For Sellers

Selling

Top 10 Reasons to hire a Real Estate Agent

Avoid House Marketing Mistakes When Selling in a Slow Market

The Worst Home Selling Mistake a Seller Can Make

Selling a House with Pets at Home

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

Pricing Houses to Sell

For Sellers

A house that shows well will sell faster and bring a better price.
The following are some suggestions that have worked well for our Sellers and may give you some ideas of how to make your house look its best.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE LASTING

• Improve the curb appeal. Touch up paint if necessary.
• The lawn and landscaping should be neat and attractive.
• The front door should be clean and inviting, no smudges or fingerprints.
• Place a pot of flowers by the front door.
• Park extra cars somewhere else.

SHOW OFF YOUR HOUSE

• Get rid of clutter.
• Arrange furniture for an open feeling; too much furniture makes a room seem smaller.
• Flowers and plants add pretty touches to rooms.
• Kitchen counter tops should be free of clutter; put small appliances out of sight.
• Remove the "artwork" from the refrigerator door.
• Clean fingerprints from light switches and woodwork.
• A quick coat of paint works wonders. Use off-white; it doesn't offend anyone.
• Organize the closets and cabinets; they will look bigger.
• Bathrooms and kitchens should be sparkling clean.
• Clean away mold and mildew from around bathroom tile and fixtures or regrout if necessary.
• Fix loose doorknobs, drippy faucets, torn screens, etc.
• Take care of pet, cigarette, and cooking odors with: Potpourri, Air spray, Bunches of eucalyptus, Clean carpets and deodorize, Open windows and air out the house.
  Bake bread or cookies, etc.

THINGS TO DO JUST BEFORE HOUSE IS SHOWN

• Open blinds, drapes and shades - let the light in.
• Turn lights on, especially in dark areas such as hallways and baths.
• Turn on air conditioning so house temperature is comfortable.
• Open bedroom and bathroom doors.
• Turn the TV off.
• Turn loud music off; soft music on very low is nice.
• Make the beds.
• Dishes should be done.
• Keep toilet seats closed.
• Everything should be neat, clean and uncluttered.
• Keeps pets outside or out of the way.
• And you, the Seller, should walk outside or run an errand. Buyers are more likely to share their true feelings without the Seller being present.

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Selling

The Experience & Resources to Sell Your Home At the Best Price!

Perhaps you're about to relocate to a new job, or, are thinking of retiring; maybe the kids have moved out and now you need less space, or, you just had a baby, and you need more space––whatever your circumstances, you want the sale of your home to go as smoothly as possible, and within your ideal time frame, and, of course, you want to get the best price possible!
Selling a home becomes easier if you have some guidelines to follow––and an The Criscitos Sales Associate to call on for help.
Six Easy Steps to Selling a Home  The selling basics:  from fixing up to moving out.
Working With A Realtor  Why working with a real estate agent makes sense and how to choose one who's right for you.
"Curb Appeal" and Other Selling Tips  A quick look at your finances and what you can afford; the benefits of equity; what tax advantages you have as a home owner; and, getting pre-qualified and approved.
Accepting An Offer What to know about accepting an offer on your home.
Closing Understanding the closing process will help alleviate stress during the selling transaction

Six Steps to Sell

Here's a quick look at the steps you'll take when selling a home with The Criscitos:
1. Contact an The Criscitos Sales Associate to list your home. He or she will be able to expertly assess its current value so your return will be optimized.
2. Fix and clean up those items or areas that need improvement to maximize your home's exterior curb appeal and interior charm.
3. Get your home inspection done up front. When your home sells, it's likely that the sale will be subject to an inspection.
4. You and your Sales Associate will work together to consider, and then negotiate, with potential buyers for purchase offers on your home. Once an offer is accepted, you will both work with the buyer's agent to schedule a closing date and time.
5. Notify your phone company, utilities (electric, cable, etc., and don't forget water and sewer), moving company, post office, newspaper and magazines, friends and family.
6. Pack and move!

Working with a Realtor®

Sure, you can do your home search by yourself. But why? With an experienced The Criscitos Sales Professional at your side, finding the perfect home is easier, faster, and a lot more fun. A good Realtor® can find and show you all available properties matching your search criteria, offer valuable advice, and coach you through the entire home buying process, and save you time. Yet many buyers still spend endless hours pouring through classified ads and the internet, driving all over town, and viewing dozens of unsuitable properties, simply because they haven't connected with a Realtor®.

Some people think that if they have several agents looking for homes on their behalf, they'll find a house more quickly. Like most relationships, the buyer-agent relationship thrives on communication, loyalty, and trust. By working exclusively with one agent, you'll improve both the process and the results.
Finding The Right REALTOR® For You
Chemistry is important. So are credentials. Above all, you'll want an experienced agent who has the resources of a leading real estate firm behind him or her, a firm such as Majestic Properties, Inc., Realtors®, trusted by South Floridians since 1995.
Some helpful hints on finding and working with a Realtor®:

• Ask friends, family members, neighbors, or co-workers for referrals.
• Trust your intuition.
• Share with your REALTOR as much as possible about your lifestyle, tastes, needs, and dreams for your home.
• Focus your search on a few geographic areas.

Plus, ask him or her some of the following questions:
How well do you know the area(s) that interest me?
A REALTOR® who knows the area or neighborhood you are interested in is extremely beneficial to you.
How many other buyers and sellers do you currently represent?
You may feel you want a REALTOR® who will give you lots of personalized attention, answer your calls quickly, and communicate with you often. Keep in mind that many busy, experienced REALTORS® are actually the most efficient.
Will you handle all aspects of my transaction or will you delegate some tasks to an Assistant?
If you choose to work with a busy agent, a knowledgeable assistant can be very helpful when you have questions or need immediate attention. Think of it as getting twice the assistance!
Will you give me a list of homes you sold in the last 12 months? If you want a recommendation, you may ask a REALTOR® to suggest some clients you could contact who have worked with the agent and ask them about their experience. Ask the REALTOR® for testimonials from satisfied customers.

Curb Appeal is Essential

A mowed lawn and weeded garden create a good first impression. Inspect the exterior of your property: shutters, windows, front door, and steps. If the house needs painting, buyers will notice and may consider it a major objection to purchase.

Neatness Counts

Scrub each room thoroughly. Give special attention to the entryway, kitchen, and bathrooms. Shampoo the carpet if necessary. If carpet is worn or old, consider replacing or removing it if hardwood floors are underneath. And don't forget cobwebs in corners and on the ceilings!

Eliminate Clutter

Buyers will open closets and cupboards, so make sure they're as tidy as possible. Get rid of items you don't use. Remove unnecessary furniture to help make each room appear more spacious.

If It's Broken, Fix It

Easily fixable items such as loose doorknobs, a broken dishwasher, a dripping faucet, or squeaky doors all detract from your property's best first impression. An afternoon spent making needed repairs now can eliminate a buyer's objections later.

Small Changes Can Make A Big Impression

New towels can freshen a tired kitchen or bath. Fresh flowers add warmth to any room. And even a fresh coat of paint doesn't cost much.

Don't Forget About Aromatherapy

Make sure your home passes the scent test. Right before an open house, bake some cookies or bread, simmer a pot of apple cider & cinnamon on the stove, or light a few scented candles. Strong unpleasant odors could send potential lookers running out the front door.

Accepting an Offer

Someone has decided your property is just right––and makes you an offer. When your The Criscitos Sales Associate conveys the offer to you, you'll know whether the price the buyer has suggested is fair. It may be less than your asking price, yet you don't have to reply immediately if you're not certain the price and terms are acceptable.

Consider the current real estate market: Are houses in your neighborhood selling quickly, slowly, or not at all? Don't assume that one offer will lead quickly to others. One predictable factor in the real estate market is that it's totally unpredictable.
Finding a Compromise
If you and your potential buyer are far apart, you could offer a few concessions such as appliances, or a security system, or youcould offer to make some improvements prior to closing.
Drawing Up a Purchase Agreement
Your purchase agreement will include:

• The total price.
• The amount of the down payment.
• The date the closing will take place

When completing the purchase agreement, provide as much detail as you can about what's being sold and what's not. The more fully you spell out the details of the sale, the less room there is for problems later.
Most buyers insist that a provision for cancellation without penalties is included to protect them if they're unable to get a mortgage, or if the home inspection uncovers major problems. The buyers might also ask you to make your sale contingent on the sale of their current home. Delays happen frequently, so expect to do a little waiting before your agreement is finalized.

Closing

Many people may attend the closing:  you, your The Criscitos REALTOR®, the buyer and their real estate agent, and an escrow agent (closer) from the title company. (The Buyer is the one who is entitled to chose the closing agent.  The Criscitos Title can make your closing effortless and worry-free.)
During the meeting, which usually takes an hour, you and the buyer will review and sign all of the relevant closing papers. Then, after the buyer provides a cashier or certified check for the down payment and closing costs, you pass the keys to the new owner, and the net proceeds of the sale are yours.
What to Bring to Closing - In the rush of selling your home, don't forget to bring these following items with you:

• Keys and garage door opener(s)
• Code compliance
• If more than one owner, both owners need to attend
• photo ID

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You don't need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to find the right person. For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you? We're all looking for more precious time in our lives, and hiring pros gives us that time.

2) Agents are Buffers

Agents take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If you're a buyer of new homes, your agent will whip out her sword and keep the builder's agents at bay, preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If you're a seller, your agent will filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie loos and try to induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

3) Neighborhood Knowledge

Agents either possess intimate knowledge or they know where to find the industry buzz about your neighborhood. They can identify comparable sales and hand these facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction where you can find more data on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow.

4) Price Guidance

Contrary to what some people believe, agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, an agent will help to guide clients to make the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 7%, for example, an agent has a 7% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 93% interest. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy.

5) Market Conditions Information

Real estate agents can disclose market conditions, which will govern your selling or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the average per square foot cost of similar homes, median and average sales prices, average days on market and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will have a huge bearing on what you ultimately decide to do.

6) Professional Networking

Real estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. Due to legal liability, many agents will hesitate to recommend a certain individual or company over another, but they do know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. Agents can, however, give you a list of references with whom they have worked and provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

7) Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

Top producing agents negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because they are skilled. It's part of their job description. Good agents are not messengers, delivering buyer's offers to sellers and vice versa. They are professionals who are trained to present their client's case in the best light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.

8) Handling Volumes of Paperwork

One-page deposit receipts were prevalent in the early 1970s. Today's purchase agreements run 10 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-mandated disclosures nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files average thicknesses from one to three inches of paper. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands. In some states, lawyers handle the disclosures, thank goodness!

9) Answer Questions After Closing

Even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to your agent can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good agents stand by ready to assist. Worthy and honest agents don't leave you in the dust to fend for yourself.

10) Develop Relationships for Future Business

The basis for an agent's success and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again. Many will periodically mail market updates to you to keep you informed and to stay in touch.

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Avoid House Marketing Mistakes When Selling in a Slow Market

When real estate markets cool down, typically inventory increases and the number of buyers decrease. Make it more difficult to sell homes, yet some homes still sell. So, why do some homes gets offers and others sit on the market? The answer has very little to do with the home itself, as I've heard real estate agents claim. More likely it lies within the poor quality of the marketing efforts. Here are mistakes I see sellers and their agents repeat over and over. Don't let it happen to you.
BAD MARKETING: Uploading Badly Shot Photographs Online
Pictures speak volumes and are noticed before the written word. Since it's the first thing a potential buyer will see, why leave a bad first impression? The job of a photo is to entice the buyer to want to see more of the home in person.

1. Pictures too dark with drapes / blinds closed
2. Photos turned sideways
3. Photos of cluttered rooms
4. Uncropped photos with unnecessary elements in the pictures
5. Photos of pets sleeping on the sofa
6. Not submitting enough photos -- or uploading only one unflattering photo of the front of the house
7. High resolution photos without adjusting pixels for the Internet

BAD MARKETING: Withholding Important Information or Descriptive Comments
When there are tons of homes on the market, simply tossing out a property address while noting the numbers of bedrooms and baths is insufficient information for a home buyer. It doesn't tell a buyer why she should make an appointment to see the home. Good marketing tells a buyer why this particular home is better than the dozens of others on the market. Sellers should focus on:
GOOD MARKETING

1. What makes the home unique?
2. What was the motivating factor that made the seller buy the home in the first place?
3. How can a negative factor be addressed that will accentate its positive attributes?

BAD MARKETING: Underestimating the Importance of Broker / Agent Previews
Just like buyers, agents don't have the time to look at every home on the market. So, what can you do to entice them to come see yours? Because agents are more likely to sell a house they have toured, sellers need to attract selling agents.
GOOD MARKETING

1. Catered lunches. Go beyond the ordinary sandwiches and bottled water. Food motivates, and don't let anybody kid you about this. Be creative with culinary selections.
2. Offer drawings for small gifts or gift certificates.

BAD MARKETING: Restricting Access for Showings
If an agent can't easily show your home, she is going to show another agent's listing instead. Don't give an agent a reason to pass up your home. Any of these can hamper showings:

1. No lockbox on the property
2. Restricted hours to show
3. 24-hour notice
4. By appointment only

GOOD MARKETING

1. Call first, lock box, easy to show.

BAD MARKETING: Offering Less Commission Than Other Listings
It's not that agents are greedy creatures who show only high-fee listings--which is against the law, although some are highly motivated solely by income--but agents tend to view lower-commissioned listings as those in which the seller isn't very motivated to sell.

1. If the seller isn't motivated, it could mean the seller isn't willing to negotiate on price.
2. In slow moving markets, buyers expect to negotiate.
3. Agents whose buyers want to negotiate will show only listings where negotiation is possible.

BAD MARKETING: Not Including Buyer Incentives
Some multi-million-dollar listings offer sports cars as a home buyer incentive, but it doesn't have to be anything that expensive. An incentive doesn't even need to cost the seller if the home price is structured to account for the discount. Here are typical incentives:
GOOD MARKETING

1. $$ credit toward the buyer's closing costs
2. Home protection plan
3. Pre-paid homeowner association fees for a year
4. Buy-down mortgage interest rate
5. Weekend getaway for two

BAD MARKETING: Saying No to Print Advertising
You can't keep your home sale a secret and expect to sell it. Whether you pay for advertising or your agent does, you need to let everyone know it is for sale. The best way to do that is to advertise.
GOOD MARKETING

1. Sunday classifieds in daily newspaper
2. Picture classifieds, if offered during the week
3. Local weekly or bi-weekly newspaper

BAD MARKETING: Saying No to Virtual Tours
Buyers today begin their home searches online. There is no better way to initially view a home than in the comfort of one's own pajamas at home in front of the computer, looking at a 360-degree tour. Some buyers won't even consider a property listing if it doesn't include a virtual tour. Basic requirements are:
GOOD MARKETING

• Minimum of two spins and preferably more if space lends itself.
• High resolution photos that buyers can print themselves.
• Ability to download photos so buyers can e-mail the pictures to friends / family.

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The Worst Home Selling Mistake a Seller Can Make

#1 Home Selling Mistake

There's a great saying in the real estate business. To succeed in life, you want to be:  The First Child, The Second Spouse and The Third Realtor. And like with most sayings, there is some truth in that statement, as agents who pick up listings after sellers have made major mistakes will attest.

But We Want More Money
When the average seller sits down to interview real estate agents, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement over choosing a sales price. More money means more financial opportunities for the homeowner. Perhaps it means the seller can afford to buy a more expensive home, help pay for her child's college education or take that greatly overdue vacation. Unfortunately, uninformed sellers often choose the listing agent who suggests the highest list price, which is the worst mistake a seller can make.

Establishing Value
The truth is it doesn't really matter how much money you think your home is worth.
Nor does it matter what your agent thinks or ten other agents just like her. The person whose opinion matters is the buyer who makes an offer. Pricing homes is part art and part science. It involves comparing similar properties, making adjustments for the differences among them, tracking market movements and taking stock of present inventory, all in an attempt to come up with a range of value, an educated opinion. This method is the same way an appraiser evaluates a home. And no two appraisals are ever exactly the same; however, they are generally close to each other. In other words, there is no hard and fast price tag to slap on your home. It's only an educated guess and the market will dictate the price.

Is it Too Low?
Homes sell at a price a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. If a home is priced too low, priced under the competition, the seller should receive multiple offers to drive up the price to market value. So there is little danger in pricing a home too low. The danger lies in pricing it too high and selecting your agent solely on opinion of value.

How It Starts To Go Wrong
The seller of the Spanish home pictured on this page didn't even interview her real estate agents. She plucked the first one off the Internet because, "He looked like such a nice guy." He priced her home at $1.3 million. This agent never heard the local agents chuckling behind his back because he worked in a different city. After 90 days, the listing expired.

Continues To Go Wrong
The next agent, also from another town, listed the home at $1.1 million. Months passed. Eventually the price dropped to just under $900,000. Still no takers.

More Than a Year Later
By the time the last agent was hired to list this home, the seller had grown weary and exhausted. It was now 12 months later. Together, the seller and her agent priced the home at $695,000. It immediately sold for all cash. The sad part is the comparable sales in the neighborhood fully justified a price of $835,000, but the home had been on the market for too long at the wrong price, and now the market had softened.

Agents Specialize in Expired Listings
There is an agent in my office whose basic real estate practice is comprised of calling sellers of expired listings and relisting them at market value. He sits in a small room with a phone, desk and chair, dialing number after number. Last year he sold more than 34 homes valued at more than $13,600,000, and he has 18 active listings right now. He makes a pretty good living repackaging overpriced homes.

Protect yourself
The question is how much money have those expired listings cost the sellers? The financial loss often exceeds the extra mortgage payments paid and goes beyond the uncompensated hassle factor of trying to keep a home spotless during showings. It affects the value that a buyer ultimately chooses to pay because it's not a fresh listing anymore. It's now stale, dated, a market-worn home that was overpriced for too long. Don't let it happen to you. Don't be that seller of an expired listing.

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Selling a House with Pets at Home

Almost everybody loves pets except the home buyer who is buying your house. Don't ask me why, but that's often how it works out. Home sellers who adore their pets have a hard time imagining the negative attitudes others harbor against pets. So, while this might be a bitter pill to swallow, if you want to get top dollar for your house, pay attention to how much you might lose with a dog or cat in residence.
Why Don't Home Buyers Like Your Pet?
Pets make some people very uncomfortable. Not everybody grew up with a family pet or enjoys outings at the zoo. Fur and four legs does not a human make. Fear. Real and irrational. It's not only dogs that instill fear in people. All kinds of silly wives' tales and superstitions involve cats. Inexperience. Pets are not always predictable. Your pets aren't their pets. They imagine yours bite, jump, vomit, claw, spit-up hairballs or are just plain hyper and bad.
#1 Preferred Pet Solution
You're not going to like this but I'll say it anyway, fully realizing that this very excellent piece of advice is likely to fall on deaf ears. The best thing to do to ensure top price for your home is to relocate your pets while your home is on the market. Putting them in the back yard, in the garage or in another room that you keep locked is insufficient, and it's not fair to them. You need to remove them from the house.
Let a friend or relative care for Fluffy and Spike. Board them at a kennel. Send them on vacation.
Overcoming Negatives Associated with Your Pets
If you shrug off all professional advice and absolutely refuse to move your pets out of the house, then at least minimize the objections and nuisance factors, real or otherwise:

1. Cat Litter Boxes & Dog Potty Pads

Keep them out of sight and impeccably clean. Nothing turns off buyers faster than opening the door to the laundry room and being greeted by a full or stinky cat box.

1. Carpet & Floor Pet Stains

Hire professionals to remove the stains. Buyers will spot them and form unfavorable opinions about the rest of the house. If the stains can't be removed, then remove the floor covering and replace it.

1. Pet Odors and Smells
2. Cat urine is the worst. Without question. The. Worst. Bring in a neighbor to do a whiff test.
3. Do not use air fresheners. People with allergies will react.

Remove Signs of a Pet
You may be required by state law to disclose that pets have lived in your home, but you don't need to advertise that pets live at your house. Removing signs that you have a pet is simply smart practice. Why turn off a buyer at the get-go? It's those first impressions that are so all-fired important.

1. Do not put photos online showing your cat asleep on the bed
2. Seal up doggie doors
3. Put away food and water bowls when not in use
4. Vacuum religiously, every day, sometimes twice a day
5. Pick up pet toys and put them away
6. Pack up cat trees and other signs of cat paraphernalia (you know who you are)
7. Remove photos of pets from refrigerator, walls and table tops
8. Pack up all cages, carriers and other tell-tale signs

Showing Your House
Put your pets into a carrier and attach a note warning buyers not to disturb them. The last thing you need is somebody sticking their hand inside the carrier and getting bit or scratched. You can't predict how your pet will react when locked up and alone.
I learned the hard way by letting my cat run loose during a showing. I was outside talking to my neighbor while the selling agent showed my home. We heard loud knocking and looked up to see the agent rapping on my upstairs window. I thought he was showing the buyer I had dual panes. It didn't dawn on me that he was panicking and couldn't figure out how to open the window. When the rapping continued, I went inside. Turned out my cat had cornered the agent and the buyer, and was growling at them.
Needless to say, that buyer didn't buy my house

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How To Prepare Your House For Sale

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Here's How:

Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.

1. Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
2. Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
3. Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
4. Say goodbye to every room.
5. Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.

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."
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.

1. If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
2. Remove all books from bookcases.
3. Pack up those knickknacks.
4. Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
5. Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
6. Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

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. This means:

1. Alphabetize spice jars.
2. Neatly stack dishes.
3. Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
4. Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.

Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"
Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.
Make Minor Repairs.

1. Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
2. Patch holes in walls.
3. Fix leaky faucets.
4. Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
5. Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
   (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
6. Replace burned-out light bulbs.
7. If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

Make the House Sparkle!

1. Wash windows inside and out.
2. Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
3. Clean out cobwebs.
4. Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
5. Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
6. Clean out the refrigerator.
7. Vacuum daily.
8. Wax floors.
9. Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
10. Bleach dingy grout.
11. Replace worn rugs.
12. Hang up fresh towels.
13. Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
14. Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

Scrutinize.

1. Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
2. Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
3. Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
4. Make sure window coverings hang level.
5. Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
6. Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.

Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.

• Keep the sidewalks cleared.
• Mow the lawn.
• Paint faded window trim.
• Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
• Trim your bushes.
• Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

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Pricing Houses to Sell

Price Your House Right

The single most important factor to consider when selling a house is the home price tag: how much your house is worth. You don't want to overprice the house because you will lose the freshness of the home's appeal after the first two to three weeks of showings. After 21 days, demand and interest wane. On the other hand, don't worry about pricing it too low because homes priced below market value often will receive multiple offers, which will then drive up the price to market. Pricing is all about supply and demand. It's part art and part science, and no two agents price property the same way.
Pull Comparable Listings and Sales

Look at every similar home that was or is listed in the same neighborhood over the past six months.

The list should contain homes within a 1/4 mile to a 1/2 mile and no further, unless there are only a handful of comps in the general vicinity or the property is rural.

Pay attention to neighborhood dividing lines and physical barriers such as major streets, freeways or railroads, and do not compare inventory from the "other side of the tracks." Where I live, for example, identical homes across the street from each other can vary by $100,000. Perceptions and desirability have value.

Compare similar square footage, within 10% up or down from the subject property, if possible.

Similar ages. One neighborhood might consist of homes built in the 1950s next door to another ring of construction from the 1980s. Values between the two will differ. Compare apples to apples.

Sold Comps

Pull history for expired and withdrawn listings to determine whether any were taken off the market and relisted. If so, add those days on market to these listing time periods to arrive at an actual number of days on market.

Compare original list price to final sales price to determine price reductions.

Compare final sales price to actual sold price to determine ratios.

Adjust pricing for lot size variances, configuration and amenities / upgrades.

Withdrawn & Expired Listings

Look for patterns as to why these homes did not sell and the common factors they share.

Which brokerage had the listing: a company that ordinarily sells everything it lists or was it a discount brokerage that might not have spent money on marketing?

Think about the steps you can take to prevent your home from becoming an expired listing.

Pending Sales

Since these are pending sales, the sales prices are unknown until the transactions close, but that doesn't stop anybody from calling the listing agents and asking them to tell you. Some will. Some won't.

Make note of the days on market, which may have a direct bearing on how long it will take before you see an offer.

Examine the history of these listings to determine price reductions.

Active Listings

These matter only as they compare to your listing, but bear in mind that sellers can ask whatever they want.

To see what buyers will see, tour these homes. Make note of what you like and dislike, the general feeling you get upon entering these homes. If possible, recreate those feelings of reception in your own home.

These homes are your competition. Ask yourself why a buyer would prefer your home over any of these and adjust your price accordingly.

Square Foot Cost Comparisons

Remember that after you receive an offer, the buyer's lender will order an appraisal, so you will want to compare homes of similar square footage.

Appraisers don't like to deviate more 25% and prefer to stay within 10% of net square footage computations. If your home is 2000 sq. ft., comparable homes are those sized 1800 to 2200 sq. ft.

Average square foot cost does not mean you can multiple your square footage by that number unless your home is average sized. The price per square foot rises as the size decreases and it decreases as the size increases, meaning larger homes have a smaller square foot cost and smaller homes have a larger square foot cost.

Market Dependent Pricing

Same house, three different prices. After you have collected all your data, the next step is to analyze the data based on market conditions. For comparison purposes, let's say the last three comparable sales in your neighborhood were $150,000. In a buyer's market, your sales price might allow some wiggle room for negotiation but be strong enough (near the last comparable sale) to entice a buyer to tour your home. To sell in this market, you might need to price your home at $149,900, settling for $145,000.

In a seller's market, you might want to add 10% more to the last comparable sale. When there is little inventory and many buyers, you can ask more than the last comparable sale and likely get it. So that $150,000 home might sell at $165,000 or more.

In a balanced or neutral market, you may want to initially set your price at the last comparable sale and then adjust for the market trend. For example, if the last sale closed three months ago, but the median price has edged upwards of 1% per month, pricing at $154,500 would make sense.