Seller's Information

 

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Reach Your Goal

Realtors® help home sellers reach their goal, if you're selling a home you probably know that working with a REALTOR® is an indispensable part of selling your home.  For one thing, your REALTOR® can list your property in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), providing your home with incomparable exposure and ensuring you have as many REALTORS® as possible helping to find a buyer.  But that's not all a REALTOR® does to market your home.  He or she knows how to specifically target advertising to reach buyers for your home, and uses all the marketing tools available to ensure that your home is sold expediently.  Additionally, a REALTOR® conducts a variety of other marketing efforts on your behalf, from holding open houses and handling phone inquiries to showing your home to the prospective buyers.

What does a REALTOR® do for you besides find buyers?  Plenty.  A REALTOR® provides information on local market conditions to help you price your property realistically and fairly, and keeps you abreast of changes in the market which may affect your property.  And lets face it:  buying or selling a home means paperwork, lots of it.  When it comes to closing, a REALTOR® can be invaluable, leading you through the paper trail with a steady hand, and familiarizing you with escrow, insurance, property disclosures and inspection procedures, to name a few.

It's important to find a professional who is a REALTOR®.  Why?  A REALTOR® is someone who, as a member of the local, state, and national trade associations, adheres to a strict code of ethics.

So where do you find a REALTOR®?  Like finding any good professional, the best way to locate a REALTOR® is through recommendations from friends or those who have bought or sold homes recently.  So call You're Special Realty and let us help you with your Real Estate transaction.

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Beware! Is your selling price too high?

Are you on the verge of putting your home on the market?  I simply offer my advice to you as something that you can tuck into your memory.  When you are preparing to sell, my tips may just stick in your mind and help you out a little!

This is an extremely common mistake that people make; because they adore and value their homes so much, they often overprice.  It is natural to do this.  People tend to want to hold out for a higher price rather than go with the realistic suggested price determined by the use of comparable properties on the market.

Perhaps one misconception that allows this mistake to occur is the belief that maybe the high price will just "slip past" the buyer.  Maybe the buyer will love the home so much that he is willing to pay too much for it.  Which ever the case, if you start out with too high a price on your home, you may have just added to your stress level, and selling a home is stressful enough.

The overpriced home sits on the market and times goes by, the seller usually relents and lowers the price a little.  When you drop your price, your house is "old news."  You will never be able to recapture that flurry of initial activity you would have had with a realistic price.  Your house could take longer to sell.  Then you reduce the price more.  People wonder why the home isn't selling, people begin to wonder "what's wrong" with the home.  The seller gets desperate, and lowers the price even more.  By now he is below the sum that he would have netted had he priced the home wisely in the first place.

It is an ugly spiral.  So remember to heed the word of the market, and not to price too high.  If you would like a demonstration of how to determine the value of your home, please give You're Special Realty a call, and we would be happy to show you, free of charge.

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Preparing Your Home

  1. First Impressions are lasting.  The front door greets the prospects, so make a good first impression.  Make sure it is fresh, clean and scrubbed looking.  Keep lawn trimmed and edged and free from refuse and leaves.  Be sure snow and ice are removed from the sidewalk.  Entering through the front door gives your property a more pleasant, open feeling.

  2. Decorate for a faster sale.  Faded walls and worn woodwork reduce the appeal.  Why try to tell a prospect how your house could look when you can show him by redecorating.  Neutral colors fit with any buyer's color scheme.

  3. Let the sunshine in.  Open draperies and curtains and let the prospect see how cheerful your home can be.  Cracked windows and torn screens should be replaced.

  4. Fix that faucet.  Dripping water discolors sinks and suggests faulty plumbing.

  5. Repairs can make a big difference.  Loose doorknobs, sticking doors and windows, warped cabinet drawers and other minor flaws detract from home value.  Have them fixed.  When prospects see things that need attention, they begin to worry about things they can't see.

  6. Show from top to bottom.  Display the full value of your attic, basement and other utility space by removing all unnecessary articles.  Brighten dark, dull basements by painting walls.

  7. Safety first.  Keep stairways clear.  Avoid cluttered appearances and possible injuries.

  8. Make closets look bigger.  Neat well-ordered closets show that the space is ample.

  9. Bathrooms help sell homes.  Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers.

  10. Arrange bedrooms neatly.  Remove excess furniture and use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains.

  11. Can you see the light?  Illumination is like a welcome sign.  The potential buyer will feel glowing warmth when you turn on all your lights for an evening inspection.

  12. Three's a crowd.  If at all possible, try to be away from home during the showing.  It is better avoiding having too many people present during inspections.  The potential buyer will feel like an intruder and will hurry through the house.

  13. Pets underfoot?  Keep them out of the way-preferably out of the house.

  14. Music is mellow.  But now when showing a house.  Turn off the blaring radio or television or have the volume very low.  Let the salesperson and the buyer talk, free of disturbances.

If you are at home:

  1. Silence is golden.  Be courteous but don't force conversation with the potential buyer.  He wants to inspect your house-not pay a social call.

  2. Be it ever so humble.  Never apologize for the appearance of your home.  After all, it has been lived in.  Let our trained salesperson answer any objections-this is our job.

  3. Stay in the background.  The salesperson knows the buyer's requirements and can better emphasize the features of your home when you don't tag along.  You will be called if needed.

  4. Why put the cart before the horse?  Trying to dispose of furniture and furnishings to the potential buyer before he has purchased the house could lose a sale.

  5. A word to the wise.  Let You're Special Realty discuss price, terms, possession and other factors with the customer.  We are qualified to bring negotiations to a favorable conclusion.

  6. REALTORS® sell better.  We show your home to prospective customers only by appointment through our office.  Your cooperation will be appreciated and will help close the sale more quickly.

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Offering Incentives

Some sellers list their home at a price that they want, as they hate to negotiate and play the game.  Other sellers add on to the market value price, hoping to get a higher price.

If you have not had many prospects viewing your home after four weeks, we suggest you lower your price.  If this does not work after another month, keep lowering the price until you find a buyer, or you can offer incentives.

Some incentives could be as follows:

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Figuring Your Net Proceeds

When you decide to list your property or when you have an offer, You're Special Realty will help you in ESTIMATING what your final closing cost will be, so you have an idea what your net proceeds will be.

If you wish, you can estimate your net proceeds.

From the estimated sale price, you will need to subtract the cost of the following items:

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