Pricing your Home right
Professional appraisers sum up their entire body of knowledge
in three words - "Buyers Make Value."Pricing
As your real estate agent, I can give you up-to-date information
on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing,
terms, and condition of competing properti.When listing your
property for sale, require your agent to be candid with you.
Most agents simply don't want to tell the seller the true value
of their home, if it's obvious the seller wants more than it's
worth. By allowing your agent to be completely honest with you,
you'll save time and money. Consider the market analysis carefully
with your agent...The numbers should make just as much sense
to you as they do to your agent, the appraiser, and most importantly
potential buyers.Remember! Your home is worth as much as a buyer
is willing to pay for it. Sometimes the home is simply worth
more to the seller than it is to the buying public. If the property
has been on the market for more than 4-5 weeks, with few prospects
coming to see it or those that have seen your home do not make
a second or third visit and no offers have been submitted, you've
been given a clear message that the property may not be worth
what you're asking for it. What you do at that point depends
on whether you really need to sell, and whether you're working
with a time limit.If you're not really motivated to move soon,
you can always wait - years if necessary - and hope inflation
will catch up with the price you want. The problem is that in
that time, your home begins to feel shopworn. Buyers become suspicious
of a house that has been for sale for a long time. If, however,
you really do need to sell, your Coldwell Banker Schmitt agent
understands the marketplace and how to price it right. There's
no point in saying, "We simply can't sell our house." It
will sell when the price is right.
Showing Tips Each property has just one chance
to make a great impression with a potential buyer. Keep up with
cleaning and tidiness every day to ensure that the property is
ready to be shown to potential buyers, even on short notice.
In other words, keep the property in “Show Time” condition,
so that it’s always ready to make the great first impression
that can make the sale!During the Entire Marketing Period * Keep
the landscaping neatly trimmed, weeded and free
of debris and clutter.
Add a new front door mat; keep walkways, driveway and front door
entry area clean. * Clean outside lighting fixtures; make sure
the doorbell works. * Repair anything that is not in proper
working order, including loose doorknobs, broken door locks,
leaking taps and toilets, squeaky doors, closets or screen doors
that go off their tracks. * Repair any broken windows, fogged
or leaking windows or windows that don’t
open and close properly. * Quiet squeaks or noisy appliance fans
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with a squirt of lubricant. * Keep kitchen spotless and fresh
smelling at all times -- regularly grind a quarter of a
* lemon in the garbage disposal and keep fresh boxes of
baking soda in refrigerator and freezer. * Unclutter kitchen
counter spaces, pantry and cabinets and under sink area. * Remove
items hanging on the refrigerator. * Make sure all kitchen appliances
are spotless inside and out. * Make sure all appliances and systems
are in perfect working order. * Keep bathrooms spotless and fresh
smelling! Place all personal care items out of sight. Tile, fixtures,
shower doors, tubs must be shining and immaculate. Remove all
rust and mildew stains; neatly recaulk around the top edges of
the tub, countertops, etc. * Place dishes of potpourri in rooms
throughout the house or add a drop of vanilla or bath oil on
light bulbs for scent. * Keep windows, windowsills and all light
fixtures clean. * Don’t forget the storage and car parking
areas – keep them
organized, neat and tidy. * Keep all pet areas clean and odor-free;
change litter box frequently! * Secure jewelry, cash and other
valuable.Before Each Showing: Open all drapes, shades and blinds
and turn on ALL lights. Pick up clutter. Make beds and put away
clothes and shoes. Give floors a quick vacuuming. Add some strategically
placed fresh flowers. Place a dish of vanilla or cinnamon in
a warm oven to create the aroma of fresh baking. Turn off the
television and turn on music at low volume. Secure pets in the
garage, yard or other secured area. Even better, take them out
of the house with your or arrange for a friend to keep them.
Make sure all pet areas are clean and odor-free, including litter
box. Make sure all trash is disposed of in neatly covered bins.
Make the temperature comfortably cool.The Actual Showing: The
selling agent will call your listing agent to set an appointment
to show your home. Your agent will contact you to determine if
the time is convenient and to arrange the details. The presence
of the owner or family members makes the potential buyer feel
like an intruder. It’s best to leave the house while the
buyers are touring the home. If it is not possible to leave,
excuse yourself and stay in one part of the house or outside.
If the prospective buyer or their agent asks you questions, respond
honestly but diplomatically refer additional questions to your
agent. It is best not to discuss price, terms, possession or
other factors with the buyer or their agent. If a prospective
buyer calls directly or comes by unexpectedly without an agent,
get their name and phone number. Explain that it is not a convenient
time and say you will have your listing agent contact them. For
your benefit and protection do not allow them in your home.After
Each Showing We follow up with the showing agent to obtain feedback
concerning the potential buyer’s feelings about how well
the property fits their needs. We evaluate the feedback and comments
received from other agents that tour the property during our
office and association caravans, to share with you ideas that
may make the property more marketable. We discuss price reductions
and other buyer incentives with you if offers are not being received
within the first three weeks of listing the property.Tips to
Upgrade Your Home for
Potentially Increased Property ValueA home is arguably one of
the largest financial investments a person will make in their
lifetime. While property values over time are determined by national
variables, the economy and local market conditions, the care
and upkeep of a property is also a crucial element toward achieving
a solid re-sell. Whether you are planning on adding more rooms
to create extra space, upgrading your kitchen with new appliances
or are thinking of putting your home on the market, Coldwell
Banker Real Estate Corporation offers some essential home improvement
tips that might increase the value of your home.Kitchen Makeover:
Out of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen is the most popular
to remodel. According to Remodeling Magazine, money spent to
upgrade a kitchen produces the highest return on investment. "Hot" kitchen
makeover trends include adding dual sinks, cooking stations,
extra-long dishwashers, under-cabinet lighting, warming ovens
and wine coolers.Bathroom Fixer-Upper: Upgrading a bathroom is
also a sound choice and will usually provide a significant return
on investment. Large bathrooms are typically on the top of the
list of priorities for those seeking to purchase a home. Adding
skylights, glass block windows, ceiling fans and sunken whirlpool
baths are also attractive selling features. If you don't have
the room to expand or to accommodate larger appliances, or you
don't think you'll be living in your home long enough to enjoy
the changes and/or see a return on this kind of investment, stick
with neutral, mid-builder level updated cabinetry, refreshed
flooring and shower/tub, or a new sink and toilet.Room to Grow:
Adding a room or two, such as a spare bedroom or a study, is
a significant home improvement that you will be able to take
advantage of every day. In addition to the much-needed extra
space, it can also potentially provide you with a good return
on your investment when it comes to selling the property.Landscaping
the Lot: A professionally landscaped yard can certainly increase
the "curb appeal" or desirability of a home. In fact,
beautifying your lawn can be one of the most inexpensive home
improvements. Additional simple landscaping projects include
trimming and edging the grass, manicuring the trees and shrubs
to open up the view of the house, removing any dead plants and
planting flowers to brighten up the yard.Repair Jobs: While many
homeowners may want to update and remodel their kitchen, if the
roof needs fixing or the chimney has to be reappointed, then
they should prioritize these necessary repairs over any cosmetic
changes. This applies to both sellers and those who plan to stay
in the home for years to come, as these essential repairs must
be taken care of before they cause the house to lose value. It
is vital to look after the minor problems such as a leaky faucet
or a loose cabinet to ensure that your house doesn't undergo
any long-term damage. As soon as you notice a problem, fix it
since this will help avoid a larger expense later on.Cosmetic
Touch-Ups: A paint job, new double-paned windows and new carpeting
will increase the price of a house virtually dollar-for-dollar.
Neutral colored paint and eliminating clutter can make a world
of difference. However, don't go overboard with home improvement
projects that will push a house too much above the current average
value of homes in your neighborhood. It is important to make
sure that your home has standards that are in-line with the other
houses in the neighborhood, but you do not want to price yourself
out of the market.
Single Agency Florida law requires all Real
Estate Agents to explain the “Agency Relationship” options
available to Sellers and Buyers of residential real estate.The
law established three types of agency: * Single Agency
* Transaction Brokerage
* No Brokerage Relationship Single Agency: The policy of Coldwell
Banker Schmitt is to provide the greatest possible degree
of service to our clients, which only occurs in a Single Agency
relationship.For that reason, the company adopted Single Agency
as the primary and preferred relationship
for working with our clients.As a Single Agent, we provide you
with the full spectrum of services including the fiduciary
duties of loyalty, confidentiality and obedience.
The benefit to you is that we place your interest above all others,
including our own!While we believe this type of relationship
is what
our clients expect and deserve, most Real Estate Companies have
opted not to adopt Single Agency as the primary and preferred
relationship for working with buyer and seller. They have chosen
Transaction Brokerage, which, by law, is the assumed relationship
between a buyer and agent or seller and agent unless they agree
to Single Agency or a No Brokerage Relationship.Transaction Broker:
As a Transaction Broker, agents are required to facilitate the
transaction by assisting both the buyer and seller, and not represent
one party to the detriment of the other. They provide fair and
honest dealing, skill, care and diligence, accounting for all
funds, and disclosure of all known facts that materially affect
the value of a property in which you have interest. The reason
most companies have adopted Transaction Brokerage is for the
reduced level of liability versus Single Agency.No Brokerage
RelationshipThe agent owes you three duties: * To deal with you
honestly and fairly;
* To disclose all known facts that materially affect the value
of the property which are not readily observable to you;
* And, to account for all funds entrusted to the agent.The key
point for the No Brokerage Relationship (non-representation)
is to not disclose any information you want held in confidence
until entering into an agency relationship.
My VIP Program As Your agent it's important
that you know my competitive advantages.
I am high energy and proactive agent dedicated to getting my
clients what they want in the time that they want. My large sphere
of influence allows me to market my clients properties, getting
them the maximum exposure that they deserve.
I moved
to the keys in January of 2003 and placed my license with
Coldwell Banker Schmitt.
I have since furthered my education by getting green certification
plus an e-marketing specialist certification, and completing
the Coldwell Banker sales associate training.
I was top in buyer's sales, the fifth month on the job for
my entire office, and wasalso top in listing sales for June
of 09.
If you or anyone you know, has
any needs to buy or sell property in the Florida Keys, Call
Sam.
