What should I be aware of or look out for. I have a century21 agent coming over tomorrow to sit down with me, go over everything and put the house on the market. Should I have it appraise or is the Realtor idea good enough based on the neighborhood and market value?

 

Well im no expert but I do watch alot of HGTV .

I would say one of those crucial things to look for is inspections, in todays economy people are looking for that %100 finance option. Usually on those loans there are some STRICK guidelines for lending procedures. IE Electrical you wouldn't want anything not passing inpections, I had a brick home with a full basement and a concrete $$ deal on it. The loan process would not lend on the home due to several reasons and it was a rather nice home. That house still isn't sold to date and that was over 3 years ago.

Fresh paint always helps, paint the moldings Its amazing how much those little pops will keep most people interested. The agent will do alot of comparisons on your home, at this point in life well I dunno about there. If your wanting to get out of that house and move on with your life let the agent comp it out. You might not BANK on it like everyone hopes too but you can in fact move on with your life. Very very close friends of the family who currently live in Utah have a log home here in town. Big appraiser left it at 389k 2 years ago when the first lifted it, they had an offer come in for 250k and took it nearly 6 months ago, and boom that big inspection cause the deal to fall. Now the home is at 150k and still haven't even shown the house once. I wouldn't mind buying it for that price but I hate the location.

Inspection and getting your self in the right mind to sale IE pricing, how long you want it to sit that kinda thing. And those cosmetic touches.

 

You only get one opportunity to make a first impression when selling a property. I'd suggest getting a co-worker to come by the house that has never been there and look at the house as he drives up. What does he like and what does he not like. Fix/change the items he doesn't like. Keep the insides clean and neat. Do not keep a bunch of furniture and what-nots around because it will looked cluttered. If you have to move furniture to storage to make a room look larger- move it. I'd also suggest baking cookies before the prospective buyer comes to look. The smell will remind them of home...and that's what yer trying to sell is HOME. Fresh baked bread is also great. That's called aroma therapy and it works. As said before, get an inspector to go over the house. Yer agent can list it as a pre-inspected home. You can find an inspector over at http://www.nachi.org/ . I assume you have something like Multiple Listings in your area. Have your agent offer a bonus like $500.00 CASH to the agent bringing a full price offer- it works. Your agent should be bringing you comparable listings of properties that have sold in your area- they call them CMAs down here-Comparable Market Analysis. You should look them over and listen to his advice. Then make up your mind if that's in the area $$$ wise that you would take for the property. Expect an offer of something like 3-5% below the listing. At least that's been my experience around here.

 

honestly I'd get a private inspector to come out, someone comepletly neutral that way you'll get an honest opinion on what you need to fix or replace

 

I didn't read the other responses so disregard if it's been said.

Remember that the appraisals are based on similar properties that have recently sold not just in your neighborhood but surrounding counties too. In this market we've seen appraisal's coming in very low for obvious reasons so it may not be a bad idea for you to do some recognisances on your own and make sure they are comparing apples to apples. My quick .02, good luck.

 

I wouldn't do this. Once the independent inspector points something out to you and you choose not to remedy it, you are obligated to disclose it. Not having it inspected can give you plausible deniability.

I would also just hire a lawyer to do your sale. Much cheaper in most places and they are truly representing your interests legally as opposed to agents. May be different in your area but my guess is that it is not.

 

a guy I almost bought a house from from tried your approach, and I was smart about it and hired an independant inspector (known for his standards) to come inspect the house...

needless to say you might wanna know what's wrong and negotiate around it VS have a seller walk away...

*edit*
also it's recomended to use a Property agency (like century 21) vs trying to sell it privately

 

All the posted tips are great. Make your home look it's best.

99% of the time, anyone making an offer will base it on the home passing an inspection. You will receive a copy of that inspection. So avoiding liability by not getting it inspected prior to sale is not going to happen. Get it inspected before you put it on the market and correct or disclose any faults to buyers.

Do some research and hire the top real estate agent in your market. They deal with a lot of people each day and this will greatly increase the chance of a fast sale. Fizzbows (FSBO- For Sale By Owner) are a recipe for disaster. Hiring a real estate agency not only increases your home's exposure, you also have professionals handling the sale, including the firm's attorney (if circumstances call for it.) By default (in most states), all the agents, including the agent with any potential buyer, represent the interest of the seller.

Offer to pay some or all of the points on the mortgage for the buyer. Most people don't have a lot of cash and this will make your home more attractive to new buyers, even if it means you have to add some money to the listing price.

Open houses are a waste of time. Regardless of the magic open houses shown on HGTV that result in a fast sale every time, anyone in the business knows that open houses only happen for two reasons - They placate a client whose house has been listed, but hasn't been shown to anyone, and they allow the agent conducting the open house to farm for new buying clients.

Finally, price sells. In the end, it all comes down to money. Price your home to sell and it will.

 

Have some people you know go threw it that you know will give you an honest opinion first. I personally dont think you need to pay for an inspection or appraisal. IF it gives you piece of mind then do it. I wouldnt waste the money, its the buyers responsibility to inspect it. If the realtor knows anything its going to be what your house is worth on the market, plus what you are wanting to get rid of it. They dont really get paid until you sell your house.
The first 45 days is critical in house selling. Take every appointment no matter what and just make sure you show your space well. Dont have 25 pieces of furniture in a 10x10 room! im not trying to contradict anyone, but im not sure if i would go out and offer the moon and the stars with your house. Thats could be a bargaining tool for you later on. It just depends on if you are priced to sell or not. And as far as closing costs those with little money saved can Roll closing into their loan. I did, but i was a newly wed and broke..
My neighbor just sold his right after he had an open house. The couple that bought it came to the open house. So id say they are far from being a waste of time. THe realtor is working for you anyway. So whats it hurt. The more people you get to see it, the better chance you have in selling it.
You also have to consider if your area is hot. Some places havent been affected as much as others as far as selling homes for their worth. Here in Missouri you are lucky to break even if you sell. Anyway good luck. And like everyone said Clean clean clean fresh. If you smoke, dont smoke anymore. Thats the worst smell for someone to walk into when looking for a new home and you cant hardly ever get it out. And like Jamie04 stated...price your home to sell and it will.

 

I buy and sell houses and am a state licensed inspector and do inspections for sellers all the time. Like stated before it allows the seller to be aware of problems with their home before their sale falls through because of the same issues. It gives them an opportunity to remedy the problem. Most people don't realize there is a problem or an unsafe situation in their home.

Also as stated before you want your home to stick out in the buyers mind. You only have one chance at a first impression. You want curb appeal so that the buyer likes what he or she sees on the outside and wants to come inside. You want a clean home, fresh smelling, no clutter laying around (clutter suggests the home isn't big enough, if there is not enough room for the seller's stuff will there be enough room for my stuff)? We have even offered items with out houses Ex: free flat screen tv, free home warranties, lawn care for a season, things of that nature.

 

No it is better to have your own inspection done because the buyer will and you will have no surprises if you already had one done.

 

Go to zillow.com. That will at least help give you an idea as to what the value of your home is???

 

Sure, any buyer in their right mind will have an inspection done. No need to waste your money and pay for one and it also ensures that you don't have to either remedy or disclose stuff pre-sale that you may not want to go through the expense of fixing. Let the buyer's inspector find it if you can and make anything discovered part of the negotiation process. This will always end up being cheaper for the seller.

Also, it is always recommended to use an agent by agents. Read the "standard" contract that they fill out some time (read it with a lawyer if you can) and you will see that a ton of the language in it has to do with protecting the agent even to the extent that they get to keep their fees even if they commit fraud. Here in washington agents get 6% (3% buyer, 3% seller), for a $400k home that is $24k out of your (seller's) pocket. Now break it down by the hours they've worked on your sale and you will see how ridiculous it is especially considering that they are not representing you in a legal sense the way that a lawyer will. In this internet age you really don't need an agent for bringing buyer and seller together.