WOW Is All We Can Say!
WHEN YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR HOUSE IN THE WORST WAY............
SELL IT YOURSELF - THAT'S THE WORST WAY.
You might get lucky and save a buck or two. Alot of folks have tried to sell their own houses and succeeded. Alot more have just tried.
Selling your own property can be costly, time-consuming, even risky affair. And unless you're just naturally lucky, you need the help of a professional - a Realtor. We can save you a lot of time and headaches.
***********************************
Knowledge can be the key to a speedier home sale. Learn all you can about selling from Comparable Market Anaylsis to negotiations....as well as how a Century 21 real estate professional can help you market your home for the quickest sale with the best price possible.
STEP 1: Creating a Marketing Plan
Create a marketing plan for your home that will help distinguish it in your local marketplace and attract buyers to your property. This may include advertising in the newspaper, posting your listing on the Internet, holding an open house and more.
STEP 2: Setting the Price
A key part of the marketing plan is setting the list price. If a home is priced too low, it may cost you money. If a home is priced too high, potential buyers may be scared away. To determine the best asking price, we review the cost of recently sold homes, evaluate the competition and study marketplace trends. Our Sales Associates are trained to use this information to help you reach the right asking price. It is also helpful to discuss other terms and conditions, such as timing and items that can be included with the sale of the home. Both of these can make your home more attractive to potential buyers.
STEP 3: Showtime
Now it's time to get your home ready for the spotlight. Start with a good cleaning, then eliminate any clutter, add a fresh coat of paint and tidy up the yard. Talk to your real estate professional about other tips that can help boost a home's curb appeal and impress potential buyers once they're in the door.
In addition, make sure you are aware of all the federal, state, and local disclosure laws. Your real estate professional will supply all of this information to you.
STEP 4: Making the Deal
A buyer has made an offer - now it is time to negotiate. Rely on your real estate professional to guide you through this process. He or she will help you arrive at an acceptable price, terms and conditions.
Once you have accepted an offer, help keep the deal together by meeting deadlines and criteria, including home inspections, appropriate buyer visits, scheduled deposits and other steps. In fact, during this period there may be a renegotiation of the accepted offer price depending on the outcomes of these visits.
TIP: Your real estate agent is there to look out for your interests and we have all the legally approved contracts and addedums but we are not lawyers. It is always a good idea to obtain an attorney as soon as an agreed upon offer has been made.
As the closing nears, you may also need to perform repairs or do additional work to the house as agreed upon in your contract. In addition, you will need to have the house "broom clean" prior to the closing so that the buyer can complete a final walk through.
When you finally arrive at the closing table, come prepared with the appropriate certificates and approvals as required by your town, county and state. Get a list of what you need from you real estate agent.
Once the money has exchanged hands and all the papers signed, it's time to hand over the keys and concentrate on your next big project - getting your new home in order.
***********************************
WHAT ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS WHEN SELLING A HOME?
Price and condition are the two most important factors in selling ahome, 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, to objectively evaluate your home's worth.
An appraisal is a professional estimate of a property's market value, based on recent sales of comparable properties, location, square footage and construction quality. This service varies in cost depending on the price of the home. On average, an appraisal costs about $250-350.
A comparative market analysis is an informal estimate of market value performed by a real estate agent based on similar sales and property attributes. This analysis is generally free of charge.
Next, 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.
***********************************
HOW DO YOU PREPARE A HOUSE TO SELL?
Doing whatever you can to put your house's best face forward is very important if you want to get close to your asking price or sell as quickly as possible. Short of spending a lot of money, here are several ideas for making your home show better.
- Sweep the sidewalk, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and clean debris from the yard.
- Clean the windows (both inside and out) and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking.
- Be sure that the doorbell works.
- Clean and spruce up all rooms, furnishings, floors, walls and ceilings. It's especially important that the bathroom and kitchen are spotless.
- Organize closets.
- Make sure the basic appliances and fixtures work. Get rid of leaky faucets and freyed cords.
- Make sure the house smells good: from an apple pie, cookies baking or spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. Hide the kitty litter.
- Put vases of fresh flowers throughout the house.
- Having pleasant background music playing in the background also will help set your stage.
You want to sell your home for the best price. Start by making list of needed projects, to maximize the potential of your home. Use this list to determine what to do before listing your home for sale:
1. ENLIST A REAL ESTATE AGENT
An agent experienced with the market in your neighborhood is the most qualified person to determine how potential buyers will perceive your house.
2. EVALUATE YOUR CURB APPEAL
Curb appeal is critical because many prospective buyers will only drive by your home. Ideally, you want every person who stops and looks at the house from the curb to come in to see more.
Curb appeal is made up of three primary components:
- Front Entrance
- Landscaping
- The rest of the front of the house
FRONT ENTRANCE
The front door, porch and any surrounding windows and structures form the focal point for your home. A freshly painted door and polished door hardware can make it more attractive. Easy-to-read house numbers, a freshly painted mailbox and functioning porch lights are also important. The doorbell should work reliably. Sometimes a drab entrance can be dressed up with a couple of potted plants.
LANDSCAPING
Another major component of curb appeal is landscaping. This includes the lawn, plants and such structures as retaining walls, walkways, and steps. The trees and shrubs need to be well trimmed. Garden beds should be well defined and freshly mulched.
And, keep in mind that many homes have overgrown shrubs that hide the house and make it look smaller.
Also, consider powerwashing the concrete surfaces to make them appear new again.
HOME'S EXTERIOR
Look at the rest of the front of your house. Is the siding clean? Is the paint in good shape? Are the windows clean and clear of spider webs? Are the gutters clean and hung securely?
3. UPDATE THE INTERIOR
KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS
Kitchens and bathrooms can present problems. The question is whether renovating a kitchen or bath (or adding a bath) will ultimately pay for itself. If a kitchen is not updated, but is on par with the other houses on the market, no major changes need to be made.
Often a fresh coat of paint, a new countertop and a new floor are sufficient to bring a kitchen up to speed without great expense. The same is generally true of bathrooms.
REDUCE CLUTTER
The next major issue to consider when getting your house ready for sale is often the least expensive and the most troublesome: getting rid of clutter. This is where the advice of an honest outsider, or better yet, a professional organizer, is important. If you are unable to take on the clutter problem immediately, the best thing to do is to put things into storage until you're ready to sort through them or move.
WALLS, FLOORS, AND COUNTERTOPS
Regardless of the surface, if you are going to refurbish it, choose neutral colors. With paint, that nearly always means off-white. With floors, stick to lighter colors. In most cases, if you haven't done much painting recently, it makes sense to repaint the entire interior.
If carpets are in good shape, a professional cleaning will usually suffice. If they are old or stained, you are better off either replacing them, or removing them and refinishing the floor underneath.
In the bathroom and kitchen, replacing an older vinyl floor can easily brighten things up. Use quality materials and avoid patterns and colors that are busy. Also note any tile or caulking problems.
FIXTURES AND OUTLETS
To check electrical fixtures, go through each room and try each electrical outlet by plugging in a portable lamp. Test every light switch, replacing bulbs when necessary. Test the faucets in the kitchen and baths. Note any that are leaking or otherwise in need of servicing.
4. PRIORITIZE YOUR LIST OF HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
You have now identified everything that you will need to do to prepare your home for sale. Look at your overall list and decide on the things you want to handle yourself. Nearly all do-it-yourself projects take longer than you think, so be realistic about what you can accomplish on your own.
Determine the projects you are unable to do yourself. Group the projects by category. Many times service professionals prefer to receive larger projects, and you will save money by having everything repaired and updated simultaneously.
5. REMEMBER TO USE PATIENCE
Complete your list of repairs before listing your home on the market. Your house will be more desirable to potential buyers and command a higher selling price. Avoid putting yourself in the position of showing the house before it's ready.
***********************************