Selling your home now involves much more than just placing a "For Sale" sign in your yard and going to the closing.  As a REALTOR®, I am here to help you prepare your home for sale, market your home, and guide you through the sale process to ensure you sell your home within your time frame and get the best price possible.

As your REALTOR®, I will help you determine the right price range for your home, point out things you should do to make your home more appealing to buyers, and devise the most effective plan of action. Here are some of the steps we will take to sell your home:

• Review the selling process--in plain language
• Perform a comparative market analysis using similar homes in your area
• Review the tax records for your home to make sure they are accurate
• Determine the list and target prices
• Market your property with an aggressive internet campaign wel beyond the MLS
• Keep communication open via phone, email and text - whatever you prefer
• Let you know when showings are scheduled
• When feedback is received, I will share it with you immediately
• Present the purchase agreement

Factors That Affect Your Home's Sale

There are three main factors that determine how marketable your home--price, financing, and time.

Price - In the current market, if your home is priced too high, it simply won't sell.  Right now, about half of the homes sold are foreclosures or short sales.  Another 10% are new homes.  Equity sellers such as yourself represent 19% of the market, so the competition is stiff.

Financing - You may not realize it, but the financing of your buyer can have a tremendous impact on the success of selling your home. Try to offer very attractive financing options. Consider carrying the financing yourself at a below-market interest rate or preparing your home for government financing. This could open the door for many buyers that otherwise wouldn't even consider your home.

Time - If your time frame is important then you must be willing to lower the price to be competitive in the market.

How Much Should You Ask for Your Home?

Of course you want to get the full market value for your home. The first step to getting the best price is to determine your home's value. As your REALTOR®, I can help you set an asking price by taking the following factors into consideration:

• Your home's value may depend on recent selling prices of comparable homes in your area. After reviewing the selling prices for such homes, the price is adjusted according to current market trends.
• Buyers most likely look in the price range determined by their monthly payment ability and down payment. Buyers are often very knowledgeable in their price range and purchase by comparison. Unreasonable asking prices are an immediate turn-off.
• Inviting a potential buyer to make an offer shows that you are willing to bargain. However, if your asking price is outrageous, the buyer's offer will most likely also be unreasonable.
• It's necessary to offer pricing, terms and conditions that are competitive in your market. This will help you sell faster and get the full market value.