Sellers

Tips for Sellers:

Here are crucial tips for you to consider when getting ready to sell your home:

1. De-Personalize.
   Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."
2. De-Clutter!
   People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it. 
3. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets. Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well.  
5. Make the House Sparkle!
   
   Annual checklist home maintenance checklist:
   
   
   • Kitchen: Check for leaks under and around the sink. Plumbing leaks can damage cabinetry and floors. Check and repair grout and caulking on tile countertops and around the sink. Also check wear and tear on wood floors, which periodically need to be refinished.
   • Bathrooms: Check for plumbing leaks and check grout on tiles. If the grout gets worn away water will start getting into the walls behind the bathroom, causing damage.
   • Basement: Check for cracks in the foundation and leaks. Buildings settle over time and even after decades of having a dry basement leaks may suddenly occur.
   • Attic: Check for signs of water leakage from the roof. Also look for any sign of termites or rodents. Squirrels or rats that nest in your attic can chew electrical wiring, which can lead to fires.
   • Smoke alarms: Batteries need to be changed annually.
   • Heating system: If yours has a filter, change it annually.
   • Air conditioning system: Change all filters monthly or as recommended by the filter manufacturer.
   • Roof: Note if any shingles have fallen off or if gutters or downspouts appear clogged or damaged. You can always hire a reliable roofing company to get on the roof and take a look. Reputable roofing companies won't try to sell you a new one unless you really need it. You can simply pay them for an inspection.
   • House exterior: If your house is wood, check that the paint hasn't worn away so much that the primer paint is showing. If the primer also wears down, you can do damage to the wood. Brick houses should be inspected for damaged bricks or masonry. Check stucco houses and repair any cracks large enough to slide a nickel into.
   • Asphalt and concrete driveways: Repair any cracks or buckling.
    
   Common Mistakes Sellers Make:
   
   Every property has a price range in this economic environment, the most common  mistake is to hope that buyers will respond to the higher price. As a seller you need to  'create' a market  and generate enough activity so that multiple buyers will bid on your property. This can only be achieved by pricing at the lower end of the range.
   
   MISTAKE #1: Hiring the agent who offers the highest list price for your home
   If you ask several listing agents how much they think they can get for your house, and one gives you a significantly higher bid than the others, be cautious: the agent may be trying to "buy" your listing by suggesting an unrealistically high asking price. This practice is unethical and costs you time and money, as you'll most likely have to slash the price after your home sits on the market unnoticed for many months.
   TIP: Always interview at least three agents and choose one who can back up the suggested listing price with comparable sales data. 
   
   MISTAKE #2: Pricing too high
   Your home has one chance to make a first impression. If your home enters the market overpriced, many buyers will overlook it. The first 10 days after you implement a listing into the MLS are the most important because that's when it's going to generate the most activity.
   
   
   MISTAKE #3: Getting emotional
   TIP: Stay objective during the pricing process by focusing on statistics generated by the CMA. Don't be personally offended by lowball offers. Instead, think of them as the starting point of a negotiation that could result in a sale.