The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar
Selling your home with Robert B. McArtor, REALTOR with Long and Foster Real Estate will probably be one of the most important steps in your life. Our 9 step system will give you some of the tools necessary to maximize the profits you realize, to keep control of the property, and to reduce stress that normally comes with selling a home.
1. Know why you're selling, What is motivating you.
The reasons for selling a home can affect everything from setting a sales price to deciding how much time you are willing to invest in getting your home sold. You need to decide what is more important to you....how much will you be walking away from the sale of your home OR the time spent on the market? Different goals will certainly bring different strategies in marketing. Some may choose to use a REALTOR or Real Estate Agent OR utilize the Auction Method to liquidate your home.
2. Do your homework before setting a price.
Finding out what your offer price is should not be done lightly. I spent an hour on the phone with a potential client discussing a possible listing price. They really wanted to use the Auction Method however after evaluating their position, the Traditional Method was best. I knew that pricing too high was as dangerous as pricing too low. You should remember that the average buyer is looking at 15 to 20 homes at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they are comparing. If your home does not compare favorably with others in the price range you've set, it will not be taken seriously by potential buyers or agents. This will result in your home sitting on the market for a long time and, new buyers on the market will think there must be something wrong with your home. As a listing agent, I am excited to being committed to make sure your Home in the Maryland Area is priced correctly to SELL!
3. Do your homework...or better yet....Your Agent should do this for you.
Find out what homes in your neighborhoods have sold for in the past 6-12 months. We do this for all our properties in Maryland, Harford County, Cecil County, Baltimore County and the City. We research what current homes are listed for. That's certainly how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home.
4. Find a good real estate agent to represent your needs.
Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn't use the same REALTOR who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication which results in not enough feedback, lower pricing and strained relations. Another FREE report entitled, "10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Agent" gives you the straight, to-the-point questions you should be asking when you interview agents who want to list your home. Please click on the above link to obtain this FREE Report from my website.
5. Maximize your home's sales potential.
The appearance or your home is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home.
You may not be able to change your home's location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor. Clean like you've never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get a "wow" response from prospective buyers. We also understand that this may not always be possible to do. This is when we advise on pricing your home based on the Repairs or Updates the property needs.
Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. Prospective buyers want to try on your home just like they would a new suit of clothes. If you follow them around pointing out improvements or if your decor is so different that it's difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves an owner.
6. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home, utilize the internet for exposure.
You may be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to sell homes (e.g. traditional open houses) are actually not very effective. In fact only 1% of homes are sold at an open house.
Potential Buyers calling for information on your home probably value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent, or an unwanted sales pitch. Make sure the ads your agent places for property also includes a Visual Tour...not just a standard slide show. Robert B. McArtor is able to provide you with daily statistics as the effectiveness and exposure of your property. Remember, the more buyers you have competing for your home the better, because it sets up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver's seat.
7. Know your buyer.
In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. What is your buyer's motivation? Does s/he need to move quickly? Does s/he have enough money to pay you your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want. The Team with Long and Foster Real Estate will have all these questions answered and more.
8. Make sure the contract is complete.
For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, s/he can't come back with a lawsuit later on.
Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale, and resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through. Robert McArtor and his Team will make sure that ALL details are reviewed to make a smooth transition.
9. Don't move out before you sell.
Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it looks forgotten, simply not appealing. It could even cost you thousands. If you move, you're also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give them the advantage at the negotiating table. Let Robert McArtor and The Maryland HOMES Team with Long and Foster Real Estate advise you.
