SELLERS: Proven Steps to Sell Your House for TOP DOLLAR
Selling your home is one of the most important things you will ever do in your life. This simple system will provide the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home-selling process.
Know why you are selling and keep it
to yourself. The reasons behind your
decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much
time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What is more important to you? The money you walk away with, the length of
time your property is on the market, or a combination of both? Different goals will dictate different
selling strategies. However, it is
critical that you do not reveal your reasons to anyone else, because it could
come back to haunt you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply explain that your housing
needs have changed.
Be sure to do your homework before
setting a price. Settling on an offering
price should not be done lightly. In a
hot seller’s market, should you set your asking price too low, be prepared to
receive offers over and above your asking price. However, remember that pricing your house too
high is very dangerous. The average
homebuyer will view and compare dozens of homes on the Internet at the same
time they are considering yours. This
means that they have a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn’t compare
favorably with others in the price range you have set, your home will sit on
the market and prospective buyers will not take you seriously. The longer your home sits on the market, the
more likely people will think that there is a problem with it.
Work with your agent to find out what
homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past three to
six months. Research what current homes
on the market are listed at. It’s the
same process that buyers will undertake when assessing the value of your home.
Find a good real estate agent that
represents your needs. Nearly three
quarters of all homeowners claim that they would not use the same real estate
agent who sold their last home.
Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication and lack of feedback,
which will ultimately result in lower prices and strained relationships.
Be sure to maximize your home’s sales potential. Each year, corporate
You may not be able to change your
home’s location or floor plan, but you can do a great many things to improve
its appearance. The look and feel of
your home generates greater emotional response from prospective buyers than any
other factor. Before showings, clean
like you have never cleaned before.
Scrub, scour, and otherwise make everything spotless. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant
it may appear. Present your home to get
the best possible reaction from those viewing it. Your home’s condition and how it shows will
greatly affect your sales price and time on the market.
Allow buyers to imagine themselves
living in your home. The decision to buy
a home is based a high level of emotion.
Prospective buyers are trying on your home the same way they would try
on a new suit before buying it. If you
follow them around pointing out improvements or making excuses for a lack of
upkeep, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine
themselves as the new owners.
Make it simple for prospects to
obtain information on your home. You
would be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to
sell house (such as traditional open houses) are generally not very
effective. In fact, only about one
percent of homes are sold at an open house.
Prospects calling for information on
your home value their time as much as you do.
The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of
telephone tag with an agent or unwanted sales pitches. Make sure the ads your agent places for your
home are attached to a 24-hour information hotline with a specific
identification number for your home which gives prospects detailed information
at all times. It has been proven that
three to five times more buyers call for information on a home when they have
access to a free-recorded message rather than talking with an agent
directly. Remember, the more buyers you
have competing for your home, the better.
It will set up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver’s
seat.
Ask your agent what he or she can
find out about the buyers. In the negotiation
process, your objective is to control the pace and direction of the sale. If you know the buyers’ motivations, whether
they need to move quickly, and whether or not they have enough money to pay for
the home, will give you the upper hand once negotiations begin.
Make sure that the contract is
complete. For your part as a seller, you
must be certain to disclose everything about the property. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond
legal requirements to disclose all known defects to their buyers in
writing. If the buyer knows of a problem
beforehand, they cannot come back to you with a lawsuit later on. Provide a detailed list and have the buyer
sign for items that do not stay.
All terms, costs, and
responsibilities have to be spelled out in the contract. Do not divert from this contract. For example, if the buyer requests to move in
before the agreed upon date, you should say no.
Once these terms are all in place, it is dangerous to deviate and could
potentially lead to the collapse of the whole sale.
Finally, if you need to move out
before you sell your home, steam clean the carpets, paint all the walls, and
have a gardener water and maintain your lawn.
Make sure that your agent markets it as being vacant, available for a
quick close and immediate occupancy.
Choose your agent wisely.
Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about
houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have
recently sold. Can your agent recommend
a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low
rates to assist your new buyer with financing?
A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR
and help you find a new home.
Thank you for requesting a copy of
this “FREE REPORT”
For prompt, courteous, professional
service, call Jan Wilson:
Office: 1-714-903-7750
Direct: 1-714-719-0048
Visit my
web site at: www.gardenparkrealty.com
Have questions, need advice you can
count on or just want to discuss this further?
Don’t waste any more time; pick up
the phone and call me now! I’m here to
help!
I appreciate your business, your loyalty, trust and your referrals. It is my goal to provide the very best counsel, advice and service possible for your real estate needs. If I may ever be of assistance to you, a relative, friend or co-worker please don’t hesitate to call me. I look forward to the opportunity to serve you.™
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