Remaining in Control While Selling Your Home

bestrates — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:06:26 +0000

When selling your home, there are many things that can cause stress that are out of your control. As a seller, you cannot control the market, the number of offers placed on your home, or how many other houses are for sale in your area. With so much out of your control, it becomes of utmost importance that you tip the scale in your favor by taking control of the things you can.

Controlling Your Home Sale

To control your sale, approach the following with care:

Selecting Your Agent – When choosing your agent, don’t make a hasty decision. After all, this is the person that can truly dictate the success of your sale. They will have an influence upon foot traffic, marketing, and the pricing of your home. You need a qualified professional to advice you throughout the process so it leads to a positive outcome.
Preparing Your Home for Sale – Insure that your home present itself well by cleaning up your yard, and decluttering your home in the very least. If there are obvious home repair jobs needed, complete the inexpensive ones that act as red flags. You do not want these things to tell buyers you take no pride in your home, or they may expect even bigger problems they can’t see. Your agent can also give you feedback on what areas of your home need attention.
Your Expectations on Price – The market controls what your house will realistically sell for. You can control how open-minded you will be about the process. Be willing to bend (but not break) as having a random figure in mind will not be beneficial if it is not realistic to the market you are in. What you purchased your home for or what homes sold for a year ago play no role in what your home may be worth today. If you’ve chosen a qualified agent, they can give you up to date market data on what your home is worth and what you should ask for it.

There are a number of factors in a home sale that are left up to chance – don’t be a passive observer as you work to sell your home – take control over the things you can control!

Preparing Your House for Sale on a Budget

bestrates — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:53:32 +0000

When you are putting your house up for sale in this tough economy, you are wise to not spend anymore than you have to when you are getting it ready to sell. However, to increase the chances of success for selling your home, it does still need to be in showing condition to impress potential buyers.

Budget-Friendly Home Improvements

Real estate professionals emphasize the importance of focusing on the following when preparing your home to show:

De-clutter – With too many of your personal belongings in the home, potential buyers may struggle to picture themselves in it. They may also have trouble seeing some of the positive details with all of the distracting clutter.
Fix the Visual Problems – Touch up paint that is chipping and fill in holes. If there are screens that are broken they should either be removed or replaced. Clean up grout in the bathrooms and re-caulk where necessary. These tasks will help ensure that your home doesn’t automatically create a red flag that there is work that needs to be done.
Correct Issues that Will Audibly Tell buyers There Are Issues – This means that you need to lubricate squeaky doors and fix leaky faucets and running toilets.
Modernize Cabinets – You don’t need to fully refinish cabinets, you can simply replace the hardware in your kitchen and bathrooms to spruce up their look.
Clean Up Your Lawn – Make sure your lawn is well-manicured by cutting the grass, pulling out the weeds and pruning the trees.

When your potential profit may already be affected due to the current state of the market, you want to keep as much money in your pocket as possible. These changes can be made with a minimal investment and give you a better chance at a strong sale because appearances will help you win over prospective buyers.

Bestrates Mortgage » Home Sales

Remaining in Control While Selling Your Home

Controlling Your Home Sale

Preparing Your House for Sale on a Budget

Budget-Friendly Home Improvements