Many homeowners think that selling home alone without the help of a Realtor will help simplify the process and will save them money in the end. The fact of the matter is that selling your home on your own isn't easy work. In fact, you may actually lose a substantial amount of money when you try to sell your home alone because you aren't well spoken in the language and business of real estate. A Realtor can not only save you money, they can save you time and stress so that you can make the transition from one house to the other as smoothly as possible.
Putting Your Home on the Market
Putting your home on the market requires more than a for sale by owner sign in your front yard. While this is a start, there is a lot more to it. Many homeowners learn about multiple listing services, which is basically an index of homes that are on the market and then pay about $750 to have their home listed. When calls don't start flooding in inquiring about the home many sellers wonder what the problem is. The problem is that it takes more than a listing to get Realtors to visit your home with their clients. Realtors are loyal to other Realtors--that's just the way it works. Also, when you work with a Realtor he or she may be able to network with others to be sure that your home is getting as much exposure as possible, all for the price of the sales commission. A Realtor will also have other avenues to explore with listing your home on the Internet and locally.
If you want to sell your home on your own you will have to not only keep your home in show condition, you will also have to be accessible for appointments when convenient for potential buyers. Showing your home can be exhausting and you may do the home an injustice if you cannot downplay the negative aspects of the home and accentuate the positive features.
The Value of Your Home
Many sellers lose money when they attempt to sell their home on their own because they do not know the market value of their home. A Realtor knows all of the current market values, whether they are rising and falling and can help you get the most for your home no matter what the market situation is. Many sellers unintentionally under price their home because they do not have a professional helping them, or overprice it, which keeps all of the serious buyers away! A Realtor can help you price your home so that it not only sells, but so you can make a profit.
Reputation
Most people that are in the market for a home go with a Realtor; in fact 80% of buyers work with a Realtor because the Realtor has a good reputation and they need help maneuvering the real estate market. If you put a sign in your yard, in the newspaper, or on bulletin boards in various areas buyers have no idea who they are dealing with. Though a buyer may be able to get a good deal on a home that is for sale by owner, they are leery of working with someone that they don't know and may or may not have real estate experience.
Final Thought
As you can see, there is a lot of reason to work with a Realtor instead of trying to sell your home on your own. While a Realtor may take as much as 6% of the selling price, this is peanuts for all of the work and stress that they are saving you from. Legal paper work, home inspections, showing your home, and marketing with other Realtors to sell your home as quickly as possible for a reasonable price is what a Realtor does. When you try to take on all of these responsibilities on your own, unfortunately you have a good chance of failing or losing money.
Selling your home is difficult enough when you think about packing up and moving, but it doesn't have to be overly stressful. A Realtor can do all of the dirty work associated with selling your home so that you can go about your every day life, and still sell your home in record time. Knowing the market, knowing the real estate business, and having connections in local real estate makes all of the difference, and these are not things that your average homeowner possesses, but a Realtor does.
Over 80% of buyers have reported that having an outside area or garden is the most important feature when house hunting. Here we look at how to make the most of your outside area and make your property stand out from the crowd. In the UK gardening is a national passion and should not be overlooked when attracting potential buyers to your business proposal. Buyers can be put off by poorly maintained gardens and it shows a general lack of care for your property. Unless your property is priced to renovate, this is not an attractive proposition. Firstly you need to view your outside as an extension to your house - another room for a particular purpose. Generally it would be an area to relax in, entertain friends and play with the family. It could also be an area for hobbies such as gardening and vegetable growing. The front garden will be the area that a buyer will see first. If it has a lawned area ensure that it is mowed and has neat borders. If it is gravel check that there is enough gravel to make an attractive covering. Old gravel can sometimes be thin enough to show unattractive mud patches or have weeds growing through. Borders need to be weed free and you could have wood chip amongst the main shrubs and flowers to avoid more weeds growing. This would help to keep the garden low maintenance. Pots and hanging baskets with colourful seasonal flowers can add warmth and a welcoming atmosphere to your house. Remember, first impressions count - you need to make the best impression you can. If you want to add a lawn to the garden you could either sow seeds or lay turf. Laying turf is more expensive but immediately improves your garden. Remember you will need to water a new lawn in the early morning and late afternoon to avoid scorching it. You will need to mow it about once a week between March and October and when you mow, it needs to be dry. Remove the cuttings and trim the edges to keep it tidy. In choosing your flowers try to ensure that you have colour throughout the year and shrubs should be low maintenance. Examples are lavender which is a perfumed shrub with flowers in the summer. Its delicate leaves add shape and interest to the garden throughout the year. However, do be careful where you position it as it attracts bees. Bay trees or box topiary at the front door or at carefully placed points in the garden adds a sense of care and tidiness - again this encourages the feel-good factor. Evergreen shrubs are useful to give shape and definition in the garden throughout the year. Add seasonal interest and colour with bulbs and bedding plants. Herbs in pretty pots show an interest in cooking and well-being, which could add to the attractiveness of your house and lifestyle. Define a sitting area with an inviting table and chair set. Position benches and arbours carefully so that you show how inviting the outside area is. Storage benches can be useful not only for relaxation but to tidy away garden toys or unsightly clutter. A shed is generally welcome and can be painted or stained to make it more attractive. You want to remove any clutter, tools or bikes from the garden to create a smooth, uninterrupted line. Investigate bin tidies or trellis to hide away any bins. The eye will be immediately drawn to protruding objects and any mess. Keep the buyers eye on your lovely garden and keep it interested. Ask your estate agent to view your garden and ask how it can be further improved. If you are targeting a specific market you will need to cater for their needs accordingly. A garden is like another room to your property. Treat it with the same care and turn it into an excellent selling point, one which your potential buyer will remember positively.
Both Andrew Webber & Ada Denis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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