| Choosing a Realtor® Find a Realtor® you feel comfortable with. It may be the most important decision you make in regards to the sale of your home. Choose a local Realtor®. He or she will know your area better than an outsider, will be seen as a source for people looking to relocate in your neighborhood, and will get better co-operation from other agents. It is likely that any amount you might save by having a friend or relative from outside the area serve as your Realtor® will be lost in their lack of knowledge about the very specific local market. Ask for references from the Realtor®. He or she should be willing to give you names of previous clients. Look for a Realtor® who tells you what he or she knows from experience in the market, and not what they think you want to hear. Flattery may sometimes get the listing but it doesn’t sell the home! Make a Good Impression Make a small investment in time, money and effort to give your home an advantage over competing properties. First impressions count! Work with your Realtor to decide which items need attention and how you can make your property visually more attractive. ü Keep lawns cut ü Trim hedges and shrubs ü Clear driveways and clean up oil spills ü Clean out garage ü Touch up paint ü Make repairs where needed ü Clear halls and stairs of clutter ü Store surplus furniture ü Clear kitchen counter and stove top, clear front of refrigerator of pictures, etc. ü Tidy closets, remove excess clothing ü Repair leaking taps and toilets ü Clean furnace and filters ü Repair cracked plaster ü Clean and repair windows ü Repair seals around tubs and basins ü Replace defective light bulbs ü Oil squeaky doors ü Clean, bathrooms, fridge & stove, heating vents and washer & dryer. ü Clean carpets, drapes and window blinds. ü Clear front porch and foyer ü Ensure doorbell works ü Repair broken screens ü Repair door locks and key access. Benefits of Proper Pricing When your home sells faster, you save carrying costs, mortgage payments and other ownership costs. If you’ve sold a home in the past you know the energy it takes preparing your home for showings: keeping it clean, being removed from you home at scheduled times and altering your lifestyle. Proper pricing reduces these demands on you, by helping your home sell faster. At market value your home will gain exposure to more prospects who can afford the price. Sellers who may be looking for that one buyer who is willing to pay that over the market price may have discouraged many more buyers who could have afforded the home. The final sales price is probably one that will be affordable by more buyers. This is because sellers many times accept a much lower price at a much later date since that one buyer willing to pay the higher price never comes. When real estate salespeople are excited about a home and its price, they make special efforts to contact all of their potential buyers. Knowing that it is priced properly for its market, they expect it to sell soon and encourage their prospects to act quickly. Most serious prospects are well educated about asking prices and market values in the areas they are looking. They will not waste their time on a home they consider overpriced. If a home is priced right, the excitement of the market produces less “low ball offers”. You net more both in actual sale price and in less carrying costs. Moving Checklist ü Post Office Change of Address ü Change of Address to Charge Accounts and Credit Card Accounts, Friends & Relatives and subscriptions. ü Notify Bank and arrange for new accounts if needed. ü Insurance companies: life, health, fire, auto, homeowners. ü Automobile and License transfers. ü Utilities: Gas, Oil, Electricity, Cable, Water, Telephone. Arrange for immediate service in new location. ü School: Transfer children’s records to new school. ü Medical: Ask for medical records for family and pets. Recommendations for Doctors and Pharmacists in new location. ü Plan use of food to empty freezer and refrigerator. ü On moving day carry currency, jewelry, personal documents yourself or use registered mail. Carry traveler’s checks for quick available funds. ü Tell close friends or relatives your route and schedule. Use them as “message headquarters”. ü Double check closets, drawers and shelves to be sure they are empty. ü Plan for transporting pets.
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