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How To Pocket Thousands During my 8 years as a Real Estate Consultant, I've seen sellers make some big mistakes. This report will alert you to some of the most common mistakes. I can also provide you with free customized computer printouts of homes presently for sale and homes that have recently sold in your immediate area. A very common mistake I see sellers make is failing to do the simple things that cost almost no money, yet always make homes sell for thousands of dollars more. If your home is logically a good value, but buyers do not feel warm and emotionally attracted to the home, you will receive lower offers. That is because buying a home is an emotional decision on the part of the buyer. Often the buyer does not even consciously know why they like one home more than another, they just do. Decisions are made on a deep subconscious level tied into what makes them feel comfortable, safe and secure. That is why it is so important to make sure your home looks, feels and smells its best. Remember that you are competing with 100 to 200 other homes for sale. Since buyers buy on emotion, let us look at how your home can be the cleanest, freshest and cheeriest. This will lead you to a much faster sale at a higher price. Here are the five most powerful factors that assure buyers experience a good feeling when they see your home: First, what I call The Cheer Factor: For maximum visual effect, turn every light on, even on a sunny day. Light creates a warm, safe feeling. Open all window shades. Clean your draperies and curtains. Make sure your windows are spotlessly clean. Let the sun in and keep those lights on. Leaving all your lights on for two hours costs only about 23 cents, and makes your home look larger and more spacious. Second, is The Access Factor: Buyers and real estate agents are busy. They are not looking only at your home, but fitting your home into a schedule that allows them to look at other homes as well. The more flexible you are with your showing schedule, the more buyers will look at your home. Thirdly, is The Distraction Factor: Do everything you can to minimize distractions for the buyer. Turn the TV and the loud music off. Leave soft music playing. If at all possible, make arrangements with a neighbor to take care of children or pets. If that is not possible, consider taking a walk around the block with kids and pets while buyers browse, or simply take them outside. Fourth is The Décor Factor: Tasteful and up-to-date decor is your best investment for getting a greater return on your money. Paint and new wall coverings makes the whole house smell clean and neat. Faded walls and worn woodwork reduce desire. Don't tell a buyer how your home can be made to look, show them by making it look great. A quicker sale at a higher price will result. Generally, you can expect to receive three to five dollars back for every dollar you invest in tasteful décor. Fifth, is The Front Yard Factor: A pleasing exterior invites inspection of the interior, since your front yard reflects the inside condition of your house. Make certain that trees are trimmed so the house can be seen from the street. Have the grass mowed, trimmed and edged. Rake leaves. Plant flowers. Sweep walkways. Clean away debris. Wash windows. Remove parked cars. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer does not get a warm, cozy feeling by driving by, fewer will ask to see the inside. Well, that is the five factors to consider. However, there is one, final, most important factor to consider and that is your competition. People do not look at just one house and then buy. They look at five, 10 or 15 homes before making their decision. How does your home stack up against the competition? It is now possible for you to obtain an up-to-date computer printout, customized to your size and style of home, of all houses presently for sale in your neighborhood, as well as list of all homes that have sold in your neighborhood over the past three months. This gives you insight into your competition, and a snapshot of what buyers are willing to pay. To obtain the printout, just give me a call at my office and I will program our computers to search your competition – the recent sales of similar homes – print the report, and e-mail it, fax it, or put it in the mail to you. This is a no-cost, no-obligation service that I provide to home sellers. Call me at
206-669-4894, |