1) Choosing the right time to sell your home

Most people prefer the spring or summer months to move. So the market can start heating up as early as February. This is especially true of families with children, so they can move during the summer vacation and be settled before the new school year starts. The market can still be busy into the fall. But traditionally November and December have been the slow months. The holidays are the primary reasons, but also, because most people do not like showing their houses in the winter months.

If you are one of the few people that might want to get a head start on the market and put your house up for sale in the winter, keep a few things in mind.

• Showing your house can be messy with people trudging inside with their shoes possibly covered with ice, snow, or mud, and that can be damaging to your carpet and floors.
• The buyer won’t be able to get a totally accurate picture of the landscaping, if any. And sometimes beautiful yards help sell a home.

There might be some advantages to selling in the winter in order to be one of the first houses listed and shown for the new-year, but most buyers prefer to look for homes in warmer weather.

2) Getting your home ready to sell

First impressions are not just for people, they are just as important when you are trying to sell your house. You want your potential buyer to walk away with a good impression. There are several easy, quick and low cost things you can do to increase your chances of getting your asking price and selling quickly. When people make an investment commitment as big as a house, they can be picky, and seek perfection. You can be proactive and make it an enjoyable experience by being ready.

If you are showing in the spring or summer make sure to have the lawn and landscaping looking nice. Mowing the lawn, pruning and weeding cost nothing, but can make a big difference by looking kept up and cared for. Most people assume that if you take care of the yard, chances are, you take care of the house.

Making sure that there is no chipped paint can make a big difference too. If your house was built before 1978, there is a new federal law that requires the seller to complete a lead base paint disclosure statement. Be proactive in this area as well. Have the inspection done beforehand, it looks good to the prospective buyer, and it saves time.

Really clean your house before you show it. It’s simple and free, and it can make all the difference in the world. Cleaning windows inside and out can be one step that people forget, but after the winter months, it’s imperative to make the house look as clean as possible. The bathroom is another area where people seem to make judgments, so make sure your bathrooms are spotless!

Set an ambiance. Studies have shown that soothing smells in the house can help make a house seem more like a home; like baking cookies, cakes or pies, and even spaghetti. People like to be reminded of good memories, and cooking and baking has shown to do that. Also think about playing some soft background music and light candles if you are present when the buyers are viewing your house. This makes the place seem cozy and inviting. Small little touches can make all the difference on attracting a buyer!

3) What is your home worth?

A home is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Everything else beyond that is an estimate of value. There are two main ways to estimate a property’s value. The first is an appraisal and the second is a comparative market analysis. It is recommended to do both and then to compare & contrast.

A certified appraiser performs an appraisal. This is an estimate of the value of a home at a given point in time. When an appraiser estimates your homes value, they base in on several items. They take into account square footage, construction quality, the year the house was built, the design and floor plan, the neighborhood, availability of transportation, local shopping, schools, lot size, topography, view, landscaping, and any additions or updates. The cost of an appraisal averages about $300 and it usually only takes about a half an hour to an hour to complete. If you are unaware of whom to use, you can ask your mortgage lender, they usually have one to two appraisers that they work with regularly. Remember that an appraisal is only valid for one year, so if it takes you over a year to sell, or you refinance within a year, you need another appraisal done. This ensures that the appraisals remain accurate.

Your real estate agent performs a comparative market analysis. They usually provide this to you once you list your house on the market with them. They pull three to four homes with the same square footage and amenities. This compares your house to other very similar homes that sold in your neighborhood. This is usually a free service provided to you by your agent that can give you a benchmark of where your asking price should be.

4) Selling quickly and easily

When you are selling a house, price, condition and exposure are usually the three most important factors. This is especially true in a down market.

Price
Your asking price is based on two things, an appraisal and a comparative market analysis. A certified appraiser performs the appraisal; this is an estimate of the value of your house at a given time. The real estate agent does the comparative market analysis; this is an informal estimate based on comparative homes in your neighborhood. These two sources need to be kept in mind when determining your asking price. You want to be careful not to start too high, or come down too low. Also, the market is always changing and fluctuating, so be sure that your asking price is based on the most recent appraisal and comparative market analysis. Your real estate agent can help you price your house so that it will be attractive to buyers.

Condition Making sure that all cosmetic defects are repaired before showing your house can help you save time by not losing a buyer over a small repair that could have been easily fixed prior to the showing. This is especially important when in a buyer?s market. When buyer competition is low, buyers are able to be pickier about their new home and can be easily turned off by simple repairs. The better the condition of your house in relation to your asking price, the faster it will sell.

Exposure Once your house is priced attractively and all minor cosmetic repairs have been fixed, it is time to talk about exposure. You could have the most beautiful home with a reasonable asking price, but if no one knows about it, neither price nor condition will matter!

Your real estate agent can expose your home through open houses, advertising, and by listing it on the multiple listing service. All of these things are part of the service of having your own personal professional real estate agent.