front walk – each with a house full of furniture – is not a happy situation.
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Start planning early. Once you are confident that you will be proceeding with the sale, start weeding out your current possessions. Toss (or give away, sell at a yard sale, or on-line) things that you don't want to move.
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Make a list on any important items you will need to buy for your new house. Examples: draperies, blinds, shower curtains, etc. Having these things with you on the day you move in prevents unnecessary surprises.
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Start packing early. Anything that you are sure you will not be using before moving day should get boxed.
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Mark every box and carton. Again, it makes it much easier if you need an item before you move, and makes it much simpler after you move. Unpacking will probably be somewhat of a gradual process--this way you know where the most necessary items are located.
1. You Can Do It.
Some 5.17 million existing homes were sold in 2009, more than 14,000 a day. Other owners have done it and so can you.
2. Define Your Goal.
Do you want the highest sales price -- or the biggest check at closing? They're not necessarily the same. Imagine that two homes sell for $300,000, but one owner pays 2 points and agrees to replace the roof. The owner who sold without such costs got a bigger check at settlement. The bottom line: To have a successful sale you need to look at both price and terms -- you must have a strong negotiator in your corner.
3. Times Have Changed.
Today's real estate marketplace is radically different when compared with 10 years ago. Purchasers now use the Internet, receive seller disclosure forms, get home inspections, and are routinely represented by buyer brokers. The result is that buyers can be better prepared than in the past.
4. Sparkle And Shine.
Imagine going to a supermarket and seeing dusty fruit or aisles filled with old shelving and cans. It doesn't happen because the grocery store knows how to present its goods. Sellers must do the same. Get rid of things you don't want to move, organize closets and storage areas, and clean everywhere.
5. Mechanics Count.
Buyers expect everything to work. Home inspections are now entirely common and what buyers miss home inspectors will catch. Fix and paint things now and they won't be an issue in the future.
6. Set the stage.
When buyers see your home, it's showtime. They want an environment where they can see themselves. De-clutter and hide knick knacks that will distract them from their dreams. Given them a show where everything is painted, arranged, and attractive, a home where the only issue is when to move in.
7. Know the market.
Real estate is local. Your broker can explain current market trends in your community, including what's selling, what isn't selling, and why. This information is central to getting the optimal price and terms.
8. Know the competition.
Your property will be competing with other homes for buyer attention. Ask your broker how to be competitive -- and how to have an edge.
9. Be realistic.
Markets differ by location and time. When interest rates are low and the local job base is growing, it's great to be a seller. But when times are slack and mortgage rates are rising, homes also sell. The trick is to be realistic, to get as much as market conditions will allow.
