Getting The Highest Price Possible For Your Home A Sellers Guide

Content
Before You Put Your House Up For Sale ................................................. 1

How a Real Estate Agent Helps You
How to Find a Real Estate Agent
Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent

Setting the Price for Your Home ............................................................ 8

The Benefits of Setting the Right Price
House versus Home: What’s the Difference?

Staging Your Home for a Faster Sale ................................................... 11

What is Home Staging?
Improving Your Curb Appeal
De-Clutter and Clean
Nix the Knick Knacks
Visit a Model Home for Ideas
Eliminate Offensive Odors
Make Minor Repairs
Let the Light In
Rent an Item if You Don’t Own It
Hiring a Professional Home Stager
Keeping Your Home Picture Perfect

Common Mistakes Most Sellers Make ................................................ 20

Conclusion ....................................................................................... 29

GETTING THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE PRICE FOR YOUR HOME:
A SELLER’S GUIDE
© 2004 WebTechDezine Inc.

Before You Put Your House
Up for Sale
The days of sticking a “for sale” sign on the front lawn and expecting
a house to sell are long gone. Selling a house isn’t easy — a lot of
hard work goes into getting your home ready for the market. In today’s
competitive marketplace, careful steps must be taken to ensure that
you receive the best possible price for your house.

The selling process can seem intimidating. There’s so much to do —
from finding the best real estate agent to making your home as
attractive as possible to potential buyers. But all it takes is the right
information to show you the way.

How a Real Estate Agent Helps You

If you want to sell your home, you’ll need to hire an experienced
real estate professional to represent your interests during the sales
process. In return for their services, you must pay a certain commission
percentage based on the final selling price of the house, which is
discharged from the proceeds of the sale.

The ideal real estate agent will have a good working knowledge of local
real estate market conditions and will be prepared to deliver dedicated,
professional service to you, their client. Most importantly, a good agent
will get the results you want — a sold sign on your front lawn!

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Your real estate agent is your negotiator and consultant during the
sales process. As such, they will perform the following duties for you:

• Create the “listing agreement”, your formal contract with the real
estate brokerage firm

• Explain the selling process to you in detail

• Give you a comprehensive market analysis that compares your
house to similar properties recently sold in your area

• Advise you on how to enhance your home so it sells faster

• Design and implement a marketing plan to showcase your home

• Schedule appointments and show your home to potential buyers

• Negotiate the offer to purchase on your behalf and present your
counter-offers to the buyer

• Advise you of your legal and financial duties

• Help you complete the sale

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How to Find a Real Estate Agent

You see advertisements every week from your local real estate agents
— you know who’s out there selling homes but how do you choose the
right agent to suit your needs?

Finding a real estate agent can be fairly simple — start by calling the
real estate agent who sold you your home or ask friends , family or
co-workers who they have used recently. Referrals are a big part of
any real estate agent’s business, so be sure to tell your agent who
recommended him or her to you.

You can also check out your local real estate publications to get some
names of busy real estate agents in your area. Why not contact some
of the agents who have sent you flyers, post cards or door hangers?

You may need to meet with several agents before finding the right one.
A good agent will sit down with you and learn all about your family, your
interests and your goals. In short, your real estate agent is a sort of
combination personal advisor, consultant and negotiator.

Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent

Before signing any listing agreement to sell your home, make sure you
ask the following questions:

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• Could you send me some information about yourself? You can
get a good idea of how professional an agent is by the quality of their
marketing materials. If their information isn’t professional-looking,
how well are they going to be able to market your home?

• How long have you been selling real estate? You may wish to
have an agent with several years of experience or you may choose
to go with someone new, if they seem particularly capable or
knowledgeable.

• Do you primarily represent Buyers or Sellers?

• Are you a full-time agent? This shows their commitment to selling
your house and affects how long your house might be on the market.
If the agent only works part-time, you can expect part-time results.

• Can we cancel the listing if we’re not happy? Do you have a
performance guarantee? Sometimes you can find an agent who
is willing to guarantee your satisfaction, meaning that if you are
dissatisfied in any way they will cancel your listing agreement. But
if your agent doesn’t have such a guarantee in writing, this doesn’t
mean that they’re not motivated to perform.

• Do you have a licensed personal assistant to make sure all
details are covered? It’s not uncommon for high-performing real
estate professionals to hire a team to work with them. Make sure you
know who will be handling each step in the selling process and meet

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with the entire team before committing to the agent. By employing
others to handle the minute details of their business, an agent can
then spend more time servicing the needs of their customers.

• How will I keep in touch with you during the selling process?
Set reasonable expectations here. You might expect your agent to
call, fax or e-mail you every few days to keep you up to date with any
action concerning your home.

• Are you fully automated with the latest technology? Today’s real
estate agent should be full equipped with a cell phone, fax, computer,
website etc.

• What professional designations do you hold? At the bare
minimum, your agent should be a provincially-licensed professional
who is a member of your local real estate board and your local
multiple listing service. They should also be a member of the real
estate association in your province and the Canadian Real Estate
Association (www.crea.ca).

• How many homes have you listed and how many have you sold
in the last six months? Look for an agent who is experienced with
homes similar to yours and is active in your area. Your agent should
have a good track record of selling homes, not just listing them.

• What is your average market time? How does that compare with
other agents? Don’t assume shorter is better — this could reflect the

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habit of selling homes quickly at lowball prices. Compare the asking
price to the selling price — an agent who sells close to the asking
price but takes a bit longer to sell might be preferable in your case.

• How will you market my home? Ask your real estate agent to
give you a clear idea about how they will advertise your home, such
as: Multiple Listing Service, open houses, Internet, direct mail etc.
Make sure your agent is using the most innovative technologies to
generate sales leads, which will help sell your home faster and for
more money.

• What part of your business is from referrals or past clients?
A good agent will get lots of referrals from satisfied clients and past
clients will continue doing business with them.

• Can I contact some past clients for references? Contacting
references is a good way to learn how the agent works and whether
or not this style is agreeable to you.

• Will you provide me with a written activity report? This report
outlines exactly what action has been taken with your home. It
should tell you how many viewings took place that week, plus any
comments from prospective buyers.

• What is included in the listing agreement? This contract will specify
that your agent is acting as a “sellers agent”, meaning that they are
working for you and only you — and looking out for your best interests

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during the sale of your house. Have your agent go over every detail
in the listing agreement, including the beginning and expiration dates
(standard is three months) and what the fee schedule will be. Lower
commission fees aren’t necessarily better — if an agent stands to
make very little money from the sale of your home, they might not
be motivated to spend the time and effort needed to market your
home effectively. Normal commission is between five and seven
percent. Keep in mind that there are usually two agents involved in
most transactions, so only part of the commission goes to the listing
agent’s company — the rest goes to the company representing the
buyer.

• Do you belong to the Multiple Listing Service? This should be
laid out in your listing agreement. Your agent should list your home
on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) immediately. The MLS is a
database of all of the homes listed by local real estate agents who are
members of the service. It is definitely in your best interest to have
your house listed on the MLS, as your sales force is automatically
multiplied by the number of agents who are members of your local
MLS. If your house is not listed, then you only have one agent
working for you instead of many.

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Setting the Price for Your Home
A good agent will give you a comparative market analysis of homes that
have recently sold in your area. This will help determine the best price
for your home. Your agent will take into consideration such factors as
the age and condition of your home and any special amenities you may
have (i.e. finished basement, central air conditioning etc.) before setting
a selling price. Remember that setting your price too high may result
in your home sitting on the market for a long time, as homebuyers will
prefer larger or more attractive homes in the same price range.

A comparative market analysis is an indicator of what current buyers
are willing to pay for a home. Before you set a selling price for your
home, you should consider the following points:

• Location
• Size
• Style
• Condition
• Features within your community
• Market conditions

When a house is priced too high, there is less activity and fewer
interested buyers. You may have to drop your price to get any action,
but by that time your house has been for sale too long and some buyers
may be scared off and reject the house.
If your house is overpriced, potential buyers looking in a lower price

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range (the actual range your home should be in!) will never see your
listing. And those who can afford a home at your asking price will
quickly realize that they can find a better value somewhere else.

Therefore, the most important decision you can make with your real
estate agent is finding the right asking price for your property. Once
you’ve set a realistic selling price, you can expect to sell your home for
the best possible price in the least amount of time.

The Benefits of Setting the Right Price

• Your property will be exposed to more qualified buyers, so it sells
faster

• Your home doesn’t lose its appeal by staying on the market too long

• The closer to market value your home is listed at, the higher the
offers you will receive

• Other real estate agents will be enthusiastic about presenting your
home to their clients

In the end, what to set the selling price at will be your decision. But
take your agent’s experience into consideration too — they know what
buyers are willing to pay. Remember, you have the best chance of
selling your home for the highest possible price within the first 30 days
it’s on the market, so set your asking price accordingly.

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Sure, you might think that you can simply lower your price at a later
date, but this makes you look desperate to potential buyers, so they
might offer you even less. By overpricing your home at the start, you
could set yourself up for a disappointment if you have to accept a lower
price than you would have normally received.

House versus Home: What’s the Difference?

When speaking with real estate agents, you will find that when they talk
to you about buying, they refer to your purchase as a “home”, but when
you are selling, they will call it a “house”. And for good reason.

Buying a piece of real estate is usually an emotional decision — perhaps
you’ve recently married or need a larger place for your growing family.
But when selling real estate, you need to detach your feelings and take
emotion out of the equation completely — you need to think of your
house as a marketable commodity. Your goal is to get buyers to see
the house as their potential home, not yours.

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Staging Your Home
for a Faster Sale
What is Home Staging?

Most real estate agents agree — home staging is the best way to make
your home appealing to potential buyers. The goal of staging is to
make your home a marketable commodity. Staging your home is all
about playing up the best features of the house, downplaying its flaws
and maximizing your chance of a quick sale.

Staging can include anything from setting up appropriate displays to
represent the purpose of each room to adding fragrance, flowers and
carefully chosen artwork. To successfully stage your home you need
to be able to separate your emotions from the selling process — and
change your perception that “this is my family’s home” to “this is a
house, a commodity I need to sell”.

Improving Your Curb Appeal

First impressions count — most buyers decide whether or not they like
a house within the first five seconds, even before they get out of the car.
Appearances matter, but you have to hook a buyer quickly — there’s no
second chance to make a great first impression.

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The outside of your home is the first thing a buyer will see, so regular
maintenance is essential. Keep the grass well-watered and mowed and
plant some mature flowers. Have your trees trimmed and cut back any
overgrowth. Out of sight means out of mind, so keep toys, bicycles,
roller-skates, and gardening tools in the garage, not the front yard. At
a bare minimum, freshen up the paint on the front of your house and
touch up the trim. After dark, turn on your exterior lighting and replace
any burned out light bulbs.

If you know the roof leaks, fix it. If you don’t repair a faulty roof, you will
have to disclose the problem to any potential buyers — and they might
ask for an entire new roof, not a simple repair. Ignoring problems now
could mean legal headaches down the line, as nothing upsets buyers
more than finding problems after the fact.

Go outside and look at your home as if you’ve never seen it before.
What catches your eye? Do you like what you see? Does the home
seem welcoming? Neat and tidy? If you see any problems, take care of
them immediately, before buyers notice them too.

De-Clutter and Clean

If you’ve been in your home any length of time, you have probably
collected a lot of clutter. Closets may be overflowing, the garage is so
full of boxes and tools that you can’t fit in a vehicle and your kitchen
cupboards are jam-packed. Clear out any items you don’t immediately
need to free up as much closet space as possible — this can make
even the smallest closets seem roomy.

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Basements, attics, and garages also accumulate junk, such as broken
tennis racquets, unused exercise equipment and boxes of children’s
schoolwork. Clean out these areas and throw away as much as
possible. If you can’t bear to part with some things for sentimental
reasons, put these in off-site storage.

Kitchens are usually the biggest selling feature in any home. Make
yours as large and inviting as possible by clearing of all the counters
and storing the toaster in a cupboard — this is the time to hide
everything, even the mail.

Clean out your junk drawer and the rest of your cupboards. Throw out
any old boxes of cereal or stale cookies that take up valuable space but
will never get eaten. Tidy up under the kitchen sink too and store your
cleaning supplies somewhere else. If there are any tell-tale signs of
water damage, get the pipes fixed. You don’t want to give any potential
buyers a reason not to choose your home.

Clear off the refrigerator and take down all the pictures of your children
and put fresh flowers on the kitchen table — buyers want to see your
house at its absolute best.

The whole time your house is on the market, it needs to be so clean
it sparkles. You might want to start by hiring a cleaning crew and
then maintaining this new level of cleanliness on your own. And a
professional cleaner will be happy to do all the heavy work that you
might not have time to do yourself, such as cleaning all the windows
and washing down the walls.

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Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is one of the most important rooms to
keep clean. Eliminate any mold or mildew with a bleach solution and
keep the toilet spotless. Empty the wastebasket, wipe down the sink
and shine the faucets every day. Hang some fluffy new towels and a
new shower curtain and hide away all of your toiletries and cleaning
products.

As your home is being shown, buyers will be trying to picture
themselves living there, and that includes the bedroom. The master
bedroom needs to appear spacious, even if it’s not. Remove any
laundry baskets and excess clothing from the closet to make it seem
larger. Make the bed the focal point of the room and dress it up with
a new bedspread or comforter and some attractive designer pillows.
Clear off your nightstands and remove the heaps of books that pile up
there — make a simple arrangement of a few treasured photos and one
or two well-chosen books instead.

The children’s bedrooms can be particularly challenging. Wash off
any handprints from the walls and repaint if necessary. Buy several
Rubbermaid style storage bins and pack away as many toys as
possible, leaving out only a few of their favorites. Take down any
posters and touch up any chipped paint on the walls. Since children
aren’t adept at keeping their rooms clean, expect to come in and tidy
up every day.

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Nix the Knack Knacks

Although it’s the little touches that make a home, this is exactly what you
want to eliminate while your house is on the market. But uncluttering
your personal possessions is the toughest thing for many people to do
— they are so attached to their knick knacks and photos that they don’t
realize how messy they make the house appear. Although it might
seem difficult to box away your treasures, you want as much clear
space as possible in your home.

Visit a Model Home for Ideas

If you’re not sure how to best stage your home, go visit a model home
in one of the new subdivisions in your area. When you walk in, you’ll
notice that there are only a few very carefully chosen decorator touches
in any room. Each model home is tasteful, yet spare and without a
distinct personality — this is the feeling you want to reproduce in your
home. You want your potential buyers to step into your house and
picture themselves living there, so put away the family photos, sports
trophies and Grandma’s doilies until you’re in your new home.

Over the years, you accumulate more and more furniture—and most
people have too much. Stand back and review each room with
an unbiased eye — then remove any piece that is out of place or
overpowering. Put a few pieces on an angle to create a cozy feeling
without seeming boring or boxy.

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Avoid any décor that seems too distinctive, such as a brightly patterned
sofa that will draw the buyer’s eye away from the home and towards
the furnishings instead. One way to discover what needs to be
removed from a room is to stand in the doorway and see where your
eye naturally falls. Then cut this clutter by at least 50%.

It’s a fact — buyers won’t purchase a home they can’t see. If your home
is stuffed with too much furniture, overflowing closets, crowded kitchen
and bathroom countertops or lots of family photos or collectibles on
display, potential buyers won’t get a true feeling for the house. Get rid
of anything you don’t need or use. Resist the urge to pack your garage
full of belongings — rent some storage space if that’s what it takes to
make room in your home.

Eliminate Offensive Odors

Many people are extremely sensitive to offensive odors. If your home
is smelly to visitors, you need to take action. Bathe your pets, change
the cat litter box daily, steam clean your carpets, and empty kitchen
garbage cans and recycling bins often. Baking soda is a great odor
eliminator, so place several boxes in smell-prone areas, and don’t cook
with heavy spices, onions, garlic or other pungent foods. Introduce
pleasing smells by placing flowers or potpourri in several rooms or
using air fresheners. Baking some homemade cookies or some other
yummy treat is another good idea.

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Make Minor Repairs

Buyers expect their new home to perfect and observant buyers will
notice any minor maintenance problems you’ve ignored. Leaky faucets,
burned-out light bulbs, broken windows, and water-stained ceilings
should be fixed before you put your home on the market. These are
all little things, but left undone they can lead buyers to question the care
that’s gone into your home.

Potential buyers want to see your home at its absolute best and this
means paying attention to the little details — set the dining room table
with your special china. Paint the living room in a neutral color. Fix the
jiggly doorknobs. Glue down any peeling wallpaper.

Potential buyers will notice all the flaws that you’ve come to ignore
over the years. They will notice the frayed carpet that your cat has torn
up, the warped floor tiles in the kitchen and the leaky faucet in the tub
that’s left rust stains. Your house will be dramatically more desirable
if you take the time to view it as an outsider would and fix all of these
seemingly minor irritations.

Let the Light In

Natural light makes a home seem more welcoming and inviting. Open
all the draperies to let in as much sunlight as possible and turn on all
the lights during a viewing to eliminate any dark corners.

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Rent an Item if You Don’t Own It

If you know what sort of mood or feeling you want to create but you
don’t have the right furniture for it, why not rent it? Artwork, lamps,
sofas and tables can all be rented to enhance your home without
making a permanent dent in your wallet.

Hiring a Professional Home Stager

If you have the budget for it, hiring a professional home stager can
make your home much more appealing to buyers. Fortunately, staging
a home doesn’t have to be exorbitantly expensive. A basic staging
consultation with a home stylist usually costs between $150 and $300,
plus the cost of any purchases or rentals; organizing your belongings
will be extra. Professional stagers will always try to stay within a seller’s
budget, so talk about your price limitations before you begin.

Although it might seem decadent to hire a professional, an impartial
set of eyes can see your home in a whole new light, opening up many
possibilities that you would have never considered before.

Keeping Your Home Picture Perfect

Now that your home is staged, you must keep it looking ideal — the
way you normally live in your home and the way you live in your home
when you’re trying to sell it are too very different things. Follow your
staging advice to a tee and keep the new furniture arrangements as

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they are, even if they don’t feel entirely natural to you and maintain your
clutter-free lifestyle.

You can help keep your home’s staged perfection with these simple
steps:

• Make all beds daily

• Don’t use the new towels on display, keep them hanging straight.
Use old towels for bathing and put them in the laundry promptly.

• Clean up the kitchen immediately after every meal and wash the
dishes promptly. Keep the countertops clear.

• Turn on all the lights when showing the house and keep a radio
turned low for background music

• Keep dirty laundry off the floor and out of sight

• Vacuum and sweep daily — it’s easier to maintain a floor a little bit
every day than to try to do a full vacuum once a week.

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Common Mistakes
Most Sellers Make
Selling a home is a business transaction, but sellers often make
emotional or impulsive decisions that cost them money and time. Here
are some common mistakes that plague many sellers — make sure
you’re not one of them.

Pricing your house too high

Every seller wants to get the most money for their house. But the best
way to do this is NOT to list the house at an incredibly high price. A
high listing price will only cause prospective buyers to lose interest
before even seeing your property. Also, it may lead other buyers
to expect more than what you have to offer. As a result, overpriced
properties tend to take an unusually long time to sell, and they end up
being sold at a lower price.

Not showcasing your home

If you’re trying to sell your house, don’t forget to make it look as
pleasant as possible. Make necessary repairs. Clean. Make sure
everything functions and looks presentable. A poorly maintained home
in need of repairs will lower the selling price of your property and turn
off many potential buyers.

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First opinions of your home are formed as soon as a buyer pulls into the
driveway, so don’t eliminate your home from the buyer’s list before they
even step in the door. Make sure that your lawn is mowed and free of
weeds. Toys and garden equipment should be put away. Eliminate any
clutter, bad stains, and unpleasant odors on the inside. Brighten up the
front door area with a wreath or fresh coat of paint — the little things
really do make a big difference.

Using hard sell tactics

Buying a house is an emotional decision that takes time, so allow
prospective buyers to comfortably examine your property in peace.
Don’t let your agent haggle or use forceful selling techniques. Instead,
make sure your agent is friendly and inviting — have him or her point
out any subtle amenities while being open to questions.

Trying to sell to “tire kickers”

A prospective buyer who shows only interest because of a “for sale”
sign on the lawn may not really be on the market to purchase. Buyers
who do not come through a Realtor could be almost a year away from
buying — they are more interested in seeing what’s out there than in
actually making a purchase. They may still have to sell their house, or
may not be able to afford a house yet. They might not even know for
sure if they want to relocate to your town or city.

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Being ignorant of your rights and responsibilities

Real estate contracts are legally binding documents, which can often
be complex and confusing — know what you are responsible for
before signing on the dotted line. Not fulfilling your obligations due to
ignorance could end up costing you a lot amount of money.

Using a family member (or friend) as your real estate agent

Just because a family member or a friend is a real estate agent, doesn’t
mean they’re qualified to sell your home. Use tough standards when
selecting an agent, just as you would when hiring a lawyer, a doctor, or
a mechanic. Your family member should understand and appreciate
that this is a business decision and you will ultimately decide to go with
the best person to help you with your listing. And consider this — do
you really want to risk damaging a friendship or family relationship if a
problem should arise?

Going with the only agent who agrees with your selling price

Some agents will tell you exactly what you want to hear, just to get the
listing. In the real estate profession, this is known as “buying a listing”,
which is a very poor strategy. You want to find an agent who knows the
market inside and out, not just someone who sees dollar signs.

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Not getting references

Any real estate agent might seem nice and knowledgeable when you
first meet them, but a quick impression just doesn’t cut it for such an
important decision. You need to find out for yourself if the agent is
competent and the best way to do that is to check up on references.
Ask for several references from recent sales and call these people
— find out how these customers feel about their selling experience,
both the good and the bad.

And don’t rely on the length of time an agent has been in business
as a sign that they are good. Even though an agent may be very
experienced, they may have grown jaded over the years and may not
work as hard for you, while newer agents can make up in enthusiasm
and effort what they lack in experience.

Using the agent with the lowest commission

You get what you pay for. Paying a cut-rate commission will often
get you a sign in the front yard and placement in the Multiple Listing
Service, but little else from the agent.

Real estate agents use their own resources to market and advertise
your home — and this costs money. Therefore, the lower the
commission, the less incentive an agent has to put up his or her own
money to market your home.
An agent who is earning a full commission will often drop everything

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to sell your house — but an agent earning only a small commission
doesn’t have that same incentive to perform.

Incentive is also important to the buyer’s agent. Since there are almost
always two agents involved in every sale, they split the commission
according to the listing agent’s instructions. When your listing agent
drops his commission, does he also reduce the commission that will be
paid to the buyers’ agent? If so, you won’t find as many agents willing
to show your house — they’ll be out showing houses that offer the
traditional commission structure for the buyer’s agent.

Picking an agent from a less established company

Agents who work for large well-established companies do have some
advantages over smaller or newer brokerages. Large companies
generally have longer office hours, so someone is always available to
answer a call about your home. And established real estate companies
often have lots of agents. This is important because when your house is
newly on the market, the company may stage an “office preview” where
every agent in the office comes through and tours your home. Every
agent who views your home and likes it is one more agent working on
your sales team. Larger companies are often better at offering ongoing
education to their agents too. As a result, your agent may be better
qualified and prepared to offer a quality service.

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Since they have the same license, all agents are the same

Although all real estate agents must pass the same tests to become
licensed, the real estate profession is constantly changing. The best
real estate professionals stay on top of those changes by continuing
their education — going beyond the minimum requirements. Many
agents acquire “professional designations” that show they took
additional specialized courses.

Depending on open houses to sell your home

Open houses do sell homes, but just not your home. Real estate
agents use open houses as a way to “prospect” for potential clients. If
they develop a rapport with those visitors to your open house, they can
find out about their housing needs and sell them the home that most
closely matches those needs, which may or may not be your house.

Savvy agents know better than to depend on open houses to sell
your house — so they concentrate on using more efficient marketing
methods. The most effective way to market your house is not directly
to the public, but to other agents. By getting other agents interested in
your home, your listing agent multiplies your sales force beyond just
themselves.

Relying on high selling volume as a symbol of quality

Selling a lot of homes should only be the beginning. What is more

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important, an agent who listed 34 homes and sold 25 or an agent
who listed 14 homes and sold all of them? When presented with some
impressive numbers, you need to do some digging — how many of
their listings did not sell? How many were repeatedly reduced before
they finally sold? How long were the houses on the market? Was the
agent helpful when there were questions or problems? Numbers count,
but only if all of the quality questions exceed your expectations.

Over improving before selling

Sellers often unwittingly spend thousands of dollars doing the wrong
upgrades to their homes before trying to sell in the mistaken belief they
will recoup this cost. If you’re upgrading your home for your personal
enjoyment, then go ahead. But if you are thinking of selling, you should
be aware that only certain upgrades are cost effective. Always consult
with a real estate agent before upgrading your home — it could save
you a lot of unnecessary expense.

Not being able to get out of a listing agreement

Sometimes circumstances change. For example, a job might be
downsized, you get seriously ill or an agent is not performing well.
In cases such as these, you deserve the right to cancel your listing
agreement. Always protect yourself—make sure you can cancel your
listing.

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A SELLER’S GUIDE

Not taking the first offer seriously

Most sellers believe that they will receive many offers on their house,
so they don’t accept the first offer that comes along — they want to hold
out for a higher price. This can be especially true if the offer comes in
immediately after the home goes on the market. However, experience
shows that the first offer is often the best since the house is most
saleable in the beginning of the marketing period — meaning you most
likely to get top dollar right at the start.

Wasting your time with an unqualified prospect

It’s your agent’s responsibility to screen a prospect’s qualifications.
Don’t waste time with a buyer who can’t afford your home or isn’t ready
to move yet.

Testing the market

Never put your home up for sale unless you are serious about moving
— staging a home can lead to fast offers, often at full price, so be
prepared to take action.

Not making necessary repairs

You can often recoup three to five times the cost of minor improvements.
Listen to your agent if they make suggestions — and you can
significantly increase the value of your home.

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A SELLER’S GUIDE

Making it difficult to show your home

It’s important that your home is accessible to buyers and their agents,
so allow your real estate agent to place a lock box on your front door
for easy entry. You can still insist on being asked permission before
any showings.

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A SELLER’S GUIDE

Conclusion
Selling you home is an exciting, yet sometimes stressful, time of your
life. There’s so much to do and prepare to get your home ready for the
market. Using an experienced real estate agent will make the whole
process run much more smoothly—follow their advice, set a fair price
for your house and then go out of your way to make your house as
attractive as possible. Before you know it, your house will be sold and
you’ll be moving on to bigger and better things. Good luck!

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A SELLER’S GUIDE

Getting The Highest Price Possible For Your Home A Sellers Guide

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