Sellers' Tips

Pricing Your Home

If you're planning on selling a house, you'll have to decide what price you're going to ask for the home. This is one of the most important and difficult decisions you'll have to make. Buyers select by comparison shopping, so your home will have to have a fair market price in order for it to sell. DAN JUNGCLAS AS YOUR REALTOR can help you determine the market value of your home while still obtaining the top-dollar price for your piece of property.

Some of the things to consider when choosing your home price are:

What is the age & condition of your home?
Does it need updating?
What have similar homes in your area sold for?
Have homes in your area been increasing or decreasing in value?
Are there a lot of homes for sale in your area?
What is your competition?

• What are comparable homes in the area selling for? I'll provide you with a list of homes that have sold and are currently for sale in your area. I'll also show you actual sales prices for each home that has sold recently.

   

• Are we currently in a "Buyer's Market" or a "Sellers Market"? Your home's sale price should be more aggressive during the "Buyer's Market" unless you have a truly well maintained and highly desirable home.

   

• Your own home purchase plans may also affect your pricing strategy. If you have purchased a new home with a "Contingency" on the sale of your existing home, you will probably need to price your house aggressively to be certain that you can sell it within the time allotted in your Contingency agreement.

  As your listing agent, I'll make sure we select the perfect price that ensures your home sells as quickly as possible..

Remember, your home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. By working with DAN JUNGCLAS AS YOUR REALTOR you can ensure that your property will receive the needed exposure to attract interested parties who are willing to make an offer.

When you're selling your home you'll want to put forth the very best product. Buyers aren't coming for just a quick look but for a careful inspection. Keep the exterior neat by painting the trim, clipping the hedges, mowing, edging, and weeding the lawn and you may even want to plant a few flowers.

Inside you'll want to lighten up the darker corners, perhaps add some fresh paint and put the clutter away to give the rooms an open feeling. Make sure there are no odors in the home especially places such as a basement or attic. On the day of your open house, you may want to consider bringing in some fragrant fresh flowers. This will add a most pleasant scent to your home. Little things like that will help you sell your home a bit more quickly.

Exterior:

• Sweep the sidewalk, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and clean debris from the yard.

• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles.

• Keep your garage door closed.

• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door.

As your Realtor, I will work with you to ensure you have your home in great shape so that it sells as quickly as possible - and for a great price!
 

For the best results in the shortest time, the following items which
can better prepare your home for successful showings.

• Open shades, draperies and all interior doors except closets.
• Turn on interior lights, whether it is day or night.
• If possible, try to leave when your agents brings buyers over. Many people feel like intruders when the owners are there and tend to hurry.
• Put money and other valuables in a safe place.
• Put out fresh flowers, hang out your "best towels", put a nice cloth on the table, or do similar things for the most appeal.
• Turn off the television.
• Remove & pack collections (plates, nik-naks, trophies, caps etc.) It distracts buyers.
• Keep kitchen countertops clean and uncluttered.
• Delightful aromas add to the ambiance of your house. Use potpourri or bake some cookies.
• Don't allow buyers into your property without a Sales Associate.

Marketing Your Home

When selling your home, you must realize that it's not likely that the right buyer will simply walk through your door on their own. Generally, you have to bring your home to the buyer, and that means counting on a real estate professional to put forth a successful marketing campaign. You'll want DAN JUNGCLAS AS YOUR REALTOR because he will make the best use of advertising, and one who uses state-of-the-art techniques such as a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and the Internet. And, you may want to have an open house or two to expose your property.

An Offer!

When you have a home for sale, eventually a prospective buyer will make an "offer". As the seller, you basically have three options: you can accept the offer, reject the offer or give a counter offer. A counter offer usually will encourage the buyer to continue their negotiations. You may also receive multiple offers at the same time. You may prefer to take slightly less for your property from someone who is willing to pay cash as opposed to someone who needs to sell their current home first. Contingencies, move-in dates, financing among other factors are all things to keep in mind when considering an offer. If things seem a bit overwhelming rely on DAN JUNGCLAS AS YOUR REALTOR who can go over the various points with you, and help you choose the best offer.

The Closing

Once you've accepted an offer on your property there's a number of details that still need to be finished. There will probably be an inspection of your home by a professional who will determine the condition and integrity of your property for the buyer. The buyer's mortgage company may chose to send out an appraiser who will assure the lender of your property's worth. The title company will warranty that there are no liens or existing encumbrances which would inhibit a transfer of title to the buyer. Either you, the buyer or both may chose to be represented by an attorney. Rest assured that you can always rely on DAN JUNGCLAS AS YOUR REALTOR to make sure the entire home selling process proceeds smoothly.

In general, the best time to sell your home is when there as few other homes on the market as possible. This is typically referred to as a "Seller's Market". This means that, if possible, you should try avoid the spring (April & May) and fall (August & September) peak times that other homes are on the market. When buyers are not able to choose from a wide variety of similar properties, they will be far more likely to pay top dollar for your home.

When selling your home in a hot market, you will hopefully need to be prepared to consider 2 or 3 competing offers. Be prepared to guage the seriousness of each buyer and to press hard to get the best offer at or even above your original asking price. In this event, you should probably also insist that the buyer not include a contigency clause in their contract with you. This means your home sale is not dependant on your buyer selling theirs.

If you do find yourself selling in a "Buyer's Market", you'll need to be prepared to drop your price and be very flexible in negotiations with potential buyers. Also, home sellers need to spend more time improving the condition of their home to differentiate themselves from other homes currently available.