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The Smartest Way To Sell Your House? Do Your HomeWork

By Sharon Tara

Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

July 09, 2010 07:52 AM

The smartest way to sell your house is to do your HomeWork.

There is so much complaining about the market - the state of real estate...doom and gloom and falling prices. What's a seller to do?

I'll tell you what not to do...don't fall prey to the headlines. Many sellers in New Hampshire are doing just that. One after another they are becoming "price reduced" statistics.

If you want your house to sell, take control and take action - Do Your HomeWork!

Strategically marketed products sell...

Those in tune with today's market know that the key to the sale is preparation.

Do your homework and find out what houses comparable to yours have sold for recently.

Do your homework and find the agent that will best represent you.

Do your homework and have a home inspection to avoid costly surprises later.

Do your homework and find a professional home stager to give you advice on the best presentation.

Consult with your team of professionals to create a list of needed improvements to transform your house into a "market ready" product for sale. Once you have been advised on what needs to be done...do your home WORK...

pull up your sleeves and do the work or hire someone to do it for you.

Once the house is show ready, make sure your online photographs represent a spacious, well maintained, emotionally appealing home. Maintain the appearance for every showing.

Buyers want move-in ready...

For the best possible result...DON'T LIST your house until your preparation is complete.

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Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Lou: Thanks. Less time on the market, means more money!

Mickey: Thank you!

Kathy: Thank you...you certainly would know a thing or two about preparation! I've not been a teacher, but sometimes it feels like teaching when I'm helping sellers.

Leslie: Getting an appraisal is great advice. I think most sellers don't have a realistic number in mind when they decide to sell. As for the graphics, sometimes I use my own photos and sometimes, like this, I use clipart.

Jul 09, 2010 11:47 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Maureen: I know you know what I'm talking about! More and more sellers are listening, but there is still such an advantage to those who make the extra effort because for the most part, it's not being done.

Jul 09, 2010 11:54 AM

Christine Hooks

Pino Agency - Pennsville, NJ

Celebrating 25 Years in Real Estate!

Yes! I wish I had read this earlier and printed it out to take along on my listing appointment earlier today. The Sellers are on their 5th Realtor. FIVE!

I don't even think that I'd want to deal with five Realtors! Haha

Jul 09, 2010 12:33 PM

Roger D. Mucci

Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH

Lets shake things up at your home today!

Great suggestions for sellers to market their homes properly..........great job Sharon. I like the term "homework"................that explains it all.

Jul 09, 2010 12:39 PM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Great post Sharon and if they hate homework then they need a tutor (Prof. Home Stager) to help them with the process and keep pressing them forward!

Jul 09, 2010 01:32 PM

Cathy Lee

CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA

ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Very clever post=preparation is the key to every success!!

Jul 09, 2010 05:43 PM

Steve Loynd

Alpine Lakes Real Estate Inc., - Lincoln, NH

800-926-5653, White Mountains NH

Sharon, Life in a vacuum is not always attainable, many of my sellers see the comps and simply don't want to believe them. In this case patience is all we can offer...Wait for the market to improve or let someone else take the listing and wait for the seller to call you back when it expires and they realize you were right.

Jul 10, 2010 02:19 AM

Patsy Overton

Patsy Overton Interiors, Atlanta, Georgia - Duluth, GA

Great tips, Sharon, and so true. It's unfortunate that lots of sellers don't really care what other comparable homes have sold for because "their home will sell." The key is still education. Nice post.

Jul 10, 2010 03:46 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Chris: Five realtors! What's wrong with that picture? The one common factor is the seller...Hopefully they are finally willing to listen to professional advice and number five will be the last realtor.

Roger: Thanks...you know as well as I do that it takes some elbow grease...and those who invest the time have better results.

Ginger: Very good! Wish I had thought of that one!

Cathy: You said it!

Steve: So true. Funny how people find their home so much more valuable than the others when it comes time to sell it. A lot of time is wasted before they realize the cold, hard truth.

Patsy: I had a client who was convinced his location by the beach was all it would take...he didn't listen to the realtor's suggested price or to my suggested improvements. He sat on the market until he went into foreclosure. Some people are just their own worst enemy!

Jul 10, 2010 04:32 AM

Cathy Lee

CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA

ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

This suggest button is the best!! Great to see you and the other great writers being featured!!!!

Jul 10, 2010 05:07 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Cathy: Thank you and thank you for all that enthusiasm!

Jul 10, 2010 10:27 AM

Barbara Heil-Sonneck

Design2Sell - Atlanta, GA

Home Staging Atlanta

Hi Sharon, homework done, great job, thank you for a clever take on the subject.

Jul 10, 2010 11:02 AM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Ahhhh Super Stager Sharon, it does take work down to smallest detail to get an jump on the competition. As you stated in your blog one has got to the the comps and come to grips with money number.

Jul 11, 2010 02:38 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Great post Sharon. May I repost it on my website, giving you credit of course?

Jul 11, 2010 12:16 PM

Marianne Cherico

Interiors by Marianne Cherico - Foxboro, MA

Home Stager -Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Sharon,

This post is so very on target! You mentioned doing a pre inspection. That is really a great tip for Sellers so that there are no surprises. And of ourse pricing the house right,getting a good agent and staging are all key to getting top dollar.

Marianne

Jul 11, 2010 07:45 PM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Barbara: You are welcome! Thank you for stopping by and commenting!

Cynthia: Coming to grips is a great way to put it. It's not easy for most sellers to accept the facts today.

Shar: Yes you may. I'm glad you find it that valuable!

Marianne: I hope the post is helpful to sellers, and helpful to agents who need a little outside info to share with their sellers.

Jul 12, 2010 02:17 AM

Kim Dillon

Creative Eye Home Staging - West Chester, PA

Love this post! Would like to re-blog it on my website. Why is there such a rush to get a property on the market before it should be seen? They are wasting the best marketing window--the first 2 weeks a house is on the market!

Jul 13, 2010 01:24 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Kim: I have never understood this either. Take a little extra time and do it right. So much money is lost because they list prematurely. You have my permission to use the post on your website.

Jul 13, 2010 06:16 AM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Sharon, great way to put home work! Excellent advice and you are dead on. Too many think you can just put the sign in the front yard and wait. Sellers need to be proactive and we are good at helping with that!

Ana

Jul 14, 2010 05:11 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Ana: Proactive is a great word to use. Sellers waste a lot of time and money when they take the "wait and see" approach.

Jul 14, 2010 09:39 AM