Have you ever sold or bought a used car from an individual or even a dealership?
What was your first impression when you saw the car you were thinking of buying?
• Was it immaculate inside and out? – Detailed by a professional.
• Did the seller have the car inspected by their mechanic/Dealership’s 21 point inspection?
• Did the car appear to be in good shape?
o There were no major mechanical problems your mechanic found when doing the buyer’s inspection.
• Did it drive well, when you took it out for a spin?
• Was it priced right, compared to prices on Kelley Blue Book?
• Didn’t you spend some $$ to prepare your car for sale?
Selling your home isn’t much different. Ok, so there are more details to getting your home ready for sale, but my point is this:
You have to spend some $$ to make $$$$
So if selling your home is important to you, keep the above questions in mind:
1) Make sure you thoroughly clean your home, just like detailing your car.
2) Get a home inspection, pest inspection and roof inspection, just like taking your car to the mechanic before you sell it.
3) Fix minor items that show up on the inspection reports and possibly major ones, just like you would with your car (install new spark plugs).
4) Walk through and inspect your home as if YOU are a buyer looking to buy – taking that car for a test drive.
5) Price your home competitively – Have your Realtor do a comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) – Remember just like car buyers have access to car prices, like the Kelley Blue Book, home buyer’s have access to what homes like yours have been selling for in the current market.
a. Where do they get this information? From their Buyer’s Agent.
6) Items like cleaning, doing repairs to your home, and staging can cost very little, compared to what you may walk away with (your bottom line), depending on your situation.
Most of these above items may cost you as much as few thousand dollars to as little as $500 with a little elbow grease.
Remember, just like selling your car, you have to spend some $$ to make some $$$$. From a buyer’s perspective, buying a home is one of the larger investments one makes in his/her lifetime. So make sure you make a good first impression for those buyers out there.
Copyright 2008 Jessica Bigger. All Rights Reserved. *Humboldt County CA Homes: Selling Your Home is Like Selling Your Used Car*
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Contact Jessica Bigger, Realtor®, RE/MAX Humboldt Realty at 707-496-5770 to list your home for sale or to purchase your first or next home in Eureka, Cutten, Bayside, Arcata, McKinleyville, Westhaven, Trinidad and the rest of Humboldt County California.
To view all Humboldt County Real Estate Click Here, then click on Search Area Listings at the top of the web site. I know Humboldt County CA well and can help you get your home Sold or help you buy your next California Coast Home Call today!
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