Seller Resources
In many cases, agents are failing to properly educate their sellers on market conditions for the present time; sellers themselves ignoring present market conditions, or combination of both. Is there an easy remedy? Perhaps not. However, if you are among those that hope to sell your home soon, here are some helpful tips. When you are finished, feel free to fill out the attached form and I will contact you as soon as possible to discuss the sale of your home and what stratagies we can use. By working together to make the sale happen.
1. LISTEN TO YOUR REALTOR!!! Do not listen to your neighbors, family, friends, or any other "expert". Your REALTOR is the one person that has as much interest in the sale of your home as you do. A REALTOR has the ability, tools and knowledge available to be able market to your home. While other people may have your best interests at heart, they simply don't have the proper statistics on what market conditions around your home are, or the ability to use that information in a manner beneficial to you. Be sure your agent is delivering the service that you hired them to do.
2. DO NOT BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. No matter how much you feel attached to your home; no matter what your emotional attachment to your home; no matter what you think of your improvements; BUYERS DO NOT CARE!!!! Buyers in our market are trying to get as much home as they can, for as little as possible. Improving a home with the same square footage as yours is more desirable to a buyer, especially if they can buy the home for $30,000 less than your home is listed for. In a sellers market, extra features help get you top dollar for your home. In a buyers market (WHAT WE HAVE NOW) those features become viewed as "over improvement". In other words, what you spent on your home upgrades does not necessarily mean money returned to you when you sell your home.
3. DON’T LIST YOUR HOME AT A HIGH PRICE JUST TO TEST THE MARKET. "Testing the market" hurts everyone that wants, or needs to sell their home. Having an unrealistically high price on your home, along with the attitude that if don't get your price then you will stay put does more harm than good to YOU,your friends, or neighbors that may need to sell. Flooding a market with overpriced listings pushes buyers away until they see prices come down. If anything in this section applies to you, you should do yourself, and those sellers and buyers that are serious a favor and take your home off the market until we once again enter a sellers market.
4. BUYERS ARE LESS WILLING TO NEGOTIATE IN A BUYERS MARKET. This is a fact. There are far too many homes out there right now. If a buyer's offer is not accepted, that buyer will simply make an offer on another house and continue the process until they get a home for what they are willing to pay. As a seller in a buyers market you should list your home at a price that will attract a buyer to you FIRST. Be as competitive as possible; GREED WILL NOT SELL YOUR HOME.
5. STAY AWAY FROM DISCOUNT REAL ESTATE BROKERS. Simply put, you get what you pay for. Commissions paid to your REALTOR are well earned, and help the agent offset the costs (ever increasing) of marketing your home. Discount brokers sell people on the idea that they offer the same service as other brokers for smaller commissions or set fees. This could not be further from the truth, in many cases the best a discount broker will do is put sign in your yard, list your home in a local MLS, and MAYBE post your home on their web site. This leaves the seller to do all the rest of the work, such as additional advertizing, at the seller’s expense and time.
6. STAND OUT IN THE CROWD. Keep your home in a marketable condition at all times. You never know when an agent will want show your home. More than one sale has been lost because the home itself did not show well. Keep the landscaping looking fresh to add curb appeal. Do your dusting often. Never leave a sink full of dishes. In other words make your home look like it should if YOU were buying a home in today’s market. Clean or even repaint interior walls for a fresh look. Paint over walls that have very bright colors with neutral colors. Walkways and driveways that are not swept or have trash cans on them offer a look of neglect. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression.
7. BE PATIENT. The fact of the matter is no one can guarantee a quick sale of your home. A home that has everything about it showing in a positive manner may take months to sell in our current real estate market. There is no scientific method of home sales. Matching a buyer to your home is not always an easy process. As a REALTOR, I can tell you that finding a buyer that will be happy with the home they are buying for years to come, is just as important to me as getting a seller the best price possible for their home. Sometimes we get lucky and accomplish this quickly. More often though, the process can take several weeks, even months. You didn’t take the decision to buy or sell your home lightly, don’t expect the buyer of their new home to do so either.
Selling your home shouldn't be a stressful ordeal. Making the smart move of choosing a REALTOR® is your first step to ensuring that your investment in your home pays off. My services and experience allow you to focus on your move while I manage your home sale from our initial consultation to the closing deal, and beyond. I pride myself on repeat business and hope you'll come to understand why.
What I will do for you
Recent Home Sales
Getting the highest price
Closing Costs
- Complete a comparative market analysis that will compare your home's value to that of your neighbors.
- Compile a comprehensive plan detailing all the efforts I will employ to sell your home, including Internet and local media.
- Present your home to as many qualified buyers as possible getting your home maximum exposure.
- Help you stage your home and generate curb appeal to ensure you get the highest price.
- Assist with obtaining offers and help you in negotiating the best deal as smoothly as possible.
- Help you find your next home and answer all of your questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more.
What are homes selling for on your street? Use Lori Ann Mertens to find out what neighborhood homes are selling for, free of charge, or choose a more detailed analysis of the value of your home.
Getting the Highest Price for Your Home
Curb appeal is key and could make a difference whether people stop and take a flyer, or drive right by. Here are a few tips to increase the curb appeal of your home. Staging your home is important. Many buyers will stay in your home longer if it's staged appropriately. I have compiled some ideas to present your home in the most effective manner.
- Title insurance fees depend on the sales price of the home.
- Broker's commission is a full-service fee and will cost anywhere between 5% to 7%.
- Local property transfer tax, country transfer tax, state transfer tax, and state capital gains tax are the charges that you'll pay for the privilege of selling your home. Credit to the buyer of unpaid real estate taxes for the prior or current year are variable and depend on when you close and when your taxes are due.
- FHA fees and costs are all fees are now negotiable between an FHA buyer and seller.
- Home inspections fees are in some circumstances paid for by the seller and include pest, radon and other inspections.
- Miscellaneous fees can accrue from correcting problems noticed during the home inspection.
