What Happens Behind the Scenes After You List Your Home
So, you’ve worked hand-in-hand with your Realtor to come up with a list price and completed the listing agreement to get the ball rolling. If you start out with too high a price on your home, you may have just added to your stress level, and selling a home is stressful enough. There will be a lot of “behind the scenes” action taking place that you don’t know about when you first list your home for sale.
Contrary to popular opinion, the listing real estate agent does not usually attempt to sell your home to a home buyer alone. That isn’t very efficient. Listing agents market and promote your home on the MLS and Internet to the hordes of other local agents who do work with homebuyers, dramatically increasing your personal sales force. During the first couple of weeks your home should be a flurry of activity if it’s priced right.
If you and your agent have overpriced the listing, fewer Realtors will show your home. After all, they are real estate professionals, and it’s their job to know local market conditions and home values. If your house is dramatically above market, why waste time? When it comes to an offer, the seller and the buyer will be so far apart that there is no bridge long enough to bring them even close to making a deal. Their time is better spent showing homes that are priced realistically.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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If you’re like many people, you pick Realtor number three. This is a real estate agent who is charming and seems willing to listen to your input and work with you. This is an agent that cares about putting the most money in your pocket. This is an agent that is willing to start out at your price and if you need to drop the price later, you can do that easily, right? After all, everyone else does it!
The truth is that you may have just met a real estate agent engaging in a questionable sales practice called “buying a listing.” He “bought” the listing by suggesting you might be able to get a higher sales price than the other agents recommended. Most likely, he is 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 – he’s had a lot of practice doing this because it’s part of his marketing plan for every home he sells. A couple months after you sign the listing agreement and your home is on the MLS, he may call with the very unpleasant news. He’ll remind you he’s on your side and would love to sell your home for more, but the market is to blame.
Why do agents “buy” listings? There are basically two reasons. A well-meaning and hard working agent can feel pressure from a homeowner who has an inflated perception of his home’s value. On the other hand, there are some real estate agents who engage in this sales practice routinely.
To avoid being “bought,” chose the Realtor that shows you the recent comparable sales to back up his figures. Don’t chose the “yes” man, but the real estate agent who speaks honestly and has a deep knowledge about your neighborhood and the local real estate market. In today’s real estate market, knowledge and integrity will out sell charm and fast talk any day.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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So you’ve decided to sell your home and have a fairly good idea of what you think it is worth. Being a sensible home seller, you schedule interviews with three local real estate professionals who’ve been sending you fliers and magnetic calendars for years. Each real estate agent comes prepared with a listing presentation complete with a Comparative Market Analysis and a marketing plan for your home. Each recommends a list price for your home.
Amazingly, a couple of the Realtors you meet with have come up with prices that are lower than you expected. Although they back up their recommendations with recent comparable sales data, you remain convinced your house is worth more. When you interview the third agent’s figures, they are much more in line with your own anticipated value, or maybe even higher. Suddenly, you’re a happy and excited home seller, already counting the money.
Before choosing a Realtor that may be overpricing your home, ask a few probing questions that will weed out the wheat from the chaff during your interview process:
What are the average days on the market for a similar home in my neighborhood?
What is the average days on the market for your listings?
-You’re not looking for a super low number but a better number than the average days on the market in the whole neighborhood.
How many homes have you sold in my neighborhood in the last year?
-The Realtor may have sold no homes in your neighborhood but if he has active homes for sale there, it would be worthwhile to know why he believes they have not sold.
Can I see the listing histories of the properties you currently have for sale in my neighborhood?
-What you’re looking for in this data is how many times the price has been reduced by this real estate professional and how soon after the initial listing appointment it was reduced. A reduction after a month or two could indicate a truly overpriced listing from the start.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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First impressions and curb appeal are some of the most important preparations you can make to sell your home. Begin to think of your home as a marketable commodity. A homebuyer’s first impression is based on his or her view of the house from the real estate agent’s car. As Realtors, we’ve had clients refuse to even get out to see the inside based on poor maintenance and the resulting bad curb appeal.
So take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at nearby houses, too, and see how yours compares.
Landscaping
Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? If it is not, buy a few bushes and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature trees are expensive, and you will not get back your investment. Also, immature trees do not really add much to the appearance value of the home.
If you have an area for flowers, buy mature colorful flowers and plant them. They add a splash of vibrancy and color, creating a favorable first impression. Do not buy bulbs or seeds and plant them. They will not mature fast enough to create the desired effect and you certainly don’t want a patch of brown earth for homebuyers to view.
Your lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and free of brown spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should probably take care of them before working on the inside of your home. This is because certain areas may need re-soding, and you want to give it a chance to grow so that re-sod areas are not immediately apparent. Plus, you might want to give fertilizer enough time to be effective.
Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings.
House Exterior
The big decision is whether to paint or not to paint. When you look at your house from across the street, does it look tired and faded or is the curb appeal light and bright? If so, a paint job may be in order. It is often a very good investment and really spruces up the appearance of a house, adding dollars to offers from potential homebuyers.
When choosing a color, remember white sells best followed closely by yellow. Of course, the color also depends on the style of your house, too.
As for the roof, if you know your house has an old leaky roof, replace it. If you do not replace a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it and the buyer will want a new roof, anyway. Otherwise, wait and see what the home inspector says. Why spend money unnecessarily?
The Back Yard
The back yard should be tidy. If you have a pool or spa, keep it freshly maintained and constantly cleaned. For those that have dogs, clean up after them as you would in the park. If you have swing sets or anything elaborate for your kids, it may make sense to remove them. They take up room, and you want your back yard to appear as spacious as possible, especially in newer homes where the yards are not as large.
The Front Door & Entryway
The front door should be especially clean and shiny, since it is the entryway into the house. Polish the door fixture so it gleams. If the door needs refinishing or repainting, make sure that gets done.
If you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name on it, remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always put it up again once you move. Get a new plush door mat, too. This is something else you can take with you once you move.
Make sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When a homebuyer comes to visit your home, the agent uses the key from the lock box to unlock the door. If there is trouble working the lock while everyone else stands around twiddling their thumbs, this sends a negative first impression to prospective homebuyers.
Follow all these tips when getting your home prepared for sale and your curb appeal will be a ten when prospective home buyers roll up to the front door.
When preparing your home for sale, the interior should be clean, bright and look as new as is humanly possible. The least traces of you or your family, the better chance you have of selling your home for top dollar quickly. If a buyer thinks there is a ton of repairs, they will either offer you less or move on to a home that is better taken care of and ready to move in.
Focus on these items to get the most bang for your buck:
Plumbing and Fixtures
All your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets do not leak.
Check to make sure you have good water pressure and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain.
Ceilings, Walls and Painting
Check all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even after you have repaired the leak. Of course, if you do have a leak, you will have to get it repaired, whether it is a plumbing problem or the roof leaks.
You should do the same for walls, looking for not only stains, but also areas where dirt has accumulated and you just may not have noticed. Plus, you may have an outdated color scheme.
Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious.
Carpet and Flooring
Replace carpet with neutral colors, depending on the surroundings. Use clear runners to prevent new wear patterns and stains.
Repair or replace broken floor tiles. Be careful to use the same lot of tile so that it your floor doesn’t look like a checkerboard.
Windows and Doors
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your home.
Do the same things with the doors – make sure they open and close properly, without creaking. If they do, a shot of WD40 on the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door and you want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.
Odor Control
For those who smoke, avoid smoking indoors while trying to sell your home.
Pets of all kinds create odors that you may have become used to, but are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned olfactory senses. For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily. There are also products that you can sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that helps to control odor. For those with dogs, keep your dogs bathed and vacuum often.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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Preparing your home for a real estate sale involves several steps including staging your home for showings to present it in its best light.
Removing clutter is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in their house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way real estate buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics and basements.
Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas of clutter, as long as you can accept their views without getting defensive. Let your Realtor help as well. Real estate agents see a lot of homes everyday and they know how a home should look if it’s going to sell fast.
Kitchen Clutter
The kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter. First, get everything off the counters. Everything. Even the toaster and plastic soap dispenser. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Of course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet space to put everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely get used? Put them in a box and put that box in storage, too.
You see, homebuyers will open all your cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their “stuff.” If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not promote an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to do that is to have as much “empty space” as possible.
For that reason, if you have a “junk drawer,” get rid of the junk. If you have a rarely used crock pot, put it in storage. Do this with every cabinet and drawer. Create open space.
If you have a large amount of foodstuffs crammed into the shelves or pantry, begin using them – especially canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and you don’t want to be lugging them to a new house, anyway – or paying a mover to do so. Let what you have on the shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you can.
Beneath the sink is very critical, too. Make sure the area beneath the sink is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale signs of water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to hesitate in buying your home.
Closet Clutter
Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as clutter. We are talking about extra clothes and shoes – things you rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look “crammed full.” Sometimes there are shoeboxes full of “stuff” or other accumulated personal items, too.
Furniture Clutter
Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms – not too much for your own personal living needs – but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. You may want to tour some builders’ models to see how they place furniture in the model homes. Observe how they place furniture in the models so you get some ideas on what to remove and what to leave in your house.
Storage Area Clutter
Garages, attics, and storage areas in Florida accumulate not only clutter, but junk. We don’t have basements in Florida so making these areas look open and presentable means that much more in Southwest Florida. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential, donate it or have a garage sale.
Now that you’ve removed all the clutter, the next step is to “De-Personalize” your home to get buyers to remain longer and visualize themselves living there.
The main reason you want to “depersonalize” your home is because you want real estate buyers to view it as their potential home.
When a potential homebuyer sees your family photos hanging on the wall, it puts your own brand on the home and momentarily shatters their illusions about owning the house. Therefore, put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knickknacks, and souvenirs. Put them in a box. Rent a storage area for a few months and put the box in the storage unit.
Do not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet. Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove clutter, and that is the next step in preparing your house for sale.
Removing personal picture frames can be emotional for many sellers. You must think about selling your home first. All your memories and photos will be prominently displayed in your new home, but you have to get there first.
That means removing everything that personalizes your home. Studies have shown that real estate buyers will spend more time in a home that has less pictures of the family and mementos of their travels. It’s human nature to feel like your invading someone’s space if it appears to be too personalized.
Selling your home is a process that starts with good preparation. By removing clutter you are staging your home for potential buyers. Buyers will see your home in its best light and they will spend more time in your home than a competing listing that fails to remove the clutter. Better showing will result in better offers and you’ll get to the negotiation table and on your way to next new home faster than you could have imagined.
When conversing with real estate agents, you will often find that when they talk to you about buying real estate, they will refer to your purchase as a “home.” Yet if you are selling property, they will often refer to it as a “house.” There is a reason for this. Buying real estate is often an emotional decision, but when selling real estate you need to remove emotion from the equation.
You need to think of your house as a marketable commodity. Property. Real estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you can inadvertently create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property.
The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to “de-personalize” it.
When buying real estate part of your offer for a home may include an inspection of the property. Along with that inspection, you may require a termite and pest inspection. This company not only inspects for termite damage and pest infestations.
The company that performs the inspection is important to you as a buyer, because you want to be sure they do a good job. Additionally, it is a good idea to ask what types of guarantees they offer.
You should determine which company you want to perform this inspection and make it a part of your offer. If you do not know which company to hire, your agent can make a few recommendations that you can choose from.
Title insurance protects the home owner and/or a lender (if there is a loan outstanding on the property) against any title defect or dispute that may arise. Lenders require title insurance to close on your home, but if you pay cash you don’t have to purchase title insurance – although we do not recommend that.
Who should get title insurance?
Everyone. Title insurance is important because the title insurance company insures that you have clear title to the property. If there are any problems later, you can always go back to the title insurance company and have them clear it up. Short sales and distressed properties are fought with liens and encumbrances that could come back to haunt you if you don’t have a owner’s title insurance policy.
In Naples, Florida and Collier County, the buyer typically pays for title insurance and is able to chose the title insurance provider. The seller is responsible for providing a copy of his current title policy. This is the standard but make sure you check your written contract for the terms of your transaction. If you have any questions, you should consult a qualified real estate attorney.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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