Services for Real Estate Pros with Century 21 Homestar
With todays home prices being what they are, I completely understand why a home owner might try and save the cost of hiring a professional to sell their home. With values dropping it a record pace it is somethimes the only option many homeowners feel like they have. So in that frame of mind I offer some solid tips to help a for sale by owner.
Set a Realistic Price
Today's residential real estate market is no place to look for easy profit. The fact is, prices have generally leveled off from their peak during the 1980's. That's not to say you can't get what your house is worth. You just have to be realistic about its value, and price it accordingly. A good place to start is by determining the fair market value.
How to Determine Your Asking Price
Real estate sales agents suggest asking prices based on a variety of information you may not have at your disposal, including recent listing and selling prices of houses in your neighborhood. If you're not completely confident in their suggestions, you may want to order an appraisal. Next, establish clear priorities. If you had to choose, are you more concerned with selling quickly, or getting the most money possible? What would you pay for the house if you were the buyer? Someone else — a neighbor, friend or relative — may point out advantages or disadvantages about your house that you hadn't thought about. Third-party views will help you start thinking of your house as a commodity, with positive and negative selling points. Then you should decide on a price that you feel is competitive and consistent with what other houses in your area have sold for.
Fix Your House Up Before it Goes on the Market
Unless your house is nearly new, chances are you'll want to do some work to get it ready to market. The type and amount of work depends largely on the price you're asking, the time you have to sell, and of course, the present condition of the house. If you're in a hurry to sell, do the "little things" that make your house look better from the outside and show better inside.
Create "Curb Appeal"
"Curb appeal" is the common real estate term for everything prospective buyers can see from the street that might make them want to turn in and take a look. Improving curb appeal is critical to generating traffic. While it does take time, it needn't be difficult or expensive, provided you keep two key words in mind: neat and neutral.
Neatness sells. New paint, an immaculate lawn, picture-perfect shrubbery, a newly sealed driveway, potted plants at the front door — put them all together, and drive-by shoppers will probably want to see the rest of the house. Hand-in-hand with neatness is neutrality. If you're going to repaint, stick to light, neutral colors. Keep the yard free of gardening tools and the kids' toys. Remember, when a family looks at a house, they're trying to paint a picture of what it would be like as their home.
Make Sure Your House Shows at its Best
First, make your house look as clean and spacious as possible. Remember, people may look behind your doors — closet and crawl space doors as well as those to the bedrooms and bathrooms. So get rid of all the clutter; have that garage sale and haul away the leftovers.
After you've cleaned, try to correct any cosmetic flaws you've noticed. Paint rooms that need it. Regrout tile walls and floors. Remove or replace any worn-out carpets. Replace dated faucets, light fixtures, and the handles and knobs on your kitchen drawers and cabinets.
Finally, as with the outside of your house, try to make it easy for prospective buyers to imagine your house as their home. Clear as much from your walls, shelves, and countertops as you can. Give your prospects plenty of room to dream.
If you decide that the task of selling on your own is just to time consumming or you just need some additional help or answers just contact me
Joey Sandlin e-Pro
208 S. High Street
Mount Orab, Ohio 45154
937 444 4700 Phone
937 444 0700 Fax
eraabetterway.com web site
eraabetterway@gmail.com
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