| Selling your home may be the most daunting | | | | or want to save the commission fee that you'd |
| project that you'll ever undertake! But did you | | | | pay a Realtor, there are many options available to |
| know that these 10 steps to selling your home | | | | the sell-it-yourselfer. |
| can add thousands of dollars to the selling price | | | | Step Six: Do Some Market Research |
| and save you headaches in the long run? You | | | | Whether you're selling your home on your own or |
| should have a checklist of things to do in | | | | contracting with a Realtor or real estate agent to |
| preparation for selling your home-from the time | | | | sell for you, you should do a bit of market |
| you make that all important decision to the | | | | research. The price you list your home for will be |
| moment you sign your name on the dotted line. | | | | the single most important factor in how quickly it |
| Here's a ten step plan that will help selling your | | | | sells, or if it sells at all. Find out how much similar |
| home go more smoothly. | | | | homes in your neighborhood have sold for in |
| Step One: Have Your Home Formally Inspected | | | | recent weeks, and adjust your expectations |
| and Appraised By a Professional | | | | accordingly. Remember, even if your home has |
| Any Realtor will tell you that the key to selling | | | | been appraised far above the prevailing |
| your home is to offer it at the right price, and the | | | | community prices, pricing it according to the |
| best way to come up with that price is to get a | | | | appraisal rather than the neighborhood is a poor |
| professional to tell you what your house is worth. | | | | business decision. Buyers buy location as much as |
| An initial home inspection will also help you | | | | they do 'house'. |
| determine what, if any, problems you will need to | | | | Step Seven: Set the Stage |
| repair before your house is marketable. | | | | Depersonalize your house. Put away all personal |
| Step Two: Readjust Your Thinking | | | | memorabilia. Take family photos off the walls and |
| The moment you decide to sell, you need to stop | | | | mantelpieces and tuck knick-knacks away out of |
| looking at your home as YOUR home. In other | | | | sight. After you've put away all your personal |
| words, you'll need to put aside your sentiments | | | | accents, take a look around. If it's bare, perk |
| and emotions and see your home as a house - a | | | | things up with a few potted plants or 'neutral' |
| piece of merchandise that you're preparing for | | | | accents. Remember, the more potential buyers |
| sale. Take a brutal, honest look at your home, | | | | can visualize the house as "theirs," the better |
| inside and out, and make a note of anything that | | | | chance you'll have for a sale. |
| is less than perfect. | | | | Step Eight: Advertise Your House for Sale |
| Step Three: Make Repairs and Improvements | | | | If you've decided to sell on your own, you'll need |
| The number one rule of thumb in doing work on | | | | to advertise. Get your house listed in local 'Home |
| your house is: improve when you buy, repair | | | | for Sale' magazines, place ads in the local |
| when you sell. In most cases, you won't come | | | | newspaper, put up a sign on your lawn and at the |
| anywhere near recovering the cost of any major | | | | end of the street, and put your home up on the |
| improvements that you make just before you | | | | web on a sell-your-own-home site. See ( ) as an |
| sell. This is the time to take care of those repairs | | | | example. |
| that you've put off, such as fixing broken roof | | | | Step Nine: Hold an Open House |
| tiles, repairing gutters and trim, or taking care of | | | | Open houses are a great way to have your |
| that loose hinge that makes the shutter on the | | | | house seen by many people at once. Plan a |
| bedroom window hang crooked. | | | | weekend open house when you first put your |
| Step Four: Take Care of the Cosmetics | | | | house on the market, and make sure that the |
| This is also the time to consider repainting, inside | | | | Realtors in your area are aware of it so that they |
| and out. You'll get the biggest return on your | | | | can bring their buyers to see your house. |
| investment on cosmetic improvements - a new | | | | Step Ten: Have Inspections Done Beforehand So |
| paint job, new carpeting, or new landscaping. | | | | That You Will Have All the Paperwork On Hand |
| Step Five: Decide If You're Going to Sell Your | | | | While some buyers will still insist on having their |
| Home Yourself, Or Hire a Realtor | | | | own inspections done, many will be grateful to be |
| There are definite pros and cons to either option. | | | | spared the expense and time. It's one more thing |
| In general, if you need a quick sale, or if you don't | | | | that can expedite the selling process once the |
| have the time to put into marketing your home | | | | offer is made. |
| yourself, a Realtor will likely be your best option. | | | | It's not impossible to have smooth transaction |
| Realtors have the expertise to market your | | | | throughout the process of selling your home-it |
| home to the right buyers, and the time to do it | | | | only takes a little planning and organization! |
| right. If, on the other hand, you have time to sell, | | | | |