selling a home

The Realtor you choose should be experienced in marketing and selling homes like yours-the price range, the neighborhood. This is important because the Realtor needs to understand and empathize with the prospective buyer; needs to understand the value of the various amenities of your property and be able to explain them; needs to be aware of the sources of financing for your type of property.

You want a person who knows your neighborhood, but one who will also be aggressive in marketing and who will have sources of potential buyers from outside the area. Choose an agent who is responsible and responsive, ethical, and who treats real estate as a profession. Situations often arise between contract and closing that require experience and persistence. Be sure your agent can demonstrate these traits.

Once you have chosen the agent, you should jointly address the listing price, the expected sale price, the commission rate and the term of the listing. Consider not just the price of the service, but the value of the service.

After you have signed the listing papers, and given your Realtor the key, the first shock will come when you see the FOR SALE sign in the yard - and yes, you should have a sign. Hopefully you will notice people slowing down and writing down the number on the sign. Your Realtor may have also suggested that you have a lockbox on the door.

Next come the prospects to look at your house. Although advance notice is desirable, try to be flexible if there is a last minute request for showing. Keep the house tidy and ready, just in case. Plan to be away from the house when it is shown. If you cannot be away for the entire range of time the prospects are expected, at the very least, disappear when they arrive - go for a walk around the neighborhood, or drive your car a block away and wait until they leave before you return. If all these are impossible, make yourself as invisible as possible. And please, please, do not tour them around the house or start explaining the features or finding common conversation. If you have done a good job choosing your real estate agent, you will not need to do these things:

Turn ALL the lights on.

Open ALL the window treatments, even the sheers.

Have the house at a comfortable temperature.

Have some soft background music playing.

If there are extra vehicles that aren't in the garage, park them down the street during any times that prospects are expected. The same applies for boats, trailers, bicycles, golf carts and anything else that might imply there isn't enough storage space with the property.

Be sure counters are cleared and clean, beds are made, towels are hung up. Also, fresh flowers and the smell of freshly baked bread or cookies are pleasant touches.

Hopefully, one of the prospects will like your home enough to make an offer. Based on the sales prices of similar homes, your agent will help you in evaluating the offer, including the terms and conditions, and will work with you on strategy.

Once you have signed a contract for the sale of your home, time starts to fly. The Buyers will probably arrange to have a professional inspection of your home - a process that may take 3-4 hours for the average sized home. Often the Buyers will be there for the inspection, as well as one or both of the agents.

It is natural to feel a bit overwhelmed at all these people “taking over” your house. The buyers may want to bring in some contractors or salespeople at this time, too, to measure for some of the changes they want to make in the home - new carpet, tile, appliances. After they have received the written inspection report and have reviewed it, the Buyers will put in writing any items they feel are not in proper condition as per the contract. Sometimes the main report will suggest an additional inspection(s): the roof, the pool, perhaps even a structural engineer. Your agent should help you through this entire process.

A walkthrough will be done prior to closing to see that the items agreed to be repaired/replaced have indeed been addressed in a workmanlike manner as well as to make sure all items which were to be left in the property are still there (ceiling fans, refrigerator, water softener, etc.) Keep receipts from all of these repairs and bring them to closing as well as your garage door openers, the instruction books for your appliances or extra keys. Arrange early for the utilities to be turned off on the day of closing. In many cases the Buyer cannot even order a telephone until you have called to order your service disconnected. Try to relax a bit after the packing and rushing around and be ready (if your agent has done a proper job) for a pleasant closing.