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Selling a Home

Sales Practice Called "Buying a Listing"

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Sellers! Beware of real estate agents who are willing to take your listing out at your price and who requests you to drop the price later. if your property doesn't sale in some time. These agents engaging in a questionable sales practice called "buying a listing". They "bought" the listing by suggesting you might be able to get a higher sales price than the other agents recommended. Most likely, thy are quite doubtful that your home will actually sell at that price. The intention from the beginning is to eventually talk you into lowering the price.

According to the NAR research, this peactice results in loss time and money. As the result, eventually your listng wiil be sold, but at the price about of 81% of the market value at the date of listing was signed.

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Ways to Sell Your Home in Today’s Tough Market Without Driving Yourself Broke

Published on February 15, 2008 by Melissa Knight in Real Estate

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You want to sell your home, maybe you need to sell your home, but it’s just not working. Some tips for making your house more desirable than the other ones out there without spending thousands of dollars that you don’t have.

Is your house on the market? Are you considering selling your home any time soon? Today’s market is tough on sellers. Really tough. Potential buyers are expecting more and more for their money and some sellers are desperate enough to give anything to unload their homes. It’s really getting ugly. As a seller, however, you can help to offset some of the angst of the process by being ready before you even think about putting a sign in your front yard.

Whether you’re working with a real estate agent, or considering going it alone, it’s a good idea to talk to people who could be viewed as a potential buyer. If you have friends who are in the market for a new home, ask them what they would and would not like about your house. Put yourself in a potential buyer’s shoes and look at some houses yourself. Take note of what you like and what you don’t.

Now, take a walk through your house. Lots of potential buyers will tell you that even you may never notice, if you have ugly lights in the house, it’s a big turn off. Another no-no: dark rooms. If you have a wall of windows, use them; if you have dark paneling, paint it.

As you walk around, consider what you would not like about your home. Then, make a list. This will serve you well later on.

Fresh paint can make all the difference. Consider painting your whole house, or at least the main rooms. Choose neutral colors that brighten up the room. The idea is to make it look larger and more open. Instead of white, consider a nice creamy color, which also adds warmth. Keep your ceilings white, as most people don’t like the feel of rooms with colored ceilings.

If you’re still living in the home you’re trying to sell, which most are, keep your house neat and clean at all times. It looks really bad when someone comes to view your home and there are dishes in the sink and your beds are unmade. As a matter of procedure, any time you leave your house, you should be sure that it’s neat and tidy. Make sure to at least spot-clean hard floors and vacuum every other day. Keep dust off the furnishings as well, as it can cause your house to look dirtier than it is. In the event that you’ve had a really bad couple of days, like your family’s sick, or you just haven’t had time to keep up the house the way you would like, call your realtor and ask them not to show your house for a couple of days. This will give you time to make sure that when someone does come, you have had time to ensure that all will look nice.

Replace light fixtures and beat up floors. Yes, this may mean carpeting or hard floors, but no buyer in this market is thinking they can change this and this and this. Often, buyers will get financing only for the house, with no extra, so they don’t want to have to change too much. Stick with modern light fixtures that go with anything (brushed chrome is good for bathrooms, as it will work with any décor). Don’t spend too much money on these things. Look for sales on these items. Remember, it doesn’t have to be elaborate and expensive, now, simple and functional sells better. When you’re doing your flooring, keep the same rules in mind. Choose products that look good and wear well, without being too expensive. For hard floors, instead of putting in tile, consider vinyl tiles, which are easy to install, easy to clean and come in a wide variety of colors. Stick with a warm neutral without being too light (it shows dirt more). For carpeting, go with something that doesn’t show traffic patterns much, but don’t go overboard on the extras. You don’t have to get extra thick padding and super lush fibers.

Play up the selling points. If your house has a fireplace, make sure to play that up. Clean it out and put candles in it. Make sure that your chimney has been cleaned if you use it and create a warm grouping of furniture around it. Put candles or mirrors on the mantle, to create a cozy, open feeling. If flowers are in season, or before an open house, consider putting a couple of arrangements on the mantle. Flowers add cheer without being overbearing. At most grocery stores, you can buy a bouquet of nice in season flowers for less than $10.

Replace window dressings and shades before people start to view your home. Often, these will stay with the house, so choose neutral colors that can show off the windows. If it’s a large window, choose shades or curtains that you can easily open to showcase the view. Window dressings should be an accent, not a showcase.

Keep renovations to a minimum; paint and change hardware instead. Don’t remodel your bathroom and kitchen just because it’s outdated. Simply choose new hardware (drawer and door handles) and paint your cabinets. Make sure they’re all in good working condition, of course, and take doors off and drawers out before you begin. Don’t reran until all the paint is dry and take a step back. It’s amazing how you can really update a bathroom and kitchen with only a little money.

Don’t forget curb appeal. Consider buying some plants that do well with minimal watering or upkeep and look nice. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on new shrubs; just trim up what you have and use rocks underneath them instead of mulch. You can also really neaten up untidy flowerbeds by getting an edging of some kind. They’re easy to insert and usually relatively inexpensive. Make sure to keep your lawn neat and green; most fertilizers now do double duty against weeds and are cost effective. Trim along flower beds, driveways and sidewalks with a weed whacker, as it looks the cleanest.

Okay, now you’re ready. Get your appraisal, but be realistic in your price. Don’t lowball your home right away, because there will always be a buyer ready to insult you and offer you way less than you wanted, but don’t expect too much more than what’s realistic either.

Good luck, and happy selling. Who knows, with all the improvements, you may just decide to stay

Where do I get information on home market statistics and trends? HBR updates this data monthly. Contact me NOW and request the current status of the local housing market.

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In August 2008, the National Association of Realtors received questionnaire results from 10,053 home buyers and sellers who transacted between July 2007-June 2008 which resulted in the 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.  

Some Results:

Only 1% of sellers chose an agent based on his or her commission.

46% of sellers said the real estate agent initiated a discussion of compensation.

24% of sellers brought up the topic and the agent was willing to negotiate the commission or fee.

13% of sellers did not know commissions and fees are negotiable.

Almost 90% of buyers and sellers would “definitely or probably” use the same agent again or refer to them.

81% of home buyers and 84 percent sellers used a real estate professional (consistent with 2007 numbers).

Sellers found their agents via referral 38% of the time and buyers did 43% of the time.

26% of sellers used their agent in a previous home purchase and 18% of buyers used an agent from a previous purchase.

6% of homes purchased were in foreclosure in 2008 whereas in 2007 it was only 1%.

38% of buyers considered buying a foreclosure home but didn’t primarily because they couldn’t find the right home.

39% percent saying transportation costs were somewhat important.

Environmentally friendly features were of importance to 90% of buyers.

Buyers searched a median of 10 weeks and viewed 10 homes.

Nearly 90% consider their home a good investment, and almost half see it as a better investment than stocks.

15% of buyers own two or more homes.

Repeat buyers made a median downpayment of 15 percent, but 10 percent paid cash.

Home sellers’ median age was 47 and the average income was $91,000.

75% of home sellers were married couples.

Home sellers averaged 6 years in their home.

Sellers moved a median distance of 19 miles.

Homes averaged 8 weeks on the market.

5% of sellers who also purchased a home reported selling their home in a short sale.

42% of sellers offered incentives to attract buyers.

Nationally, homes sold for an average of 96% of the listing price.

86% of sellers were satisfied with the selling process.

52% of sellers were trading up to a larger home, while 22 percent were downsizing.

81% of sellers used a full-service brokerage.

9% of sellers chose to use a limited service brokerage.

9% of sellers used minimal service (as in MLS-listing only service).

The choices made in service levels have remained identical to 2007 and 2006.

87% of buyers used the Internet in their search.

85% of buyers used a real estate agent in their search.

62% of buyers used a yard sign in their search.

48% of buyers used an open house in their search.

47% of buyers looked at print or newspaper ads in their search.

Fewer buyers rely on a home book or magazine, home builders, television, billboards and relocation companies.

Buyers most commonly start their search process online and then contact a real estate agent.

When asked where they first learned about the home purchased, 34% of buyers said a real estate agent; 32% the Internet; 15% from yard signs; 7% from a friend, neighbor or relative; 7% from home builders; 3% a print or newspaper ad; 2% directly from the seller; and 1% a home book or magazine.

87% of home buyers who used the Internet to search for a home purchased through a real estate agent, in contrast with 72% of non-Internet users who were more likely to purchase directly from a builder or from an owner they already knew in a private transaction.

Local metropolitan MLS sites were the most popular Internet resource, used by 60% of buyers followed by Realtor.com at 48%; real estate company sites at 46%; real estate agent sites 43%; FSBO sites 19%; & local newspaper sites 11%; other categories were smaller.

61% of buyers are married couples, 20% are single women, 10% single men, 7% unmarried couples and 2% other.

26% of buyers are non-white, 9% were born outside the U.S., and 4% primarily speak a language other than English.

78% of all respondents purchased a detached single-family home, 9% a condo, 8% a townhouse or rowhouse, and 5% some other kind of housing.

55% of all homes purchased were in a suburb or subdivision, 17% were in an urban area, 16% in a small town, 10% in a rural area and 2% in a resort or recreation area.

The level of for-sale-by-owner transactions was 13%, up slightly from a record-low market share of 12 percent in both 2007 and 2006.

The level of homes sold without professional representation has trended lower since reaching a cyclical peak of 18% in 1997.

45% of FSBO were “closely held” between parties who knew each other in advance and not placed on the open market.

Factoring out properties that were not placed on the open market, the actual number of homes sold without professional assistance is 7%– the rest are unrepresented sellers in private transactions (matching the results in the 2007 study and marks a downtrend from 10 percent sold on the open market in 2004.

The median home price for sellers who used an agent was $211,000 vs. $153,000 for a home sold directly by an owner, but according to NAR, “there were important differences between the two. Unassisted sellers were more likely to be in a rural area or small town where sellers are more likely to know potential buyers. In addition, the home was more likely to be a mobile or manufactured home, and the owner’s income was lower than that of sellers using agents.”

The most difficult tasks reported by unrepresented sellers are selling within the planned length of time, getting the right price, preparing the home for sale, and understanding and performing paperwork.

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Seller!  Price right for today's market

Pricing too high can be the kiss of death for home sellers in today's market. Many buyers are sitting on the fence, waiting to see what happens with the economy, and hoping that home prices will drop further.

On the other hand, the recent uptick in home-sale activity confirms that low interest rates coupled with lower home prices have many buyers convinced that they should buy now. But, they are looking for bargains.

Where do I get information on home market statistics and trends? HBR updates this data monthly. Contact me NOW and request the current status of the local housing market.

CBS Tips For Selling Your Home

There are some ways you can optimize your home sale in this shaky market. Ray Martin shares them with Julie Chen.

Watch Full Video (After Commercial)

Attention: For Sale By Owners!

Why People Are Afraid To Buy From You!

How to Add Value to Your Property

Published on March 25, 2009 by HelloMickey in Real Estate

Many homeowners believe that to maximize their profit on a home sale they should sell it themselves. At first glance, they feel selling a home is simple and why should they pay a broker fees for something they could do themselves? In fact, close to 25% of all the homes sold last year were sold for sale by owner (FSBO).

However, close to half of the FSBO’s said that they would hire a professional next time they sold. Thirty percent said they were unhappy with the results they achieved by choosing FSBO.

Why?

Many FSBO’s told us that the time, paperwork and everyday responsibilities involved were not worth the amount of money they saved in commissions. For others, the financial savings were even more disappointing. By the time they figured the amount of fees paid to outside consultants, inspectors, appraisers, title lawyers, escrow and loan officers, marketing, advertising... they would have been better off having paid the broker’s fee which would have included many of these charges up front.

Selling a home requires an intimate understanding of the real estate market. If the property is priced too high, it will sit and develop a reputation for being a problem property. If the property is priced too low, you will cost yourself serious money. Some FSBO’s discovered that the lost money as a result of poor decisions outweighed the commission.

Before you decide to sell FSBO, consider these questions and weigh the answers of assuming the responsibility versus employing a professional. A little time spent investigating up front will pay off tenfold in the end.  

You should know your goals, plan it carefully! Key is don’t over capitalise! Everyone want to have more profit on their property.

Are you renovating to sell the property? If yes, this is the article you should read!

Home improvements cost you more money than they can add value to your home! So just stick to the rule. Don't spend more money than you can afford! You should not expect to recoup the money you overly spent when you sell the home

Tips

If you are asking a couple of million dollars for your home, make sure everything is working and livable.

More considerations would add more value to you home when you want to sell your property.

Selling A House In A Buyers' Market

It certainly isn't easy, but there are definitely steps you can take to make it easier, and Early Show money maven Ray Martin spells them out in this column.

As the supply of homes for sale continues to grow throughout the U.S., hopes that the spring and summer selling season will see a rebound are dwindling. Many experts have declared that any meaningful rebound might begin next year. Home prices continue to decline in many areas, fueled by tight lending standards and a rising supply of houses on the market. It' been a long time since home sellers have faced these conditions -- in fact, many homeowners looking to sell are in uncharted waters.

Face the New Reality -- It's a Buyers' Market

Homeowners who want to sell have a choice: sell in the current market, or wait until later, when market conditions improve. Of course, the latter assumes they can wait. But if you are determined to sell, you need to forget about the real estate market of just a few years ago and face the new reality in many real regions -- it's a buyers' market, and you will be competing with a growing supply of motivated sellers to get buyers interested in your house.

Real estate professionals say that, when trying to sell your home in a buyers' market, the two most important factors, after location, are price and condition. I'll add flexibility. Buyers know real estate prices ran up far too much during the last several years of the real estate boom, and just because you may have paid too much for your home doesn't mean buyers think they should have to pay to bail you out. With this in mind, here are some of the strategies experienced realtors typically advise to help sell a house in a buyers' market:

Price It Right: Real estate pros say the key to selling a house is to “price it right.” Set the price at what you can get, not what you think it's worth. The fact of a sellers market is that it doesn't matter what you or your realtor think your house is worth -- the only thing that matters is what a buyer is willing to pay. You don't want to over-price your house, because buyers ignore it and your listing will lose its freshness and appeal, not to mention the uncompensated effort of keeping the home spotless during the showings. Also, the “original listing price” and “current asking price” are on your home's Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listing; if you do not show some decline from the original offering price, some buyers will see it as a sign you have unreasonable expectations of what you can fetch for your home. Sellers fear pricing too low and leaving money on the table, but there is little danger of this. If a home is priced too low, far below the competition, you should receive multiple offers that will drive up the price to fair market value.

Research Local Market: The best way to know if your home is priced fairly relative to comparable houses for sale is to compare your asking price to a comprehensive market analysis. This is the first step before you list your house. Get the listings of the houses in your area, and the price range. Look at the listing for every comparable home that is or was listed in your neighborhood over the past six months. Compare similar properties, make adjustments for locations, age, upgrades and lot sizes. and come up with a range of values. Also, get a list of the recent sales prices and the original listing prices of comparable houses in the area. You can track this down on web sites such as www.zillow.com , www.realtor.com, and/or ask a local realtor to do it for you.

Have an Internet Strategy: Most buyers search the Internet and buy a home within 12 miles of their existing one - so use the Internet tools available in your area to see what the supply of homes for sale in your area looks like online. Also, if you are working with a realtor, don't choose to list with the one who suggests the highest listing price. Instead, select a listing agent who can back up his or her proposal with the most facts, market research and experience. When setting the listing price for your house, use round numbers, in increments of $5,000. Most buyers use the Internet to search for a home. When searching by price, they typically search in increments of $5,000. So, listing at a price of $250,000 will turn up in more searches that listing at $249,900.

Make a Great First Impression: Real estate pros often talk about “curb appeal.” Homes with it sell more quickly and those without it can languish on the market longer, further eroding the price buyers are willing to pay. Realtors often comment on the number of homes put on the market with little or nothing done to improve their curb appeal. One real estate pro put it this way: “Most buyers know the house is 'the one' when they see it the very first time; if they make a connection on the first showing, it's sold.” For this reason, doing what it takes to get your house in selling-shape is the second most important factor (after setting the correct price) if you want to get close to your asking price or sell as quickly as possible.

Some things you can do to increase your home's curb appeal and help it show better that don't take a lot of money include:

• Sprucing up the yard: Sweep the walk, mow the lawn, prune the shrubs, and clean up debris.

• Cleaning: windows, floors, carpets, kitchen, appliances, bathrooms, and even windows.

• Painting: front door, walls leading to entranceways, ceiling stains, cracked or chipping areas

• Fixing or repairing: broken doorbell, leaky faucets, broken floor or counter tiles, door that don't close properly, and broken deck railings

• Organizing: all rooms, closets, and even the basement
  

• Setting the Stage: Remove pets and litter box, light scented candles, play background music, rearrange and remove excess furniture.

The industry term for doing this is “staging a house” and, as you can imagine, it goes far beyond decorating and cleaning. But doing this can result in selling your home faster and getting a higher price, according to professionals who offer these services. If you don't have the time or would prefer to have someone trained and objective do this for you (after all, they will tell you to lose the bright orange paint in the kitchen!), ask your realtor to refer you to a professional home stager. Some realtors have earned the Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) designation and can do this for you.

Get a Pre-Sale Inspection: Sellers are strongly advised to consider getting a pre-sale home inspection, especially if their home is older or in need of repairs. They can either use a clean home inspection report as a selling advantage or take care of the repairs listed on the inspection report. Of course, it's advised that you make the repairs before listing the home if possible, especially if they involve things that can be messy and unsightly, such as replacing the roof or removing an old fuel oil tank. But if you can't make the repairs, you can use the report to make estimates available to show potential buyers about the cost of repairs.

Be Flexible: In this market, buyers will expect to pay less than the asking price. They will be armed with the original list prices and final sales prices of comparable homes and will know the price reductions other sellers are accepting. Many buyers may make a low-ball offer to see what your reaction is. Remember this: Emotion is the enemy of flexibility, so keep emotions out of it. Your objective is to sell the house and, if a buyer is truly interested and able to buy your house, then there is a price they may be willing to pay and you may be satisfied to get. Don't simply reject their first offer. Instead, make a reasonable counteroffer and send the message that you want to work with them to close the gap between their offer and the price you need to get for the house. Also, ask the prospective buyer or his or her realtor what information was used to determine the price offered for your house and why they want to buy your house. For example, say the buyer's respond that the offer was based on comparable price per square footage for two other listings. If your house includes upgrades and a finished basement that the other listings do not have, include with your counteroffer an explanation of the cost of your upgrades and the additional value per square foot.

Where do I get information on home market statistics and trends? HBR updates this data monthly. Contact me NOW and request the current status of the local housing market.

What's your home worth? Contact me NOW to find an answer

Sellers: How to make your house irresistible

The longer your house sits on the market, the less cash it commands. To maximize your profits, use these MSN tricks.

A well-staged house creates a vision of a beautiful life. When buyers walk through a house, they feel like they're going to have the same life as the people who live there. So the picture has to be a happy one — clean, uncluttered and tranquil. Making small adjustments in furnishings and presentation can determine how fast your house sells.

5 easy fixes to make your home more inviting

• Place a box of chocolates and a water pitcher with lemon slices in the kitchen.
  

• Hide pet toys, bowls and litter boxes.
  

• Heat an apple pie in the oven. Studies show that the smell of baked goods makes people nostalgic for childhood.
  

• Light candles in every room to create a glow.
  

• Put away toilet brushes, plungers, sponges, toothbrushes and medications.

Fake more space. Buyers always want more for their money. Here are seven sneaky ways to create the illusion of extra square feet.

How does a seller set an asking price?

• Bedroom: Remove one piece of furniture — an ottoman or a second nightstand. Too-tight spaces are a major buyer turnoff.
  

• Windows: Take down worn drapes. Don't worry about replacing them — bare windows always make your home look bigger.
  

• Closet: Empty closets by two thirds to create a plenty-of-storage feel. Box and store out-of-season clothes and shoes.
  

• Den: You can double other people's perception of your home's play space — just pack up and put away half of your kids' toys.
  

• Kitchen: Clear small appliances off your counters. Experts say reducing the number of items visually triples the work space.
  

• Cabinets: Stop buying in bulk at the warehouse club. Reducing inventory lets you arrange supplies so that the shelves seem roomier.
  

• Dining room: Create a feeling of uninterrupted flow by taking out dining-room table leaves and removing all but four chairs.

Hot ticket! This big celeb trend could help you sell your house. When stars go house hunting, they search high and low for homes that have been feng shui-ed — a Far Eastern philosophy that is said to create "good aura." Here are five tricks to try.

• Get a fruit bowl.  In feng shui, the kitchen symbolizes prosperity and a bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen sends a subliminal message that the buyer's life will be both bountiful and abundant.
  

• Head east. That's the side of the room where people seek warmth and relaxation, experts say — so place a comfy sofa on that side of the den.
  

• Go green. The color symbolizes new opportunity. Position a green mat outside your front door.
  

• Avoid red. It's the color of discord. Too much crimson causes mental fatigue and argumentative feelings. Neutral colors keep prospective buyers calm and interested.
  

Once a seller finds his way to a dollar number that he thinks represents the value of his property, he faces a set of decisions about asking price. Should he set an asking price higher than, equal to or less than what he believes is the value of his property?

Part of the seller’s answer will be determined by what he needs to net out of the sale after-tax. This net number factors in all deductions from sale income—transaction costs, taxes (local, state and federal) commissions, fees and expenses.                                      Read Full Article

Selling Your Home For Less Than You Owe

If you've taken out a large mortgage, and perhaps refinanced to cover remodeling or other expenses, you may find yourself unable to keep up with your mortgage payment after a layoff, divorce or illness. More and more people are finding they need to sell their homes for less than they owe on the mortgages, known as a "short sale."

Selling short is definitely better than foreclosure, which stays on your credit record for ten years. But it's best to try to work things out with your lender before going through the embarrassing and laborious process of selling your home on a short sale..

                                                                                                                             Read Full Article

The new exit strategy: A short sale

Several Web sites can help you learn more about short sele, it benefits and its downsides.

http://real-estate.lawyers.com/residential-real-estate/Selling-Your-Home-For-Less-Than-You-Owe.html

www.ehow.com/how_8132_short-sale.html

http://homebuying.about.com

A well-staged house related content

7 tips to sell your home in a crowded market

By Bankrate.com

When the neighbors are selling, too, it’s understandable to worry. But just because several homes are for sale on the same street doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. Here’s some advice to help boost your odds.

In today's economy, it's tough enough to sell just one home in a neighborhood. But when there are multiple "for sale" signs on the same street, sellers often fear they're in for an especially long, trying experience.

A crowded market creates visions of price wars among neighbors who've lived on the same block for years. Sellers may also worry that potential buyers will conclude that something must be wrong with the neighborhood if everyone wants to leave.

                                                                                                                                  Read Full Article

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