Posted by Manager on January 17th, 2008
If you’re going to be selling a home, there are a few things you’re going to want to know. First, you’ll need to know about having the property listed in the MLS and about getting your home ready.
But when you’re selling your home, you’re also going to want to think about those things that prospective buyers are going to want to know. Here are some of those things first, the most obvious:
- the number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- dimensions of the rooms
- style of the home and year built
- details of the heating and cooling system
And then there are the less obvious things:
- What’s the neighborhood like?
- How close are you to coffee shops, public transportation, grocery stores and schools?
- What’s the community like?
All of the things that you think you’re going to miss about the neighborhood are potential selling points. That doesn’t mean that you need to include each and every little detail - it just means that if there’s something that people are looking for, let them know how easy it will be to find.
Posted by Manager on December 20th, 2007
When you are going to be selling a home, especially when the housing market is in a bit of a cooling off period or a slow season, there are two things that are absolutely essential.
First, there’s setting the right price. It’s impossible for sellers these days to sell their home when the price is too high, and when the market has slowed a bit, you’re going to find that it’s even more difficult to get your asking price. This is mostly because there are less buyers vying for the property. However, if you’re able to take the time to set the right price for your home - based on other properties in the area and the size and condition of your home - your chances are going to be a lot better. And, of course, when you sell with flat fee MLS, you’re still in a better position to profit when you sell.
Flat fee MLS also addresses the second essential element for selling in a cooling market: exposure for the property. With flat fee MLS, your home will be listed alongside those represented by listing agents and you’ll have the chance to clearly identify all of the house’s best features and selling points. As a result of increased exposure, there will be increased interest and that leads to a greater chance that your home will sell.
What you’ll find when you use flat fee MLS to sell your home is this: you’ll have access to the tools you need to sell your home, be able to access tips and tools designed to help you sell and, even in a cooling market, you’re in a better position to sell the property regardless of what the market is like.
Posted by Manager on June 16th, 2007
When you are selling a home, it’s important not to overlook home staging. Home staging is a process of getting your home to look its best. It’s a process that allows you to look at your home through the buyers’ eyes, and to create an environment that will be inviting.
A well-staged home is likely to sell faster than a home in which this extra care has not been taken.
So what can you do to stage a home that you’ll be selling? Start on the outside. Clean up your yard - this means getting rid of scraps that have blown in, putting away trash cans and taking in the kids’ yard toys. Clean out your rain gutters. If you have a patio, clean it up and make it more inviting. And, of course, make sure that shrubbery is trimmed and neat, gardens are weeded and mulched.
Remember, even before someone makes it to the inside of your home, they’ll have formed an impression. But it’s not all about the outside of your home.
Inside, you’ll want to take down family photos and other decorations that show your personality in the home. Clear all of the countertops in your home - both those in the kitchn and those in the bathroom. Touch up paint on the insides - create a neutral canvas. Rearrange the furniture and even remove some items that make the room seem smaller. Clean the windows and carpets, and use lighting to keep the inside of the home bright.
Home staging isn’t just about cleaning up your space. It’s about setting the stage so that prospective buyers can start mentally moving into their new home.
IHS Realty
Selling a home? Show it at its best.
Internet Home Services Real Estate Blog
Posted by Manager on June 11th, 2007
If you’re selling a home, it’s important to make sure that buyers see it at its best. You can do this by being prepared for showings and open houses.
- Give your home its best light: ensure that all of the window curtains and blinds are open to let in natural light and consider turning on floor lights to make the space bright - just not blindingly so.
- Get rid of all of your clutter. Minimize collections, put away the kids’ toys and try to keep your home as much of a blank slate as possible so prospective buyers can see themselves - not you - living in the home.
- Create a comfortable environment. Keep the temperature comfortable, keep the home clean and brew a pot of coffee of bake some cookies to create a home-y smell.
- Get rid of distractions - this may mean keeping the dog or cat outside or sending the kids off to the playground. Many sellers aren’t home when their house is shown, but when you’re selling on your own, you will have to be there. Try to keep your interaction to a minimum so that they do not feel pressured.
These tips will help make the process of selling a home easier - for more, visit (a href=”http://www.ihsrealty.com” target=”new”>IHS Realty.
IHS Realty
Get showing tips that will make selling a home easier.
Internet Home Services Real Estate Blog
Posted by Manager on June 5th, 2007
When you are selling a home, it’s important to take advantage of all of the marketing opportunities that are available - especially if you are selling without a real estate agent.
FSBO sellers who use a flat fee MLS listing from IHS Realty can take advantage of of a variety of marketing opportunities that will help with selling a home:
- A listing in the MLS (multiple listing service) will enable buyers and their agents to find your property. Since buyer’s agents use the MLS to locate properties their clients will be interested in, an MLS listing is essential for marketing your home;
- Web listings for your home. Buyers who are not working with an agent (and some who are) will be searching the web to find properties that interest them. Having a website for your home along with listings on Realtor.com, Yahoo and more will enable buyers to know that your home is on the market; and
- Traditional marketing materials like yard signs, newspaper ads, flyers and open houses all will help when you are selling a home.
By taking advantage of marketing opportunities, you’ll have an easier time with selling a home.
Flat Fee Realty
Selling a home? Learn more about the importance of marketing - and using a partner like IHS Realty.
Internet Home Services Real Estate Blog
Posted by Manager on May 30th, 2007
Photos are an important component of online marketing when you are selling a home. Therefore, it’s important to consider the photos that you take and learn to choose the very best when you add them to your home listing.
Here are some tips for getting the photos that will cast your home in the best light:
- If you’re taking a picture of your dining room, be sure to set the table. Consider adding fresh flowers as a centerpiece and make sure that all of your family photos are out of the frame. You want to be sure that, based on the photo you take, prospective buyers can see themselves sitting down to dinner.
- Planning to take photos of the outside of your home? Make sure to take them on a sunny day where the colors will be more accurate. Be sure that your yard is cleaned up - prospective buyers want to see a green lawn and, prospective buyers with kids want to be able to picture their children playing in the yard.
- Taking photos of the kids’ playroom? Make sure that the room is neat and clean; though you may be used to seeing toys and art all of the room, prospective buyers won’t be lured in by photos of a mess. This same point can be applied to bedrooms, bathrooms, family rooms, living rooms, finished basements - essentially, every room of your home
Remember, when you are selling a home, the photos you share are a way in which prospective buyers can see inside - just as they would if they were to attend an open house. Most home showing tips can also be applied to the photos that you show - keep them in mind when you add photos to your home listing.
IHS Realty
Selling a home? Apply showing tips to the photos you use in your listing online.
Internet Home Services Real Estate Blog
