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Buyer Notification System

Getting Pre-Approved

15 Things Buyers Need to Know

Buyer Representation

So You Want to Build

Understanding the Buying Process

Mortgage Document Checklist

Preparing Your Home to Sell for Top $$

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Preparing Your Home to Sell for Top $$

Several factors, such as an increased supply of rental housing, increasing interest rates, the increase in oil prices, the disaster caused by Katrina in New Orleans and resulting scarcity as well as increased cost of building materials have all combined to cause a slowing in the residential real estate market.  MLS inventory levels are climbing, which means buyers have a choice of homes to select from and homes are not selling by bidding wars on the first day on the market any longer.

What has changed is that you will need to price your property competitively, put it in good condition, stage the property and effectively market it.  If you are considering selling your home, here are some of the most effective ways to place your property in saleable condition.

Remove the clutter from your home.  Walk through your home, room by room with a critical eye.  Begin by removing items you no longer need or want.  If you can live without the item between now and the time you move, box it up and put it in storage.  The buyer needs to see the home, not your possessions, so make your home appear as spacious as possible.  Clean off all the magnets from your refrigerator.  Remove excess items from closets and cabinets, and from your garage.  Your home will be competing with model homes, which are professionally decorated and staged.

Make repairs.      If the kitchen faucet drips, fix it or replace it.  Again, walk through your home room by room and make a list of all those items that need to be repaired or replaced.  Have the air conditioner and furnace serviced.  Oil that squeaky garage door.  Replace burned out light bulbs.  Repair or replace torn screens.  Take a good look at the condition of the paint, and repaint your trim and/or front door if needed.  Painting the interior a neutral color is an excellent investment.  If floors are worn, have them cleaned or replaced.  If that isn't possible, discuss offering a replacement allowance with your Realtor.

Clean your home thoroughly.  Squeaky clean kitchens and bathrooms sell homes.  Make your windows sparkle.  Oil your cabinets.  Clean baseboards and window coverings.  If cleaning isn't your thing, hire a professional.  This isn't the place to cut corners.

Take another critical walk around your home, inside and out.  Pay attention to the traffic patterns.  Can prospective buyers walk through your home easily without bumping into furniture?  What does the front door look like?  Is it clean and inviting?  What does your home look like from across the street?  This is the time to paint or replace the front door if necessary.  Plant some fresh flowers and add a wreath and new doormat.  Is the pool sparkling and inviting?  Are the cushions on the patio furniture dull and worn?  Does your patio beckon you to sit and relax? 

Prepare for "show time"  If you've completed all the items listed above, your home will be sparkling clean, fresh and in good repair, with no unnecessary clutter!  Your goal is to be prepared for a buyer showing without a lot of effort.  Keeping a fresh set of towels for the bathroom which no one actually uses, new placemats for the kitchen table, a vase of fresh flowers, a vanilla or cinnamon candle and a relaxing CD for background music are ways to be ready quickly.

After reading all of this, you may believe it's too much effort and you'd prefer to sell your home in its current condition.  Over the years, we've learned that most buyers buy a home emotionally and you never have a second chance to make a first impression.  We've found that the owners who take the time to put their home in proper showing condition experience faster sales at a higher price than those who do not.

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Buyer-Notification System

Once we have your criteria, we search the Multiple Listing Service daily to find properties that match that criteria. Once a match is found, we e-mail the data sheets for that property to you. This allows you to look at properties on your time and to review all of the details of each property.

We are available via our Web site, so you can easily send us an e-mail if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to see a specific property.

Click Here to Get Started!

Getting Pre-Approved

It is extremely important that you connect with a qualified lender. We can recommend lenders who have earned our trust and with whom we've had good experiences in the past. The lender will review your financial position to determine the price most suited to your ability to pay and your comfort level.

The pre-approval process will help you in the following ways:

 ~ You will know in advance what your payments will be.

 ~ You won't waste time considering homes you cannot afford.

 ~ You can select the best loan package without being under pressure. There are many options and programs to choose from in today's market. Your lender will explain the alternatives to help you select the one best suited for you.

 ~ Sellers will find your offer to purchase more favorable if they know in advance of your ability to secure financing. This will make your offer more competitive if you are in competition with other offers. Nowadays, most listing agents require a pre-approval letter to accompany all purchase agreements.

 ~ You'll have an estimate of your closing costs and we will explain them to you in detail.

 ~You'll have peace of mind.

Best Piece of Advice

Take the pre-qualification one step further and get a full loan approval. This is the best approach!