Home Seller Reports

Staged homes sell faster and for more money. Here are 9 tips you should know about staging your home.

1. Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house.

2. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, magnets, pictures, etc.

3. Remove any unnecessary items from the countertops, tub, shower stall and

commode top.

4.Take down, reduce, or rearrange pictures and objects on walls. Patch and paint all walls, if necessary.

5.If you need room to store extra possessions use the garage or rent a storage unit.

6.Turn on ALL lights and lamps.

7.De-Personalize by packing up personal photographs and family heirlooms and knickknacks. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there.

8.Rearrange closets in order to make them appear larger.

9.Don’t forget the exterior of the house, mow the lawn, keep sidewalks cleared, trim bushes, and plant flowers. 

Not all real estate agents are the same. If you decide to seek the help of an agent when selling or buying your home, you need some good information before you make any moves. Here are 5 questions to ask before you hire an agent.

1. What makes you different? Why should I list my home with you?

It’s a much tougher real estate market than it was a decade ago. What unique marketing plans and programs does this agent have in place to make sure that your home stands out favorably versus other competing homes? What things does this agent offer you that others don’t to help you sell your home in the least amount of time with the least amount of hassle and for the most amount of money?

2. What is the company’s track record and reputation in the market place?

It may seem like everywhere you look, real estate agents are boasting about being #1 for this or that, or quoting you the number of home they’ve sold. If you’re like many homeowners, you’ve probably become immune to much of this information. After all, you ask, “Why should I care about how many homes one agent sold over another. The only thing I care about is whether they can sell my home quickly for the most amount of money.” Well, because you want your home sold fast and for top dollar, you should be asking the agents you interview how many homes they have sold. I’m sure you will agree that success in real estate is selling homes. If one agent is selling a lot of homes where another is selling only a handful, ask yourself why this might be? What things are these two agents doing differently?

You may be surprised to know that many agents sell fewer than 10 homes a year. This volume makes it difficult for them to do full impact marketing on your home because they can’t raise the money it takes to afford the advertising and special programs to give your home a high profile. Also, at this low level, they probably can’t afford to hire an assistant, which means that they’re running around trying to do all the components of the job themselves, which means service may suffer.

3. What are your marketing plans for my home?

How much money does this agent spend in advertising the homes s/he lists versus the other agents you are interviewing? In what media (newspapers, magazine, etc.) does this agent advertise? What does s/he know about the effectiveness of one medium over the other?

4. What has your company sold in my area?

Agents should bring you a complete listing of both their own and other comparable sales in your area.

5. Does your Broker control your advertising or do you?

If your agent is not in control of their own advertising, then your home will be competing for advertising space not only with this agent’s other listings, but also with the listings of every other agent in the brokerage.

4 ways to assure a quick sale of your home 

1. Don’t reveal why you’re selling, but know why they’re buying.

Some people sell because they want to move into a larger house, some because they’ve been transferred, and a whole host of other reasons. While some people just want to sell their house quickly, and are not as concerned with how much money they make off of the sale, others absolutely have to depend on a set selling price in order to make the move to their next home. Whatever your reason is, it can affect how a buyer will write an offer, so try to keep from explaining your motives for selling. At the same time, though, try to gauge why the buyer is

purchasing. It helps keep you in control of the process, which can often prevent problems such as financing falling through or cold feet.

2. Do some research.

Look at other houses in your neighborhood. Are they selling? Have they been on the market for a long time? While you may have an ideal selling price in your head, it is very important to look at what the market is like in your area. You don’t want to price it too low and lose money, but you

don’t want to overprice and lose potential buyers. Your agent can do a market analysis that breaks down a number of factors to determine the best asking price for your home. Don’t be afraid to speak up about your thoughts, such as any improvements or renovations, customizations, special features, or community amenities that you feel should be reflected in the asking price.

3. Find the right agent.

One size does not fit all when it comes to finding a realtor. While personality is definitely something to look at, as you want to get along with your agent and feel comfortable telling them what you agree – and disagree – with, you need to think about your agent’s experience in your particular area, as well as his or her marketing strategies.

4.Little things make a big impact.

Your home’s appearance will play a crucial part in your ability to sell it. Anything from major repairs to sweeping the floor is important. It is necessary to consider how a buyer would feel walking into your house, and act accordingly. The first, and most obvious, step, is to clean up. Dust, remove clutter, empty hampers, and generally straighten up everything. A buyer will not hesitate to open your closet doors, so make sure they look good. While you may see your home’s

potential and know all of the great things about it, most buyers don’t have the “vision” of looking beyond décor to see what the home is really like. By keeping it clean and simplifying the amount of “stuff” that is visible, you increase the likelihood of a buyer liking it.

Mistakes to Avoid When Trading Up to a Larger Home

Unlike the experience of buying a first home, when you’re looking to move-up, and already own a home, there are certain factors that can complicate the situation. It’s very important for you to consider these issues before you list your home for sale.

Not only is there the issue of financing to consider, but you also have to sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid either the financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, the dilemma of having no place to live during the gap between closings. In this report, we outline the six most common mistakes homeowners make when moving to a larger home. Knowledge of these six mistakes, and the strategies to overcome them, will help you

make informed choices before you put your existing home on the market.

1. Rose-coloured glasses

Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving to a larger home. The problem is that there’s sometimes a discrepancy between our hearts and our

bank accounts. You drive by a home that you fall in love with only to find that it’s already sold or that it’s more than what you are willing to pay. Most homeowners get caught in this hit or miss strategy of househunting when there’s a much easier way of going about the process. For example, find out if your agent offers a Buyer Profile System or “Househunting Service,” which takes the guesswork away and helps to put you in the home of your dreams. This type

of program will crossmatch your criteria with ALL available homes on the market and supply you with printed information on an on-going basis. A program like this helps homeowners take off their rose-coloured glasses and, affordably, move into the home of their dreams.

2. Failing to make necessary improvements

 If you want to get the best price for the home you’re selling, there will certainly be things you can do to enhance it in a prospective buyer’s eyes. These fix-ups don’t necessarily have to be expensive. But even if you do have to make

a minor investment, it will often come back to you ten-fold in the price you are able to get when you sell. It’s very important that these improvements be made before you put your home on the market. If cash is tight, investigate an equity loan that you can repay on closing.

3. Not selling first

You should plan to sell before you buy. This way you will not find yourself at

a disadvantage at the negotiating table, feeling pressured to accept an offer that is below market value because you have to meet a purchase deadline. If you’ve already sold your home, you can buy your next one with no strings attached. If you do get a tempting offer on your home but haven’t made significant headway on finding your next home, you might want to put a contingency clause in the sale contract which gives you a reasonable time to find a home to buy. If the market is slow and you find your home is not selling as quickly as you anticipated, another option could be renting your home and putting it up on the market later –

particularly if you are selling a smaller, starter home. You’ll have to investigate the tax rules if you choose this latter option. Better still, find a way to eliminate this situation altogether by getting your agent to guarantee the sale of your present home (see point number 5 below).

4. Failing to get a pre-approved mortgage

 Pre-approval is a very simple process that many homeowners fail to take advantage of. While it doesn’t cost or obligate you to anything, preapproval

gives you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to

purchase because you know exactly how much house you can afford, and you already have the green light from your lending institution. With a pre-approved mortgage, your offer will be viewed far more favorably by a seller – sometimes even if it’s a little lower than another offer that’s contingent on financing. Don’t fail to take this important step.

5. Getting caught in the “Real Estate Catch 22”

 Your biggest dilemma when buying and selling

is deciding which to do first. Point number 3 above advises you to sell first. However there are ways to eliminate this dilemma altogether. Some agents offer a Guaranteed Sale “Trade Up” Program that actually takes the program away from you entirely by guaranteeing the sale of your present home before you take possession of your next one. If you find a home you wish to purchase and have not sold your current home yet, they will buy your home from you themselves so you can make your move free of stress and worry.

6. Failing to coordinate closings

 With two major transactions to coordinate together with all the

people involved such as mortgage experts, appraisers, lawyers, loan officers, title company representatives, home inspectors or pest inspectors the chances of mix-ups and miscommunication go up dramatically. To avoid a logistical nightmare ensure you work closely with your agent.