Tips for Sellers
Here are some useful tips when CHOOSING A REALTOR, SETTING THE LISTING PRICE OF YOU HOME, PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR THE MARKET and A MOVING CHECK LIST.
Please remember to call me if I can help. Bonnie Coulson 772-231-1234
PRICE IT 'RIGHT' FROM THE START
For a faster sale, price it right the first time! Straight out of the gate...price it within the range for current market conditions, not for what your neighbor got 3 months ago or what an appraiser or agent told you last year. Markets change, times change. This is NOW!
At market value your home will gain exposure to more prospects who can afford the price. Sellers who list at a high price are looking for that one buyer who will pay it. Sellers often do not realize that they have discouraged many potential buyers who could have afforded the home. The final sales price is probably one that will be affordable by more purchasers. This is because sellers many times accept a much lower price at a much later date since that one buyer willing to pay the higher price never comes.
When your home sells faster, you save carrying costs, mortgage payments and other ownership costs. A quicker sale creates less inconvenience for you. If you've moved before, you know the energy it takes to prepare for showings: keeping the home clean, making child care arrangements and altering your lifestyle. Proper pricing reduces these demands on you, by helping your home sell faster.
When salespeople are excited about a home and its price, they make special efforts to contact all of their potential buyers. Knowing that it is priced properly for its market, they expect it to sell soon and encourage their prospects to act quickly. Their excitement is contagious!
Ad calls and sign calls to Realtors turn into showings when price is not a deterrent. Most serious prospects are well educated about asking prices in the areas they are seeking. They will not waste their time on a home they consider overpriced.
Buyers fear they might lose out on a good home when it is priced right. They are less likely to make "low ball offers." Better pricing attracts multiple offers, too!
If a home is priced right, the excitement of the market produces higher sale prices. You net more both in terms of actual sale price and in less carrying costs.
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CHOOSING YOUR REALTOR
The most important decision you will make in the sale of your home is the Realtor you choose. The company that agent is affiliated with is important, as well, but the choice of the specific Realtor is crucial to your success. Some points to consider:
*Find someone you feel comfortable with. If you don't feel you can ask questions or go to your Realtor wih problems or issues for discussion, you have the wrong Realtor.
*Ask the Realtor to describe any extra training received and/or designations earned. A Realtor who has taken the steps to become better educated and informed is in a position to do a better job for you.
*Your Realtor should show you research to back up any recommendations. This includes information about recent sales, current listings and recent expired listings in your neighborhood.
*Choose a local Realtor. He or she will know your area better than an outsider, will be seen as a source for people looking to relocate in your neighborhood, and will get better co-operation from other agents. It is likely that any amount you might save by having a friend or relative from outside the area serve as your Realtor, will be lost in their lack of knowledge about the very specific local market. Other than too high a price, this can be the #1 reason for failure to sell your home.
*Ask for references from the Realtor. He or she should be willing to give you names of previous clients. Ask your friends and acquaintances for recommendations, but make your final choice based on your needs. Sometimes friends have someone elses interests at heart, not yours.
*Ask the Realtor to show and tell you what will be done to market your home. Consider the office and company support available to him or her as well as the initiative and professionalism shown by the individual. Ask about advertisments, websites, visual tours, office caravans, MLS tours. Remember to ask if the office has coverage 7 days a week. This is important to optimize the ability for your property to be shown on weekends. You can't imagine how frustrating it is for other Realtors who want to show your property and can't find anyone to give them showing instructions or access information.
*Sometimes what you want to hear and what you should hear are two different things. Look for a Realtor who tells you what he or she knows from experience in the market, and not what they think you want to hear. Flattery may sometimes get the listing, but it doesn't sell the home! If I list your home above real market value, we both lose time and money. I will give you my best estimate of a fair and reasonable listing price, based on recent closed sales and active competitive property list prices.
I'D LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIST YOUR PROPERTY.
PLEASE CALL ME TODAY. BONNIE COULSON 772-231-1234
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PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALEGET IT DONE!!!
Curb appeal...What’s on the outside counts (By Barbara Ballinger)
We’ve all been warned not to judge a book by its cover. But, hey, consumers do anyway. Encourage sellers to spruce up their listing’s exterior, so buyers will have no reason to turn on their heel. Well-chosen improvements can draw buyers into the home and add value. Both the facade and yard should say: “This house is loved.”
1. Touch up painted surfaces. Sellers should remove peeling paint and repaint the affected areas. Do a good deed for the planet: Encourage sellers to use environmentally friendly paint. Look for No-VOC or Low-VOC labels.
2. Perk up a front porch. Give sellers a blueprint to turn a porch into an outside room. Add large seasonal flowers in big pots, planted window boxes, a new welcome mat, and some comfy furniture. If they already have seating, make sure they clean the upholstery. Advise them to repaint or stain worn wooden floorboards in a color that complements the facade and door.
3. Make windows sparkle. Use a garden hose to wet outside windows before washing; it helps loosen dirt. Second- or third-story windows may necessitate professional help.
4. Clean dirty masonry. Atmospheric pollution and Mother Nature can take their toll on all types of exterior materials, such as brick and stucco. Use a nylon rather than a steel-bristle brush, and avoid cleansers that damage color and finish. Manufacturer Prosoco Inc.’s Web site, www.prosoco.com, suggests safe cleaning choices.
5. Paint gutters to match the trim. Sellers will find a large selection of colors in enamel paints that adhere to metal.
6. Illuminate the site. Too many lights make a walk look like an airport runway. But a home should look safe and attractive. Add a few lights in trees for a special glow.
7. Tidy landscaping. Recommend sellers remove dead trees and leaves, prune overgrown shrubs, edge beds, and plant seasonal flowers. To keep a tip-top lawn, sellers should plant, fertilize, and water according to a schedule that reflects the climate and soil conditions. Instead of traditional mulch, consider GroundScape Landscape, made from shredded recycled tires and colored to simulate natural mulch or wood chips. It’s heavier than mulch so it won’t blow away; and it repels weeds, insects, and mold.
8. Remember the pièce de résistance. A front door should be clearly visible since it’s the entry and focal point for prospects. A polished knocker adds cachet.
This article was published on: 07/01/2004 Sources: Steve Berges, Symphony Homes LLC, homebuilders, Davison, Mich.; Kevin Gladd, Potomac Valley Brick & Supply Co., Rockville, Md.; Donna Kozik, author, 29 Days to a Smooth Move (www.29DaysToAsmoothMove.com,2003); John Kurowski, Kurowski Development Co., Littleton, Colo.; Gabe Pasquale, Spectrum Communities, homebuilders, Valhalla, N.Y.; Kathy Peterson, author, Kathy Peterson’s Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers (Watson-Guptill, 2004); Cary Senders, GroundScape Technologies, Brooklyn Heights, Ohio; Tim Thoelecke, Garden Concepts Inc. (www.gardenaconceptsinc.com),Glenview, Ill. For information about caring for masonry, call Prosoco Inc., at 800/255-4255, a formulator of specialty cleaning products based in Lawrence, Kan.
- Clear out your closets and your clutter. Hold a yard sale or donate unwanted household goods to charity.
- Pack up extra toys, linens, small kitchen appliances, and the like and store them offsite or in the garage.
- Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor (fish, garlic, cabbage) and from introducing any other unappealing odors into the home if there is even a small chance the house will be shown.
- Have a professional service clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.
- Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.
- Arrange fresh flowers throughout the home and have a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.
- Add extra lamps in dark rooms or dark corners, and turn on the lights whenthe property is to be shown.
- Remove stacks of magazines, ashtrays, sports trophies, family photographs, and other distractions.
( Barb Schwarz, in “How to State Your Listings So They Sell Quickly,” The Real Estate Professional, July/August 1998)
—Some of the tips in this section were adapted from “HomeStaging: The Key to Successful Selling,” by Matthew Vossier and Liz Talbot, National Relocation & Real Estate,Vol. 13, No. 6
MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
(I'm able to assist you with staging your home for sale, but your willingness to participate is key).
In today's age of consumerism, every buyer is comparative shopping. Make a small investment in time, money and effort to give your home a solid advantage over competing properties. Pay attention to detail now because first impressions count with buyers. You only have one chance and it starts with curb appeal. All this pre-listing effort is an important part of marketing your home.
Create A Buying Mood:
- Turn on lights
- Turn on air conditioner/heater
- Open the drapes
- Light the fireplace
- Get rid of unpleasant odors (If you smoke, invest in an air purifier that will rid the space of the smell of stale smoke. That is the #1 turn-off for buyers when they walk through the front door.)
- If you have pets, make certain that they are "stranger friendly" or confined to an area clearly indicated as "off limits".
Exterior Appearance:
- Keep lawns cut
- Trim hedges and shrubs
- Weed and edge gardens
- Clear driveway and clean up oil spills
- Clean out garage
- Touch up paint
- Make repairs where needed
Create Space: "De-Clutter"
(This is soooooo important! You want prospective buyers to look at your home, not to admire your collections or be turned off by too much "stuff".)
- Clear halls and stairs of clutter
- Store surplus furniture
- Clear kitchen counter and stove top
- Clear closets of unnecessary clothing
- Remove empty boxes and containers
Maintenance:
- Repair leaking taps and toilets
- Clean furnace and filters
- Tighten door knobs and latches
- Repair cracked plaster
- Touch up paint
- Clean and repair windows
- Repair seals around tubs and basins
- Replace defective light bulbs
- Oil squeaking doors
- Repair squeaking floor boards
Squeaky Clean:
- Clean and freshen bathrooms
- Clean fridge and stove (in and out)
- Clean around heating vents
- Clean washer and dryer
- Clean carpets, drapes and window blinds
At The Front Door:
- Clean porch and foyer
- Ensure door bell works
- Repair screen on door
- Fresh paint or varnish front door
- Repair door locks and key access
Even if you are selling your property "as is", taking the time to do these minor repairs and maintenance will make a world of difference in the prospective buyer's attitude about the property. These home preperation tips work to help me get you the best possible price for your home.
CALL ME AND WE'LL LOOK AT EACH ROOM TOGETHER TO ASSESS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IN WHAT ORDER OF PRIORITY. Bonnie Coulson 772-231-1234
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MOVING CHECK-LIST
Send change of address to:
-Post Office
-Charge Accounts
-Credit Card Accounts
-Friends & Relatives
-Subscriptions: Notice requires several weeks for magazines
Notify:
-Bank: Transfer funds, arrange check cashing if in new city
- Alarm company: Often there is a substantial charge to discontinue service too far outside of the contract renewal date. Check those requirements and work out the details for cancellation or transfer of service long before your move.
-Insurance: Notify new location for coverage (life, health, fire, auto, homeowner's.)
-Automobile: Transfer car title, car registration, car tags, driver's license, state windshield sticker or transponder, and motor club membership.
-Utilities: Gas, light, cable TV, water, telephone get refund of any deposits made. Arrange final reading and change of name for billing. Arrange for immediate service in new property or town.
-Delivery People: Cancel laundry, newspaper and milk.
Service People: Notify lawn, cleaning, and pest control services of your move and your final day on premises.
-School: Ask for copies or transfer of children's records.
Ask For:
-Medical records of family and pets.
-Drug and Eye Contact or Glasses Prescriptions to be transferred.
-Doctor and Pharmacist recommendations.
-Letters of Introduction to transfer memberships.
-Pet requirements in new city.
And, don't forget to:
-Empty freezer; plan use of foods.
-Defrost freezer-refrigerator. (Place charcoal to dispel odors.)
-Have appliances serviced for moving if you're taking them with you.
-Clean rugs or clothing, before moving; have them "moving-wrapped."
-Check with your moving counselor: insurance coverage, packing and unpacking labor, arrival day, various shipping papers, method and time of expected payment.
-Plan for special care needs of infants.
-Plan garage sale
And on moving day:
-Carry currency, jewelry, documents yourself; or use registered mail.
-Plan for transporting pets. (They are poor traveling companions if unhappy.) Make sure you can be found if they become lost.
-Carry traveler's checks for quick available funds.
-Tell close friends or relatives your route and schedule (including overnight stops). Use them as "message headquarters."
-Double check closets, drawers, and shelves (to be sure they are empty).
-Arrange to leave keys, garage door openers and household systems and appliance manuals for new tenant, owner or agent.
