Practicing Seller's Etiquette

Let's face it: When your house goes on the market, you're not only opening the door to prospective buyers, but also sometimes to unknown vendors and naive or unqualified buyers. As with any business transaction, there is an expected protocol to how sellers, buyers and their respective agents interact. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation, alert your agent so he or she can address and remedy the problem. 

The Aggressive Agent

When your agent puts your house on the market, typically all promotional materials state clearly that your agent is the primary contact for buyers and buyers' agents. However, sometimes a buyer's agent will contact a seller directly to try to either win over their business or cut the seller's agent out of the deal. This is not reputable behavior and you should report it to your agent immediately if it happens to you. 

The Unscrupulous Vendor

Have you ever started a business or moved into a new house and suddenly found your mailbox full of junk mail? Unfortunately, this also can happen when you put your house on the market. When you sell your home, it necessitates all kinds of new purchasing decisions and less-than-ethical vendors are keenly aware of this. Though MLS organizations enforce rules on how posted information is used, some companies have found ways to cull information from various sources to produce mass mailing lists. If you find yourself regularly emptying your mailbox of junk, let your agent know. He or she can tap the appropriate sources to prompt an investigation into the matter. 

The Naive Buyer

Yard signs, Internet listings and other advertisements can generate a lot of buzz for your home. Some prospective buyers - particularly first-timers - will be so buzzed to see your home that they'll simply drop by. If this happens, no matter how nice these unexpected visitors are, it's best not to humor their enthusiasm by discussing your home or giving an impromptu tour. Instead, politely let them know that your real estate agent is in charge of scheduling tours and provide them with the agent's contact information. If you attempt to handle these surprise visits on your own, you might inadvertently disclose information that could hurt you during negotiations down the road. Keep this is mind when talking to friends, coworkers and nosy neighbors!

The most important thing about selling your house is the agent & brokerage you choose to list with. Everything from timing, pricing the house, staging, describing, photographing, marketing and more is dependent on the listing agent. I excel in these areas as well as communication, negotiation and other skills that contribute to a successful and stress free transaction!

For a free comparative market analysis on your home, please fill out the form on my home page under "Sell" available here.

3 Great ROI (Return On Investment) Upgrades to Add Value to Your Home

Smart upgrades can make a big difference in the value of and future sale of your home. Very personalized touches can be expensive and may not add value if they don't appeal to a wide range of people.

Most homeowners will say:

“We put $20,000 of work into this home and expect to get that back when we sell.”

Unfortunately, that isn't always how it goes. Here are three great project upgrades with ROI that will make homeowners happy:

1. Install a Steel Door

Aside from safe communities, buyers also want safe homes. Steel doors offer a feeling of security and protection and will give you an impressive ROI of 101.8%*

2. Add a Wooden Deck

Wooden decks are ideal for outdoor spaces. They make the home feel larger and typically cost less than brick patios, with an ROI of 80.5%*

3. Improve Curb Appeal

The first areas of a home that buyers see are the driveway, front yard and the front of the house. Add some shrubs or flowers, pressure wash the driveway and repaint the front door to make a lasting impression!

My suggestion with many of these updates is to do them before you intend to sell so you can enjoy them as well! If you have any questions about home updates I would be happy to do free consulting on the resale aspect, just call me 614.638.5817

Increasing Your Home's Appeal

When you are preparing your home for sale, remember the 60-second rule: That's all the time you have to create a winning first impression.

Here are some simple to significant ways to maximize your home's appeal:

Exterior

• Keep the grass cut and remove all yard clutter.
• Weed and apply fresh mulch to flower beds.
• Apply fresh paint to wooden fences.
• Tighten and clean all door handles.
• Clean windows inside and out.
• Powerwash home's exterior.
• Ensure all gutters and downspouts are firmly attached and functioning.
• Paint the front door.
• Buy a new welcome mat.
• Place potted flowers near the front door.

Interior

• Evaluate the furniture in each room and remove anything that interrupts "the flow" or makes the room appear smaller. Consider renting a storage unit to move items off-site.
• Clean and organize cabinets, closets and bookshelves.
• Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans.
• Shampoo carpets.
• Remove excessive wall hangings and knick-knacks.
• Repair all plumbing leaks, including faucets and drain traps.
• Make minor repairs (torn screens, sticking doors, cracked caulking).
• Clean or paint walls and ceilings.
• Replace worn cabinet and door knobs.
• Fix or replace discolored grout.
• Replace broken tiles.
• Replace worn countertops.

Special details for showings

• Turn on all the lights.
• Open all drapes and shutters in the daytime.
• Keep pets secured outdoors.
• Buy new towels for bathrooms.
• Buy new bedding for bedrooms.
• Replace old lamps or lampshades.
• Play quiet background music.
• Light the fireplace or clean out the ashes and light a candelabrum.
• Infuse home with a comforting scent, such as apple spice or vanilla.
• Set the dining room table for a fancy dinner party.
• Vacate the property while it is being shown.
• ** For an extra touch, bake some treats in the oven the morning of the kitchen is warm, smells good and people think of themselves cooking and eating in "their new" kitchen. 

How to Price to Sell and Still Make a Profit

The asking price you set for your home significantly affects whether you will profit in the sale, how much you will profit and how long your home will sit on the market. Your real estate agent's knowledge of the overall market and what's selling - or not selling - will be invaluable in helping you determine the price. The objective is to find a price that the market will bear, but won't leave money on the table. 

Here are some points to consider:

Time. Time is not on your side when it comes to real estate. Although many factors influence the outcome, perhaps time is the biggest determinant in whether or not you see a profit and how much you profit. Studies show that the longer a house stays on the market, the less likely it is to sell for the original asking price. Therefore, if your goal is to make money, think about a price that will encourage buyer activity.

Value vs. Cost. Pricing your home to sell in a timely fashion requires some objectivity. It's important that you not confuse value with cost - in other words, how much you value your home versus what buyers are willing to pay for it. Don't place too much emphasis on home improvements when calculating your price, because buyers may not share your taste. For instance, not everyone wants the same type of flooring, color of cabinet, style of home.

Keep it simple. Because time is of the essence, make it easy for the buyers. Remain flexible on when your agent can schedule showings. Also, avoid putting contingencies on the sale. Though a desirable move-in date makes for a smoother transition between homes, it could cause you to lose the sale altogether.