What is the Best Price Obtainable for Your Property? A Current Market Evaluation (CME) will tell you.

Factors that do NOT affect your property's value:

1. What you paid for the home when you bought it.
2. The amount you want or need from the sale.
3. What I, or any other Realtor say your property is worth.

1. Buyer's will do comparison shopping.
2. Buyer's will not pay more for one property, they they would for another similar property.
3. Supply and demand will dictate price - for comparable properties.

1. Shows what buyers have actually recently paid for similar properties.
2. Highlights other properties that are now competing for the buyer's attention.
3. Show what the buyers have not been willing to pay.

A COMPETITIVE MARKET EVALUATION!
BUYING OR SELLING

Ten Low-Cost Ideas to Make Your Home More Sellable

It's the little things as well as the big things that count when you are selling your home. You never know what will capture a buyer's fancy and what will turn them away. Most buyer's predictably respond to the same things-clean, clutter free homes in good repair. It may be suggested that you paint the house, or that you do some major repairs. Those are the big ticket items, but what can you do on a small scale to get your home ready to compete on the market?

There are a few time-honored tricks that you can use to make sure that your buyer sees what you want them to see, and overlook what you want them to overlook. Keeping your home in tip-top shape for showings will insure that the buyer will offer a higher amount than for a home that isn't show time ready.

Always look at a home from the buyer's perspective. Be objective and honest with yourself. If something bothers you about your home, chances are good it will bother the buyer too! Do what you can to get rid of the problem. You want to keep objections to a minimum. Preparing a home for market means you'll be putting some elbow grease into, so get ready.

1. Have a garage sale before the home is listed for sale. Get rid of Clutter so that the buyer can really see your home. Clean out what you won't need till you're in the next home. Pack away all that you can. After all, "you are moving" so this is a good time to start. Watch out for the difference between clutter and emptiness.
2. To welcome the buyer at the entry, put out a new doormat, but avoid mats with cutesy sayings. Clean and polish the brass door knocker and put potted flowers on the porch. Always make sure the front entry is sparkling clean and the floor & steps are swept. Make that first impression count!
3. Stimulate the buyer's imagination by setting the stage. Set the dinner table with your fine china. Use the coziness and romance of the fireplace to your advantage. Put a pair of wine glasses and a vase of flowers on the table in front of the fire.
4. Be ruthless about odors. If there is a smell, your home won't sell. Period. Use cleansers of all kinds to make the home smell fresh, from carpet deodorizers to potpourri. Deodorize cat litter and scoop daily. Put cedar chips inside the closet, but be careful with room sprays, as they could stimulate allergies. If you can't have fresh baked cookies on the table, a drop of vanilla on a light bulb or a little cinnamon and water in a dish in the oven works well too!
5. Create a spacious feeling. Make sure that doors, cabinets and drawers open all the way without bumping into anything. Clean out the entry closet and put only a few hangers in so that the buyers can visualize winter coats. Move oversize furniture to storage, and place your other furniture away from the walls. This will give the rooms a larger appearance.
6. Make the most of good views and disguise unsightly views. Put a screen or a basket of flowers in front of an unused fireplace. All windows MUST be sparkling clean and clear. Pull back shear curtains and raise the blinds.
7. Clear counter space, store away extra appliances. Put away dish racks, soap dishes and other clutter. Decrease further clutter by removing ALL magnets and papers from the fridge. After all, YOU ARE moving.
8. Avoid loud decor. Remove the wild posters from your teenagers room, the games room or anything else that could be construed as offensive, such as your child's bug collection.
9. Increase the wattage in light bulbs in the laundry room, kitchen and bathrooms. For showings, turn on the lights in every room.
10. Put some photos of your family enjoying your home in a few places. Happy, happy, happy!

Now take a few steps back. Stand at the door and have a look. What feeling do you get? Does it feel like home? If you think so, then maybe the buyer will too!