improvements: Closing Your House - 04/04/07 03:54 PM
If you are selling your house, you may have to jump through a few hoops between the time you and the buyer reach an agreement and the time the money and deed change hands. The structural inspector usually finds a few things that need to be repaired or replaced, and the termite inspection may reveal the presence of unwanted pests. Most buyers will also have a list of items that they want the seller to fix.The ideal is to have your home as perfect condition as possible in time for the walk-through inspection prior to closing. If you have agreed to … (0 comments)

improvements: A Full Service Professional - 04/04/07 03:52 PM
Home sellers may be lured by the promises of agents that offer to list and sell your home for a discount commission. But consider the advantages of using a full service broker who will represent your best interests in the transaction without cutting corners.A full service real estate broker will be informed about the current trends in your local market. He or she will share valuable information about the selling price of comparable properties, to help you determine a realistic price for your home. If your home needs repair prior to listing, a reputable local contractor will be recommended. Buyers will … (0 comments)

improvements: Lender Appraisal - 04/04/07 03:50 PM
Many sellers think that the price of their home is determined solely by what they are willing to accept and what the buyer is willing to pay. However, there is one more variable that can affect the sale of a home assuming that a bank loan is involved -- the lender's appraisal. To protect the interest of their investors, the buyer's mortgage lender hires a licensed appraiser to give an independent, objective opinion of what the property is worth. The appraiser compares the house with similar homes in the neighborhood that have recently sold. Square footage, amenities and the condition of … (0 comments)

improvements: Fair Market Value - 04/04/07 03:48 PM
What is the best price for a piece of real estate? Mortgage lenders, appraisers, and real estate brokers use what is called the "fair market value" (FMV). FMV has been defined as "the price that a buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to accept, when both parties are knowledgeable about the property and neither is under any time pressure to buy or sell". Sounds great, but how is this price determined? The starting point for determining a fair price may be an opinion of the value or "comparative market analysis". Such an analysis uses information on similar … (0 comments)

improvements: Best Interests of the Buyer - 04/04/07 03:47 PM
Who represents the homebuyer in the transaction? The most common scenario is for homebuyers to purchase a home with the help of the seller's listing agent. In this case, known as "dual agent representation," the real estate agent assists both the sellers and the buyers. However, it is also possible for the buyers to ask another realtor to represent their interests exclusively, acting as the "buyer's agent," a service which is available at no additional cost to the homebuyer.Any licensed real estate agent can act as your buyer's agent, helping you to locate and look at properties in your price range. … (0 comments)

improvements: Strategic Pricing - 04/04/07 03:43 PM
When you decide to sell your home, your next decision is key to the sale--"How much should I ask?" If you ask too little for your home, you could potentially lose money. Asking too much for your home could cause it to sit on the market for a long time.Your real estate agent wants to sell your home as soon as possible, for the best price. The agent will use a Competitive Market Analysis to determine the price for your home. The sales professional may advise you to reduce the asking price if buyers fail to surface after a certain period … (0 comments)

improvements: Marketing Techniques - 04/04/07 03:42 PM
When a seller lists a home with a real estate agent, a lot of brainstorming follows. Who are the potential buyers, where do they live and work? How can they be reached effectively with information that will attract them to this particular property?In addition to advertising each home on the widely used Multiple Listing Service, professional real estate agents employ marketing techniques tailored to the individual home they are selling. An agent will review various buyer lists to find potential purchasers. They will use telephone and direct mail marketing, produce property flyers and advertise on the Internet, in the newspaper, in … (1 comments)

improvements: Comparables - 04/04/07 03:40 PM
To take much of the guesswork out of your consideration about whether a particular property is a good investment, you can check on the actual selling price of similar homes in the neighborhood.Some sales information, such as the selling price, the financing terms, and the transaction dates, is public information. Your real estate agent will have record of all recent sales. You can find out how properties have been appreciating, based on actual sales, rather than from the neighbors (they could be wrong!). Driving by comparable homes can give you an idea about how they compare with the property you are … (0 comments)

improvements: Selling For Top Dollar - 04/04/07 03:38 PM
When you get serious about selling your home, the chances of your selling it quickly for top dollar will improve considerably if you list it with a real estate sales professional. If you doubt this, consider the fact that eight out of ten homes sold today--more in some markets--are listed with a professional real estate agent.Listing your home places it on the local Multiple Listing Service that is subscribed to by a majority of real estate sales professionals. Through the MLS listing, your home is assured of getting the widest possible exposure to the market place.Some buyers shop the home market … (0 comments)

improvements: Price and Condition - 04/04/07 03:37 PM
Pricing a house is one of the most important parts of the marketing process. You want to get as much for the property as you can, but if you set the price too high, you can turn away qualified buyers. Your real estate agent can tell you the selling price of homes comparable to yours. Pricing strategy depends on market conditions, and it is different in a buyers' market than it is in a sellers' market.If your home is overpriced, the marketplace will reflect that to you. When a property fails to sell in a reasonable period of time, you and … (0 comments)

improvements: Overpriced - 04/04/07 03:35 PM
In the real estate world, a large group of people are looking to buy homes at any given time. These are the seller's best prospects. This ready group of buyers is wasted, however, if your house is overpriced.People who have been shopping around and are accustomed to comparing properties will probably refuse to look at your home with an unrealistic price tag. You and your real estate agent may know that you would sell for $10,000 less, but the buyers do not know this. As a result, your overpriced property receives little attention.Don't be fooled into thinking that your house is … (1 comments)

improvements: VALUE ADDED FEATURES - 04/04/07 03:33 PM
A recent study conducted by the National Center for Real Estate Research evaluated the features of a home based on what each contributes to the selling price. According to the study, the feature that can most dramatically increase the value of a home is an additional full bathroom, upping the selling price by a remarkable 24 percent. Installing an extra half-bath can add 15 percent to the selling price. A garage, a fireplace and a central air conditioning unit each add a little more than 12 percent to the home's market value. A laundry room located on the main floor of … (0 comments)

improvements: Selling Tools - 04/04/07 03:32 PM
After a month of trying to sell your home "By Owner" you may decide to list it with a real estate agent. If you are in this position, you may begin to notice that your agent doesn't market the home the same way you did. You ran classified ads every weekend, but your agent has only advertised twice all month. Even so, there is a lot more interest and activity than you were able to generate on your own.When your home is being marketed professionally, your real estate agent has many powerful selling tools that make it worth hiring someone who … (0 comments)

improvements: Market Trends - 04/04/07 03:29 PM
Last summer your neighbors put their house on the market and had so many buyers that they were on the winning side of a bidding war. Now you are trying to sell your home, and there's just no action.The real estate marketplace is very unpredictable. Many factors come into play, the most important being interest rates and prevailing sales prices. In a strong seller's market, prices tend to escalate until they reach a certain point where buyers begin to just say no and listing inventories increase. When this happens, sellers who price their homes at the higher level of previous sales prices … (0 comments)

improvements: Different Markest - 04/04/07 03:28 PM
  If you are going to sell your present home, the market conditions will play a crucial role in determining the asking price. Market conditions change constantly, so it is important that you get solid advice from a real estate professional who is familiar with your specific area.A good real estate agent will know how quickly houses in your area are selling, and will be aware of other factors that may influence the sale. For example, nearby commercial development, which may create congestion and noise, may also mean a greater demand for housing from people who will be working in the … (1 comments)

improvements: Personal Choice or Added Value? - 04/01/07 11:14 AM
I had an interesting conversation recently with a national reporter who was exploring the differences between how professional developers and individual homeowners approach home sales. Her premise was that developers have less of an emotional attachment and are more prepared to accept the market price, and by and large, that's true. A major difference is whether the home was built with an eye to personal taste or to resale. Developers build to sell, so they're careful to include features that more than pay for themselves. Individuals focus on their own tastes without a regard to resale.Being in the very high end … (3 comments)

 

Jason Vombaur

Vancouver, WA

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Keller Williams

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