How easy is it to access your home? - 07/27/06 11:50 PM
Top selling agents will not show your home if both the Key and access are
not readily available. They do not have time to run around town all day
picking up and dropping off keys. They want to sell homes!  The greatest way
to show a house is to have a key!  When your home is being shown, please do
the following:
* Keep all lights on
* Keep all drapes and shutters open
* Keep all doors unlocked
* Leave soft music playing
* Take a short walk with your children and pets
* Let the buyer be at ease and let the agents do their job
* Paint & Carpet … (2 comments)

Not planning your move earlier enough - 07/27/06 11:48 PM
Many sellers simply don't plan their move early enough and then feel totally
overwhelmed at the time of moving out of the house. If you are able to move
at any time of the year, don't wait until summer, the peak-moving season.
Consider also that the first and last few days of the month are extra busy.
If you plan to sell your house, get it on the market as soon as possible.
Keep a record of all expenses related to the move, some of which may be tax
deductible. Fill out the Personal Household Inventory for each room. This is
important for establishing the amount of … (1 comments)

Forgetting what you would want to see if you were the buyer of - 07/27/06 11:46 PM
Remember that although people can be different in personality, they tend to
be the same when it comes to expectations at someone else's expense. In
other words, a prospective buyer would probably like to see a perfect home
from top to bottom, inside and out, when it comes to your home. Try to do as
many of the following items as possible to improve the likelihood of your
home sale in an expedient way.
 
   On the outside
       1) Sweep front walkway.
       2) Remove newspapers, bikes and toys.
       3) Park extra cars away from the property.
       4) Trim back the shrubs.
       5) Apply fresh, clean … (0 comments)

You Need To Clean House - Don't Get Upset - 07/26/06 08:12 AM
Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of uncleanness or
odor when buying a home.  Sellers lose thousands of dollars because they do
not adequately clean.  If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to
sell your home faster and net hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more.  If
you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that old junk now so that
your house will appear larger?  Make more space. odors must be eliminated
especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers or if you
are a smoker.  You may not notice the smell, but the buyers … (1 comments)

Using a "convenient" Realtor rather than using an experienced Realtor - 07/26/06 08:06 AM
When working with a real estate agent, it's critical that you have full confidence in that agent's experience and education.  A skilled, knowledgeable agent should be able to explain to you exactly why your home needs to be priced at a certain level - compared to recent listings and sales of homes similar to yours.  Experienced agents also know exactly what the current pool of buyers are looking for in relation to particular styles and price ranges of properties.  A skilled agent can recommend changes that will enhance the salability of your home, thus increasing the price - and/or decreasing the length of … (0 comments)

Don't Be Pushed Into Any House - 07/26/06 08:01 AM
Your agent should show you everything available that meets your requirements.   Don't make a decision on a house until you feel that you've seen enough to pick the best one.  Go to the multiple listing computer with your agent to make sure that you are getting a complete list.  In the late 1980's, homes were selling quickly, usually a few days after listing. In that kind of market, agents advised their clients to make an offer on the spot if they liked the house.  That was good advice at the time.   Today there isn't always this urgency, unless a home is … (0 comments)

Taking for granted the "curb appeal" of your home - 07/25/06 12:58 PM
When you're preparing your house for sale, remember the importance of first impressions.  A buyer's first impression can make or break whether they even want to go inside for a look.  It is estimated that more than half of all houses are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars.  With that in mind, be sure to stand outside of your home and take a realistic "fresh look" and then ask yourself what can be done to make the "curb appeal" improve.  Also ask your realtor's opinion as to how to improve the curb appeal. it could make a huge … (2 comments)

Complacent marketing when selling a home - 07/25/06 12:55 PM
When selling your home there are no guarantees that the ultimate buyer of
your home will have simply walked through the front door.  In many cases you
may have to bring your home to the buyer.  Effective marketing will help
ensure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready,
willing and able buyer in the shortest period of time.  Ask your realtor to
list for you all of the ways he/she intends to market your home and on what
time-line.  Also, be sure to ask about the home being advertised on the
internet.
… (1 comments)

Using a real estate agent instead of a Realtor - 07/25/06 12:43 PM
When you're looking for help buying or selling property, it's important to remember that the terms "real estate agent" and "Realtor" are not synonymous.  Realtors can provide an extra level of service, and to be a realtor you must be a member of the national association of realtors (nar).  The equivalent organization in canada is the canadian real estate association (crea). Both are non-profit trade organizations that promote real estate information, education and professional standards.  The national association of realtors also has earned a strong reputation for actively championing private property rights and working to make home ownership affordable and accessible.  … (2 comments)

Sell First, Then Buy - 07/24/06 07:40 AM
If you have a house to sell, sell it before selecting a house to buy! Ihaven't seen many contingent sales work in the last 3 years, unless it's with anew home builder who has other houses to sell and can afford to put one on acontingency.  Let's pretend that we go out looking for the perfect house foryou. We find it and you love it! Now you have to go make an offer to theseller. You want the seller to reduce the price and wait until you sell yourhouse. The seller figures that's a risky deal, since he might pass up abuyer … (1 comments)

Don't Get "Pre-Qualified - 07/24/06 07:36 AM
Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money? Then make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Priceis only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily themost important one. Often other terms, such as the strength of the buyer orthe length of escrow, are critical to a seller.  In years past, I alwaysrecommended that buyers get "pre-qualified" by a lender.  This means thatyou spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a fewquestions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you "pre-qualified"and issues a … (1 comments)

Ten Things Home Buyers Should Avoid Doing Before Closing on a Home - 07/24/06 07:30 AM
Your home buying process is well underway. The sellers accepted your offer to purchase. The home is officially under contract and you're counting down the days to closing. The lender pre-approved you, so buying the house is a sure thing, right?
Not quite. Nothing is certain until the keys are in your hand and the deed is recorded. There are still hurdles to get past before it's yours, and your actions between now and closing can create headaches, slowdowns and even stop the transaction
1. Don't Make a Major PurchaseYou've just found out your credit is A+. That's great news, because a … (1 comments)

Stop Renting Forever - 07/23/06 11:39 AM
No Down Payment.Many renters are under the impression that they need thousands of dollars to put as a down payment for a new home.  In todays's modern real estate market, there is a grant program available that will give you the money for your down payment.  This program may even give you the money for your closing costs.  That means you could get 6% of the purchase price of the home from the grant program to help you buy a home.  So you really don't need to have any money up front to buy a home.  Why not find out more about these … (1 comments)

Using a real estate agent instead of a Realtor... - 07/23/06 11:35 AM
When you're looking for help buying or selling property, it's important to remember that the terms "real estate agent" and "Realtor" are not synonymous. Realtors can provide an extra level of service, and to be a Realtor you must be a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  The equivalent organization in Canada is the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Both are non-profit trade organizations that promote real estate information, education and professional standards. The National Association of Realtors also has earned a strong reputation for actively championing private property rights and working to make home ownership affordable and accessible. … (0 comments)

Stop Calling Ads - 07/23/06 11:32 AM
A WORD OF CAUTION
A word of caution - agents create ads solely to make the phone ring! Many of the homes have some drawback that's not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic noise, power lines, or litigation in the community. What's not mentioned in the ad is usually more important than what is.  For this reason, I want you to be very careful when reading ads. Remember that the person writing the ad is representing the seller and not you!  The most important thing you can do is have someone on your side looking out for your best interests. Your … (1 comments)

NO OFFERS – WHY? - 07/22/06 09:08 PM
Here is what one of my mentors told be on the subject:
 If the promotion of the property is heavy and you are getting little or no showings, then the problem is either location or price.  You can’t do anything about location, but you can about price.
  If there is a heavy traffic of showings but no offers, then the problem is either condition or price.  You can either improve the condition of the property or lower the price.
  If you are getting plenty of offers and all are below list price, then the problem is that the price is too high.
… (9 comments)

Just For Realtors® - 07/22/06 01:09 PM
It doesn't matter how long you've been in real estate, you can always use some help with how to do different aspects of the business.  To assist you with getting the help you might need or want, please visit www.realestatehelps.info.  There you can find a lot of things to help you with your real estate business. 
After you've previewed the site, please sign the guest book.
… (0 comments)

Things To Remember When Selling A Home - 07/22/06 12:47 PM
Remember, when selling your home there are no guarantees that a buyer will simply walkthrough the front door. In many cases you may have to bring your home to thebuyer.  Effective marketing will help ensure that your property receivesmaximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer. The appearanceof your home, a buyer's first impressions, and other considerations can alsoaffect the sale of your home. Be sure to explore tips for increasing yourhome's value.  Have you considered that home prices in your neighborhood and the value of your property are also factors used for pricing your home?
  Increasing the Value of … (0 comments)

What Every Seller Wants - Discount Commission - 07/21/06 07:35 PM
Do You Want To List Your House Or Sell It?
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE AND YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS.
We could give you a low commission, a short listing period, and that would not get your house sold. 
Think about this.  If I can’t negotiate the commission I charge for my work, then I may not be the person you want to negotiate the price on the sale of your house.  If I give you a short listing, then I may be willing to give away all your leverage in the negotiating for a sale.
Since I only get paid if … (4 comments)

Some Different Reasons To Own Your Own Home - 07/21/06 06:01 PM
You've probably seen lots of financial arguments about why you should own your own home rather than rent.  This includes budgeting (no rent increases) and the tax savings you'll most likely have. Now I'm going to give you some reasons you probably haven't heard.Freedom to pursue other goals in life once the major goal of home ownership is achievedStrange as it sounds, many of my first-time buyers have told me that once they bought the house, other things in their life started to fall into place. It's as if not owning took so much of their mental energy that other goals … (0 comments)

Get The Most Money In Any Market - 07/21/06 05:50 PM
The best chance for selling your property is within the first seven weeks.  Studies show that the longer a property stays on the market, the less the seller will net.  Below are 5 main factors to accomplishing this goal. * Pricing Factor It is very important to price your property at a competitive market value right when you list it. The market is so competitive that even over-pricing by a few thousand dollars could mean that your house will not sell. It's interesting, but your first offer is usually your best offer. Here are reasons for pricing your property at the market value … (0 comments)

Live free by buying instead of renting. - 07/14/06 09:30 AM
There are only two valid reasons for renting:  (1) you live with your parents rent-free, or (2) you live in a rent-controlled apartment in a city like New York where you pay $300 a month for a place that would normally rent for $100,000.  Remember, you are always paying someone’s mortgage - either yours or your landlord’s. If you buy and live in a home for at least five years, you live practically free - all of your monthly payments, closing costs, insurance and property taxes are returned to you through tax savings and your profit when you sell. Let’s say you have … (2 comments)

How Long Will It Take - 07/13/06 10:26 AM
There are several factors that influence how fast a property will sell.  Some are within the contro of you, the seller, some are controlled by the real estate company and some by outside influences commonly called the "Market".  Here are a few:
 1.  The marketing of the property is probably the most important factor.  The old 3 Ps marketing methods of the 1900s will no longer work in today's modern markets.  The 3 Ps method for thos that don't know them are
     1.  Put a sign in the yard.     2.  Put a listing in the MLS.     3.  Pray that another agent brings a buyer.
Today the … (5 comments)

 
Gerald_hd

Gerald Richards

Layton, UT

More about me…

Team One - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Address: 1597 Woodland Park Dr, Layton, UT, 84041

Office Phone: (800) 340-1385

Cell Phone: (801) 540-3825

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