Market your home for sale.

Your home is more than just another property to you. It is a representation of who you are your personality, style and values. That is why parting with a home can sometimes be an emotional experience for sellers. The experience can also be rewarding and exciting with the right REALTOR. The four major elements to successfully market and sell a home in today's tough economic conditions are: Plan the Sale, Understand the Market, Getting your Home Showroom Ready and Closing the Transaction. These elements will be explained in further detail. The steps should be followed from first to last in order.

Plan the Sale

Choose the REALTOR that is right for you and your family. The REALTOR should have knowledge of the area, have good communication skills, honest, up to speed with today's technology and it helps to have a REALTOR that also works with buyers so your home information will be given out on tours.

1) Sign the Listing Agreement
2) Review the latest market trends and your competition and determine the listing price.
3) Have your realtor write-up a net sheet explaining the estimate of your proceeds.
4) Go over potential buyers financing options and talk about closing cost.
5) Make arrangements for inspections.
6) Make all necessary repairs. It is best to repair now. You will gain from exposure to the new repair during your sale. This may be a selling feature. You may have to fix anyway later once an appraiser notes as a condition to a loan for approval.
7) Get the home in showing condition. Think less is more and show room clean.
8) Sit down and go over all offers with your realtor.
9) Go to settlement.

Understand the MarketThe process of studying your market is really important. Have your real estate agent conduct a current Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and explain it in detail to you. This will give you a general understanding of your current market. In addition, you should be aware of your competition and the pros and cons or advantages and disadvantages they offer to your sale. Examples are location, features, condition and age of home.

Get Your Home Show Ready

In order for one to get the most from a home sale and to sell that home quickly, the home and property needs to be in top-notch, move in condition. Look at your home as if you were the purchaser. You may then notice clutter, crowded closets, pantries or even unfinished landscaping. You can bet that a home buyer will notice all these things and more. We are in a strong buyer's market now. The home buyer may have a dozen homes in your price range to choose from. You need to get your home to the top of their list. There are two areas to concentrate on; the exterior and the interior. The outside gives the buyer the first impression. Curb appeal is very important. Most often, buyers won't even look further at a home if the curb appeal is bad. Paint where needed, pressure wash, straighten up, keep grass mowed, add fresh mulch, pull weeds and add a little color. Paint or replace mailbox and add pleasant plants. Give the outside exterior of your home a "WOW" effect. Make it shine like a diamond.

Stage your home to sell fast. Less is more. Remove all clutter and personal effects. Let the buyers paint the picture with their furniture and property there. Remove all damaged furniture. You will need to empty closets and cupboards. Remove your knickknacks and collectables. Paint wall with off-white color and trim and ceilings with bright whites to give an open, bright appearance that buyers like. Pull up all blinds and open all curtains. Replace all light bulbs with brighter bulbs as long as you don't pass the light fitting capacity. The kitchen should be spotless. Remove all notes and magnets from the refrigerator, wax or polish floors and clean appliances. Try an old trick I use and grind a fresh lemon in the garbage disposal for a fresh citrus smell. Clean all bathrooms. Add scented soaps to bring in a nice fragrance. Clean mirrors, sink and toilets to shine. Also, bake a batch of cookies just before a showing a leave in the kitchen for the buyers. This will give a welcoming surprise and treat. You will get to two of their senses, their sense of smell and their sense of taste. I use lots of tricks for my sellers.

Closing your Transaction

From the time you get the right offer, your realtor should counsel and advise you of the proper steps you all need to take to get to the closing table. The final decision on the offer at hand is yours. The realtor can only advise. You may accept, reject or counter an offer. Remember, any change to the contract other than your signature is a counter. The deal is not ratified until are parties agreeing to the terms and negotiations cease. You may now relax and let the purchaser and their agent go through their steps to close. Be patient. They have a lot to do from financing to inspections. The final closing date will be met when all steps are completed. The final day is closing at the settlement agency or attorney's office. You will need to sign all paperwork and pay your settlement fees and then the documents are recorded. The home is not fully sold until you present an executed deed to the buyer and receive your funds.