Sellers Resources

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  When preparing your home for the market keep in mind that a first impression is very important. It is good to keep things tidy and neat when your property is going to be available for show. Make sure things are put in the proper place and eliminate clutter. Below are some other things you may want to check off as you prepare for the market.

• PAINTING - Inspect interior walls, trim, and exterior including gutters, trim, windows etc. Touch up or put a fresh coat on to ensure that your home creates a good impression.

• CURB APPEAL - Check out your homes curb appeal. Make sure grass is cut and shrubs are trimmed. Pick up trash, and debris including limbs. Keep flower beds weeded. Store all lawn equipment and toys in garage or out of sight.
• FENCE - Repair loose boards or replace sections if needed. Having a fenced yard is a nice feature if it’s in good shape but can be a turn off if it is more of an eyesore.

• GARAGE - Make sure garage door is operating properly. Keep items in garage neat and organized. This will make the garage appear more spacious and show buyers that you take care of your things. 

• DRIVEWAY, PORCHES, AND PATIOS - Clean grease spots, and check for cracked places. Patch or seal where needed. Park vehicles behind home when home is being shown to free up driveway. 

• HVAC, APPLIANCES, FIREPLACE - Make sure all items are in working condition. Have items serviced and cleaned if needed. Appliances should be clean and refrigerator neat.

•  ROOF AND GUTTERS - Check for loose shingles, leaks and repair where needed. Make sure gutters are cleaned and draining correctly.

•  WALLS , WINDOWS AND DOORS - Inspect wallpapered walls to make sure it is not pealing. Make sure all doors are clean and hardware is clean. Also be sure to clean windows, drapes, blinds and screens. Check windows to be sure they open , shut and lock easily.

• CARPETS AND FLOOR COVERINGS - Have carpets steam cleaned and repair any damaged tile.

• ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING - Be sure switches and outlets are working. Label Fuse box or Breaker Box. Repair in leaks in plumbing and tighten toilets and faucets if needed. 

• KITCHEN - Keep the kitchen as neat and clean as possible when showing. This is one of the most used rooms in the house. Check drawers and cabinets for loose knobs and sticky drawers. Organize cabinets and clean exhaust fan and hood. 

• BATHROOMS - Bathrooms are the other most used rooms. They must be kept clean. Drains must be clear of clogs and stains removed. Keep laundry picked up and organize cabinets. Clean the mirrors, tile, curtains, etc. 

• POOLS, SPAS, and SPRINKLER SYSTEMS - Pools and spas should be sparkling clean. Chemicals need to be stored. Sprinkles need to be checked for loose heads and make sure they have complete coverage of the lawn.

• ENTRANCES - Check doorbells and make sure entrances are clear and clean.

Experience– A Realtor can offer you years of experience. This is what they do everyday is assist clients, family and friends in buying and selling real estate. After all it is the job of a Realtor. So why go at it alone and have to worry with trying to find qualified buyers, advertising and setting up appointments to have strangers come in your home. 

Let one of our agents do that for you. Not only can they offer you the truth about how your home may compete on the market but they can also work with buyers or their agents in making sure that only qualified and ready buyers view your home. So no more "lookers" wasting your time and all buyers are accompanied by an agent during the showing. 

Advertising – A good agent will not only hang a sign in your yard but will also publicize your home in various advertising methods. Most people don't look at newspapers anymore but there are still some that do so using old and new methods of advertising can be beneficial. Creating ads and paying for advertising may not be the best use of your time and money. Let one of our agents assist with the marketing of your home.  They have written and designed countless ads and know how to point out the great characteristics of your property  to grab the attention of those buyers on the hunt for their dream home. 

Ethics–  A Realtor adheres to a strict code of ethics. Not every real estate agent is a Realtor. Realtors are held to a higher standard and must follow the guidelines and rules set by the National Association of Realtors. Realtors are always looking out for the best interest of their clients. A Realtor has an obligation to be honest and truthful and will never try to steer you in a direction for personal benefit. They will provide you with facts verses personal opinion, options instead of limitations and will preserve confidential information provided by their clients in accordance to state law.  

Negotiations –  It helps to have someone to negotiate on your behalf. There may be multiple buyers interested in your home and things can get very competitive.  It helps to have someone on your side looking after you best interest to ensure that you are getting the most for your home. Negotiations are not only about price. There are inspection times, repairs, contingencies and closing cost that can be determined during negotiations and all of these things can make or break a deal.

Connections -  Having someone in your corner that is familiar with the neighborhood and area is always beneficial. Being connected to others in the community can help save time when you are shopping for contractors to do repairs or inspectors, surveyors, or even an attorney to close the deal.  This doesn't mean that your agent will choose everyone for you. We will provide you with options so that you have a choice and are not bullied into making a decision you may regret later. Having a Realtor that's connected can connected to those in your community can also help in the advertising of your property by word of mouth. 

So you see, having one of our agents list your home goes much further then the sign in your front lawn. It is building a relationship with someone that is looking after your interest, working for you and will always be honest and truthful about the sell of your property. 

I guess the question is "Why not use a Realtor"?

Pricing your property to sell can be difficult. When you decide to sell you want to sell as quickly as possible. At the same time you want to get as much cash equity as you can from the sale. It’s difficult as an owner to price the home because you have an emotional attachment to your property. And no one can put a price on what the home is worth to you. When pricing you have to be able to set aside the emotions, the memories and look at the sell as a business opportunity. You bought your property at a base price and you added some items to make the home more comforting to your lifestyle. Along the way you have invested money in replacing and repairing items that needed to be done to maintain the home. Once you add in all these costs and include appreciation for each year you figure “that’s what I will ask for my price”.

The reality is pricing your property with this equation will probably inflate the value. Because of market changes over the years and how often it fluctuates it is almost impossible to price your property this way. And most of time it sits with a For Sale sign in the yard and folks call to find out the price and never call back. 

To prevent your home from having a lot of lookers and no serious buyers consider having an agent list the property. With their expertise in the area and with the market they will be able to check out the homes on the market and the ones in your area that have recently sold. This gives you a good estimate of what market value is for your property. You can also have an appraisal completed. 

It is best to take the emotion out of the pricing and use logical thinking. You will not be able to recover all the blood, sweat and tears you have put into the home. Those are what created your memories and those will stay with you forever. Emotion is not part of the pricing, appreciation is not always what you thought it should be, and the market is always changing so price accordingly to compete with others.

Logical thinking can help get your home sold. If you’re looking to sell fast asking a bit less may be a good idea. If you are in no hurry to move then it is okay to ask the higher price and wait on the right buyer. The downside is sometimes you wait to long and the right buyer has walked and bought a cheaper home in the same neighborhood.