1. Price
2. Terms
3. Location
4. Condition
5. Marketing

1. Price

Pricing Your Home :
Market Value: The market value is relative. It is not based on what you paid for it or what you have in it over the time you owned it.

Opinions Don't Count:
Price is not affected by your opinion of what it is worth, a neighbors opinion or even the Realtors opinion.

Consider the Competition :
Buyers will decide whether your property is realistically priced by comparing it to other available properties. Most people look at an average of 12-13 properties before buying one!

Price it Right :
Pricing your home within the range of comparable homes that have sold recently in your same market area will help sell it! Pricing a home too high has damaging results and may cost you dollars.

Professional Help :
A Realtor can help you price your home by utilizing the MLS - doing a Comparable Market Analysis to show you what similar homes have sold for in your market area.

2. Terms
         Ease of Sale - Common Terms

• Subject to Finding suitable housing
• Keeping all the appliances
• Selling “AS IS”
• Offering a contract for Deed
• Subject to assuming a mortgage or contract.

3: Location
         Brings the Money

• On the Lake
• Lake Access
• Near the Schools
• In Town/City
• In the Country
• Neighborhood Quality
• Landmarks

4: Condition
         Brings the Buyers

Homes Sell from the OUTSIDE First

• Clean the front door
• Put pots of flowers or a wreath by the Front door.
• Clean up the yard
• Cut the grass
• Sweep the sidewalks or shovel the snow.
• Decorate for the holidays
• Plant flowers

If they don’t like the outside we can’t get them to go inside!

• Have the house washed or painted
• Put shutters on the roadside windows
• Wash all the windows
• Add some shrubs or bushes
• CLEAN UP THE YARD!

Setting the Stage for Showings

A well-staged home creates a vision of a “Wonderful Life”. When buyers walk through a house, they feel like they are going to have the same life as the people living there. So the picture has to be a happy one - clean, uncluttered, and tranquil!

Making Your House POP!

• Turn on “ALL” the Lights!
• Set out flowers
• Pick up toys, shoes, papers & pet dishes.
• Turn on soft music.
• Quick dust, vacuum, and empty waste baskets.
• Put pets and their toys away
• DECLUTTERIZE!!!!!!

THE LIVING ROOM

• Open the drapes
• Turn TV off - music on
• Set temperature (A/C or heat)
• Prepare tables with flowers and books
• Light a fire

THE DINING ROOM

• Turn on the lights
• Light the candles
• Set the table
• Soft music
• Fresh flowers
• Open the drapes

THE KITCHEN

• Clean off the counters
• Scrub the sink
• No dirty dishes, towels, or pans.
• Bake cookies, bread or a roast.
• Light a candle

THE BATHROOM

• Wash the mirror
• Clean the sink
• Put away the toothbrushes & combs
• Put all “personal” items away
• Hang the “show” towels
• Place a green plant or candle in the bathroom

THE BEDROOMS

• Make the beds
• Add decorative pillows
• Clean off the night stands
• Put away the shoes and clothes
• Secure jewelry, cash, prescriptions, medications and valuables.

THE FAMILY ROOM

• Turn off the TV
• Play soft music
• Pick up toys
• Put away papers
• Start a fire
• Set out a book or ga

WHEN THEY SHOW YOUR HOUSE:

• It’s best to leave the house while it’s being shown.
• If you stay, don’t follow the people around.
• Don’t discuss price, terms, possession, furnishings or any factors with the buyers.
• Save all the Realtor’s cards so your Realtor can check back to see how the showing was.
• Don’t show your home to someone that knocks on the door without a Realtor.

CLEAR UP THE CLUTTER!
     Fast Fix for the Linen Closet

• Fold the towels so that the decorative bands line up or roll and stack the towels to evoke the image of a high end hotel or spa.

     Color-Code Your Clothes

• Crammed closets look chaotic and messy. Hang clothes in order, from light to dark, for an upscale store feel.

     Create Cozy Nooks

• Cluster furniture in snug conversation areas, leaving a clear pathway to evoke an intimate but not cramped area.

     Keep Mantels Clear

• Put away all but a few well-chosen accessories.  The empty space allows buyers to imagine their own knick knacks decorating the house.

     Spruce Up Your Shelves

• In the kitchen, turn all the cans and boxes so that the labels face outward, giving the cupboards a tidy grocery store look.
• Do the same for books, CD’s, Videos, and DVDs.

     Remove Family Photos

• Depersonalizing the space makes it easier for others to see the house as their own

WAYS TO CREATE THE ILLUSION OF EXTRA SQUARE FOOTAGE

     Bedroom

• Remove one piece of furniture and ottoman or a 2nd night stand. too-tight spaces are a major buyer turnoff.

     Windows

• Take down worn drapes. Don’t worry about replacing them. bare windows always make your home look bigger.

     Cabinets

• Stop buying in bulk at Sam’s Club. Reducing inventory lets you arrange supplies so that the shelves seem roomier

     Dining Room

• Create a feeling of uninterrupted flow by taking out the dining room table leaves and removing all but “four” chairs.

“5” Easy Fixes to Make your Home More Inviting

• Place a box of chocolates and a water pitcher with lemon slices in the Kitchen on the counter.
• Hide pet toys, bowls, and litter boxes.
• Heat an apple pie or bread in the oven.  The smell makes people nostalgic for childhood.
• Light a candle in a room to create a glow.
• Put away toilet brushes, plungers, sponges, tooth brushes and medicine.

5. Marketing

The Realtors Job
When Listing a Property with us we will  do the following:

• Get your assessment card
• Do a CMA- Comparative Market Analysis
• Take pictures of the property.
• Measure all the rooms
• Tell you of things we feel you need to do to set your stage to sell.
• Help rearrange furniture.
• Locate an aerial or survey
• Obtain the tax information
• Put in on the MLS unless you don’t want the other Realtors showing it.
• Put on our website
• Advertise
• Host Open Houses
• Negotiate the offers
• Do the closing

Advertising

• It’s not necessary, nor even advisable, to advertise your home every week. On a consistent, regular, basis we use classified ads on a variety of houses appealing to a variety of buyers.

         Best Forms of Advertising

• #1 Putting a Sign in the Yard!
• Hosting an Open House
• The Internet - Our Website & Realtor.com
• Only about 7% of our sales come directly from our classified ads.

The Feng Shui Way for “Good Aura”

• Bowl of fruit - symbolizes prosperity. Buyers life will be bountiful & abundant.
• Head East- Place a chair or sofa for warmth & relaxation there, set furniture at angles
• Go Green: New opportunity. Place a green mat outside your front door.
• Avoid Red - too much causes mental fatigue and argumentative feelings. Neutral colors best for calm and interest