Is this a logical time to consider
selling your home and moving? Talk to me. Much of it concerns your personal
situation, and home. The ideal situation is to define what you need. This
includes space, type of house, school district, proximity to your work, and
other areas of interest. We can then determine how your existing home meets
that criteria compared to a different location.
In today's market housing still sells
based on staging, pricing, and marketing. This can be an excellent time to
move. In previous markets it was not unusual in high demand areas to put your
house on the market for $30,000 over the market, and quickly sell it for
$25,000 over market. At that time it was also common to purchase the
replacement for $40,000 higher than the market. Today inventory is extremely
high in many areas, indicating a buyer's market. This means that in many
cases there are some good values available. Due to the length of time some
houses have been on the market, sellers might be very flexible and motivated.
New home builders are offering buybacks on the financing, plus huge
discounts. This all means that the net difference between what you sell and
purchase can be much better in today's market.
When you have a growing family, are
relocating , down sizing, investing, or looking for investment property give
me a call. I can create a marketing plan for your home that distinguishes it
in your local market place. I like to market to the people that are most
likely to move into your neighborhood. Internet marketing is a huge resource,
and still growing. To test my use of the internet try typing my name into one
of the search engines and sample the exposure that your property could have.
This includes virtual tours, and special web sites.
A key part of my work is helping you to
set the asking price for the property. You and I will be aware of price
differences for 3 and 4 bedroom houses, number of bathrooms, style of house,
typical days on market, and comparisons between list and sale price in your
neighborhood. We look at these numbers for the past 3, 6, and twelve months
to try and spot the trend. I take into account where your house is
positioned in the local inventory. Is it a prior display home? Is it the
smallest, largest, best location, most amenities, or maintenance free?
Staging always starts with cleaning,
and polishing. Remove all clutter. Clutter includes excess furniture,
collections of anything more than 3 items on a flat surface, definitely
anything you will not be moving with you. You can have boxes in one corner of
the basement or in the center of the garage. Garage sales, charitable
donations, giving to family, and renting self storage will come into play. I
can help you make decisions. At this point you will be able to see the walls
and determine requirements for painting, and removing old wall paper.
The same approach is used out doors.
Power wash, caulk, repair screens, remove dead or overgrown bushes, fix
drains, replace rail road ties, and talk to me about the concrete that needs
to be replaced. Have me tour your home and I can point out safety problems:
windows, doors, loose steps, and thresholds. In general pets have a negative
impact as a buyer tours the house. Many people are highly allergic to a
pet's
odor, hair, and dander. If a pet lover tours the house, they remember the pet
not the house. One way to add value and make the property ready to move
into, is the purchase of a Home Protection Plan. This insurance protects you,
the seller, from paying repair or replacement costs of major items during the
listing period. It also protects the buyer during their first year of
homeownership. We will also prepare all the disclosures that protect you as
the seller and inform the buyer of what he needs to know.
In some cases, a home sale can also be
an invitation for danger. Lock up and store collectibles, and valuables.
Medicine cabinets are an invitation to the unscrupulous. Guns and weapons
should be locked and stored. We need to keep children out of situations where
they would be opening the door to strangers.
When you and I list your home the only
ones you let in are Realtor and client. The buyer's Realtor should introduce
themselves and be prepared to offer identification. They should also register
on the sign in sheet.
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. As the closing nears, you may also need to perform repairs or
do additional work to the house as agreed upon in your contract. I will
provide you with moving check list, and moving tips. 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.
