Version 1.0
So you want to sell your home on your own? Well, I’m going to show you the best way to market and sell your home like a Realtor while putting some dollars back into your pocket. I broke down this report into 4 parts:
1. Preparing your home
2. Marketing your home
3. Closing the transaction
4. Mistakes to avoid
1. Preparing Your Home
Although you don’t want to do it, the first thing you need to do is either call a local Realtor or log onto a Realtor’s website and request a free Comparative Market Analysis or Competitive Market Analysis.
The second thing I’d suggest any home seller to do is to hire a professional appraiser. This will help eliminate the guesswork and ensure you get all you can out of your home. However, before the appraiser steps foot into your home, show them the comparables from your local Realtor. This will not only help the appraiser, but also help you get the price you want.
After you have determined your sales price, get your home inspected. There’s nothing worse than accepting an offer, yet finding out that your home needs repairs. Once again, you have to negotiate with the buyers and this may cause them to back out of their offer. Now you’re back at square 1 and looking for another buyer for your home. So do yourself a favor and get an inspection.
The next thing to do is run a title search on your property. Why do this now? Because you want to avoid any “surprises” that may scare off potential buyers. Following these steps will ensure your transaction stays on track.
Finally, you must get your home ready to show. If you’re tight on a budget, consider checking out this fantastic article, “10 ways to show your home like a model home, in one weekend, for less than $200”.
2. Marketing Your Home
Obviously, you want to put a “For Sale” sign in front of your property. Now I’ll help you get more prospects to buy your house while saving some money.
First, I’d advice you to distribute fliers around your neighborhood. Give fliers to at least 100 neighbors that live closest to you. In fact, I’d send one to all your friends and family. You’d be shocked how well “word of mouth” works.
Second, get a FREE website to market your property http://www.realtyreports.biz/1601/fsite. You can add up to 15 photos, write a detailed description and it even includes a map to your home for buyers. Having your own website will increase your response for this simple reason. Because people have looked at your photos and description, you will only receive “serious” inquiries. Your website will have a section for where prospects can ask you a question and it will be emailed to you without giving away your email address.
Create an account at http://www.postlets.com and syndicate your listing to 14 different real estate related websites for Free. You can add up to 12 photos and write a description of your property. You can also paste your website in these ads to re-direct prospects to your main site.
Unfortunately, this next tip won’t be for everyone. However, offering creative financing such as “owner financing” will increase your traffic, therefore puts your property in high demand.
3. Closing The Transaction
I highly advise you to hire an attorney (preferably a real estate attorney) to handle your paperwork. Trying to do the paper work yourself will run the risk of future lawsuits.
Once your offer is accepted and your paperwork is ready to go, hire an escrow company to switch the title of the property to the new owners.
4. Mistakes To Avoid
* Not including photos – Buyers do not read, they look and if there aren’t any photos or only a picture of the front of the house, they won’t even waste their time.
* No address – There are times when buyers just don’t feel like picking up the phone, dialing a phone number (if you listed it) and speaking to someone to get the address. Put the address in your ad and let people drive by.
* Not answering the phone – you do want to sell your house… right? I understand it can get crazy and you don’t want to deal with Realtors but you have to understand, we’re just trying to do our job. Here’s a secret, if you really want them to stop contacting you, just tell them you’re working with a Realtor…me!
* Relying on Zillow and other real estate websites to determine the value of your home - The biggest flaw in these websites is that they haphazardly give you a list of homes without taking into account the date the home was built, the model, and most importantly, the location. Do you know how to compare your home to others besides square footage? Do you take into account houses that are on busy streets? Bad neighborhoods? Bad curb appeal? No to little home improvements? That’s why you must call a Realtor, even though you don’t want to.
* Stating that you’re “willing to negotiate” in your ads - When buyers see this, they’ll try to take advantage of you and will only give you lowball offers. Putting this simple line in your ads will only waste your time with most likely unqualified prospects.
©Rick and Ress Skarbo
Main Street Realtors
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Buyers and Sellers List or Buy from TeamSkarbo ..Go to Hawaii for a Week
Yes...if you are thinking of buying that dream home or if you are planning on selling please go to http//:www.Free-Hawaii-Trip.com. Team Skarbo will give you a weeks vacation in Hawaii.You will stay in either a 4-5 star hotel on the sand.The reason: When you trust us in either selling your home or allow us to find you that dream home, we feel a trip to paradise is in order as a THANK YOU!
GO to www.FREE-HAWAII-TRIP.com
GO to www.FREE-HAWAII-TRIP.com
Friday, January 15, 2010
'Curb Appeal' host fashions a to-do list for home sellers
Spring has not sprung, but lots of homeowners appear to be coiled in anticipation of the moment they can slam that "For Sale" sign into the ground.
And those who plan to sell would be wise to take heed of John Gidding's three big tips for home sellers:
•Declutter.
•Enhance your curb appeal.
•Make the kitchen and bathrooms shine.
Gidding, the architect and designer who is host of HGTV's "Designed to Sell" and "Curb Appeal: The Block," expects lots of questions about getting houses ready for the market when he appears next week at the 29th annual Philadelphia Home Show.
He'll speak during the closing weekend of the nine-day show. Also appearing will be Paul DiMeo of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and Christopher Straub, a "Project Runway" fashion designer. The show will include 500 industry experts to discuss money-saving tips and offer professional advice. In addition, four designer rooms will include an eco-friendly living room, spa retreat, baby suite and "man cave."
Gidding, who was born in Turkey to an American father and now lives in Atlanta, says the real key to selling your home is to imbue it with value. He'll talk about his shows and how people react, and he expects people to ask about what goes on behind stage, as well as what to do with their own homes.
Like many others, Gidding sees signs that the real estate market may be coming back.
"The Atlanta market has been pretty hard hit, but in the last few weeks, there's been a big uptick and everybody is breathing easier," Gidding says. "Based on that, I think something is going on. I think people are over this recession in every way, figuratively and literally, and hopefully when the flowers start coming out again and people start feeling good about where they are living, people will go out and buy some more."
Orchestrating simplicity
His three tips aren't as straightforward as they may seem, he says.
Decluttering goes beyond just picking up and clearing off surfaces, he says. It includes removing a lot of your personality from the home and showing off closets and drawers to their best advantage.
If your closets are full, get rid of about 40 percent of the clothing and items in them, and store them in a rental unit or a spare bedroom at your parents' or a friend's house. If your drawers are crowded, clean them out and put in organizers so they're neat.
"You know that people walking through are going to open the drawers," he says. "You have to assume this is no longer your home and people are going to walk through and look at everything."
The trick is to make sure it looks like there's room for plenty more.
And don't make the assumption that people buy according to what they see inside a house.
"The way people enter a home is so important," Gidding says. "The entry is crucial to make people feel safe."
If you don't have a light by the door, install one, he says. If a bulb is burned out, replace it.
If your door doesn't have color on it, paint it, he says. Put flowers on the path and entry. If you have any room for it at all, put some kind of outdoor furniture there, even if it's one piece.
"It shows that there's someone living there who loves the home and your neighborhood and that you appreciate the people around you," he says.
Inside, he says, kitchens and bathrooms are the primary things people look at.
"They don't want to have to do any work on them," he says. "On our show, we do kitchen and bathroom makeovers for under $2,000, so it doesn't have to be expensive; it just has to be thoughtful."
Painting a room can always help, he says. And in the kitchen, simply changing the hardware can make it look great.
Bathrooms should be squeaky-clean, he says. Change the shower curtain and install a new light fixture.
If you're stuck with one of the old industrial mirrors glued to the wall, ask a carpenter to cut four pieces of trim that can be glued directly to the mirror and painted, giving it a framed effect.
"It makes it look that much more high-end and less industrial," Gidding says.
The small things are what change people's impressions, he says. "They're not just buying a house that people are using; they're buying a home that someone really cares about and has spent some time improving and caring for."
His newest show, "Curb Appeal: The Block," goes into neighborhoods where people have complained of an eyesore and renovates the offending home, up to $20,000. The show also goes around the neighborhood and helps people do small things, like add window boxes or other decor that can be seen from the street.
"The whole street is engaged," he says. "By the time we leave, everyone's property values are improving. You'd be surprised to see how many people see us tooling around and feel compelled to come out and do stuff of their own."
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100114/LIFE04/1140310
And those who plan to sell would be wise to take heed of John Gidding's three big tips for home sellers:
•Declutter.
•Enhance your curb appeal.
•Make the kitchen and bathrooms shine.
Gidding, the architect and designer who is host of HGTV's "Designed to Sell" and "Curb Appeal: The Block," expects lots of questions about getting houses ready for the market when he appears next week at the 29th annual Philadelphia Home Show.
He'll speak during the closing weekend of the nine-day show. Also appearing will be Paul DiMeo of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and Christopher Straub, a "Project Runway" fashion designer. The show will include 500 industry experts to discuss money-saving tips and offer professional advice. In addition, four designer rooms will include an eco-friendly living room, spa retreat, baby suite and "man cave."
Gidding, who was born in Turkey to an American father and now lives in Atlanta, says the real key to selling your home is to imbue it with value. He'll talk about his shows and how people react, and he expects people to ask about what goes on behind stage, as well as what to do with their own homes.
Like many others, Gidding sees signs that the real estate market may be coming back.
"The Atlanta market has been pretty hard hit, but in the last few weeks, there's been a big uptick and everybody is breathing easier," Gidding says. "Based on that, I think something is going on. I think people are over this recession in every way, figuratively and literally, and hopefully when the flowers start coming out again and people start feeling good about where they are living, people will go out and buy some more."
Orchestrating simplicity
His three tips aren't as straightforward as they may seem, he says.
Decluttering goes beyond just picking up and clearing off surfaces, he says. It includes removing a lot of your personality from the home and showing off closets and drawers to their best advantage.
If your closets are full, get rid of about 40 percent of the clothing and items in them, and store them in a rental unit or a spare bedroom at your parents' or a friend's house. If your drawers are crowded, clean them out and put in organizers so they're neat.
"You know that people walking through are going to open the drawers," he says. "You have to assume this is no longer your home and people are going to walk through and look at everything."
The trick is to make sure it looks like there's room for plenty more.
And don't make the assumption that people buy according to what they see inside a house.
"The way people enter a home is so important," Gidding says. "The entry is crucial to make people feel safe."
If you don't have a light by the door, install one, he says. If a bulb is burned out, replace it.
If your door doesn't have color on it, paint it, he says. Put flowers on the path and entry. If you have any room for it at all, put some kind of outdoor furniture there, even if it's one piece.
"It shows that there's someone living there who loves the home and your neighborhood and that you appreciate the people around you," he says.
Inside, he says, kitchens and bathrooms are the primary things people look at.
"They don't want to have to do any work on them," he says. "On our show, we do kitchen and bathroom makeovers for under $2,000, so it doesn't have to be expensive; it just has to be thoughtful."
Painting a room can always help, he says. And in the kitchen, simply changing the hardware can make it look great.
Bathrooms should be squeaky-clean, he says. Change the shower curtain and install a new light fixture.
If you're stuck with one of the old industrial mirrors glued to the wall, ask a carpenter to cut four pieces of trim that can be glued directly to the mirror and painted, giving it a framed effect.
"It makes it look that much more high-end and less industrial," Gidding says.
The small things are what change people's impressions, he says. "They're not just buying a house that people are using; they're buying a home that someone really cares about and has spent some time improving and caring for."
His newest show, "Curb Appeal: The Block," goes into neighborhoods where people have complained of an eyesore and renovates the offending home, up to $20,000. The show also goes around the neighborhood and helps people do small things, like add window boxes or other decor that can be seen from the street.
"The whole street is engaged," he says. "By the time we leave, everyone's property values are improving. You'd be surprised to see how many people see us tooling around and feel compelled to come out and do stuff of their own."
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100114/LIFE04/1140310
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Want the most bang for your buck on your home?
Exterior Remodeling Proves Best Bang for Your Buck, Realtors® Report
Washington, December 17, 2009
Despite a slow market and a slight decrease in the resale value of most remodeling projects, Realtors® report that the smartest home improvement investments may also be some of the least expensive. Results from the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report show that small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable at resale, according to estimates by Realtors® who completed a recent survey.
On a national level, eight out of the top 10 projects in terms of costs recouped were exterior replacement projects that cost less than $14,000. Certain types of door and siding replacements, as well as wood deck additions all returned more than 80 percent of project costs upon resale. A steel entry door replacement – a new addition to this year’s list – recouped 128.9 percent of costs, followed by upscale fiber-cement sliding replacements at 83.6 percent. Wood deck additions recouped 80.6 percent of costs.
“Once again, this year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report highlights the importance of a home’s first impression,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. “With exterior projects returning a high percent of project costs upon resale, Realtors® can help give your home curb appeal while adding value to the real estate transaction.
The 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report compares construction costs with resale values for 33 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels and replacements in 80 markets across the country. Data are grouped in nine U.S. regions, following the divisions established by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the 12th consecutive year that the report, which is produced by Hanley Wood, LLC, was completed in cooperation with REALTOR® Magazine, as Realtors® provided their insight into local markets and buyer home preferences within those markets.
On a national level, the project with the biggest improvement from 2008 was the attic bedroom addition, recouping 83.1 percent of remodeling costs compared to 73.8 percent in 2008. The only other interior project that landed in the top 10 was a minor kitchen remodel with 78.3 percent costs recouped.
Other exterior projects in the top 10 include midrange vinyl and upscale foam-backed vinyl sliding replacements, which returned more than 79 percent of costs. In addition, several types of window replacements – midrange wood, midrange vinyl, and upscale vinyl – all returned more than 76 percent of costs upon sale.
Similar to last year’s report, the least profitable remodeling projects in terms of resale value were home office remodels and sunroom additions, returning only 48.1 percent and 50.7 percent of project costs.
Regionally, cities in the Pacific states of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington once again outperformed the rest of the nation in terms of remodeling costs recouped upon resale. The West South Central region of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; the East South Central region of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee; and the South Atlantic region of the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia also performed relatively well.
The regions that generally returned the lowest percentage of costs were New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin), West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota), and the Middle Atlantic (New York and Pennsylvania).
Golder commented that remodeling projects are just one of many factors that contribute to a home’s overall resale value. “As the first, best source for real estate information, Realtors® are experts in providing insight into what projects and investments will make a difference in your house. It’s important to consult with a Realtor® who can explain the variety of factors that affect a home’s value, such as location, condition of surrounding properties and the regional economic climate,” she said.
Results of the report are summarized in the January issue of REALTOR® Magazine. To read the full project descriptions, access national and regional project data, and download a free PDF containing data for any of the 80 cities covered by the report, visit www.costvsvalue.com. “Cost vs. Value” is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data, and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading provider of home plans. Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $240 million company owned by JPMorgan Partners, LLC, a private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/12/exterior_proves
Washington, December 17, 2009
Despite a slow market and a slight decrease in the resale value of most remodeling projects, Realtors® report that the smartest home improvement investments may also be some of the least expensive. Results from the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report show that small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable at resale, according to estimates by Realtors® who completed a recent survey.
On a national level, eight out of the top 10 projects in terms of costs recouped were exterior replacement projects that cost less than $14,000. Certain types of door and siding replacements, as well as wood deck additions all returned more than 80 percent of project costs upon resale. A steel entry door replacement – a new addition to this year’s list – recouped 128.9 percent of costs, followed by upscale fiber-cement sliding replacements at 83.6 percent. Wood deck additions recouped 80.6 percent of costs.
“Once again, this year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report highlights the importance of a home’s first impression,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. “With exterior projects returning a high percent of project costs upon resale, Realtors® can help give your home curb appeal while adding value to the real estate transaction.
The 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report compares construction costs with resale values for 33 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels and replacements in 80 markets across the country. Data are grouped in nine U.S. regions, following the divisions established by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the 12th consecutive year that the report, which is produced by Hanley Wood, LLC, was completed in cooperation with REALTOR® Magazine, as Realtors® provided their insight into local markets and buyer home preferences within those markets.
On a national level, the project with the biggest improvement from 2008 was the attic bedroom addition, recouping 83.1 percent of remodeling costs compared to 73.8 percent in 2008. The only other interior project that landed in the top 10 was a minor kitchen remodel with 78.3 percent costs recouped.
Other exterior projects in the top 10 include midrange vinyl and upscale foam-backed vinyl sliding replacements, which returned more than 79 percent of costs. In addition, several types of window replacements – midrange wood, midrange vinyl, and upscale vinyl – all returned more than 76 percent of costs upon sale.
Similar to last year’s report, the least profitable remodeling projects in terms of resale value were home office remodels and sunroom additions, returning only 48.1 percent and 50.7 percent of project costs.
Regionally, cities in the Pacific states of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington once again outperformed the rest of the nation in terms of remodeling costs recouped upon resale. The West South Central region of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; the East South Central region of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee; and the South Atlantic region of the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia also performed relatively well.
The regions that generally returned the lowest percentage of costs were New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin), West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota), and the Middle Atlantic (New York and Pennsylvania).
Golder commented that remodeling projects are just one of many factors that contribute to a home’s overall resale value. “As the first, best source for real estate information, Realtors® are experts in providing insight into what projects and investments will make a difference in your house. It’s important to consult with a Realtor® who can explain the variety of factors that affect a home’s value, such as location, condition of surrounding properties and the regional economic climate,” she said.
Results of the report are summarized in the January issue of REALTOR® Magazine. To read the full project descriptions, access national and regional project data, and download a free PDF containing data for any of the 80 cities covered by the report, visit www.costvsvalue.com. “Cost vs. Value” is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data, and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading provider of home plans. Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $240 million company owned by JPMorgan Partners, LLC, a private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/12/exterior_proves
Friday, January 8, 2010
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