The Real Estate Market Has Changed . . .

"Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale don´t sell the first time. It´s more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money."

The 7 Deadly Mistakes Most Home Sellers Make

1. Failing to analyze why they are selling.
2. Not preparing their home for the buyer´s eye.
3. Pricing their homes incorrectly.
4. Selling too hard during showings.
5. Not keeping up to date with a changing market.
6. Making it difficult for buyers to get information on their home.
7. Failing to obtain a pre-approved mortgage for one's next home.

Remember just a very short time ago, when you could make your fortune in real estate. It was nothing then to buy a home, wait a short while, and then sell it at a tidy profit. And then do it all over again.

Well, as you probably know, times have changed. Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale never sell. It´s more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar

Selling your home is one of the most important steps in your life. This 9 step system will give you the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home selling process:

1. Know why you´re selling, and keep it to yourself.

The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What´s more important to you: the money you walk away with, or the length of time your property is on the market? Different goals will dictate different strategies. Do you want to cash out of your house to purchase another, or would you prefer to have an income stream from the sale of your current home? Discuss these goals with your own Realtor, with whom you have a fiduciary relationship.

2. Do your homework before setting a price.

Settling on an offering price shouldn´t be done lightly. Once you´ve set your price, you´ve told buyers the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home, but pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low. Remember that the average buyer is looking at 15-20 homes (or more, in the current market) at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a large basis of comparison, and if your home doesn´t compare favorably with others in the price range you've set, you won't be taken seriously by prospects or their agents. As a result, your home will sit on the market for a long time and, knowing this, new buyers on the market may wonder if there must be something wrong with your home.

3. Do more homework.

(In fact, your agent should do this for you). Find out what homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past 3-6 months, and research what current homes are listed for. That´s certainly how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home. And this is an ongoing process - even after you have put your home on the market. Have other similar homes reduced their prices? You don't want to be playing catch-up with the market.

4. Find a good real estate agent to represent your needs.

Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn't use the same realtor who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication which results in not enough feedback, and strained relations. Another FREE report entitled, "10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Agent" gives you the straight, to-the-point questions you should be asking when you interview agents who want to list your home. You can obtain a FREE copy of this report from our website.

5. Maximize your home´s sales potential.

Each year, corporate North America spends billions on product and packaging design. Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home.

You may not be able to change your home´s location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor. Clean like you´ve never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get a "wow" response from prospective buyers. How we sell our homes is different than how we live in them.

Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. Prospective buyers want to try on your home just like they would a new suit of clothes. If you follow them around pointing out improvements or if your decor is so different that it´s difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves an owner.

We will assist you in the staging of your home to present it at its best. Ask us!

6. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home.

Prospects calling for information on your home probably value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent, or an unwanted sales pitch. Make sure the internet or print ads your agent places for your home are attached to a 24 hour prerecorded hotline with a specific ID# for your home which gives buyers access to detailed information about your property day or night 7 days a week without having to talk to anyone. It´s been proven that 3 times as many buyers call for information on your home under this system.

7. Know your buyer.

In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. What is your buyer´s motivation? Does s/he need to move quickly? Does s/he have enough money to pay you your asking price? Are they qualified? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want. Your Realtor should have the necessary skills and experience to provide a good outcome for you throughout this process.

8. Make sure the contract is complete.

For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. In California the seller is responsible to provide the buyer with all necessary disclosures. Your Realtor will make sure the required disclosures are prepared. Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

9. Don´t move out before you sell.

Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it looks forlorn, forgotten, simply not appealing. It could even cost you thousands. If you move, you´re also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give them the advantage at the negotiating table.