Julie A Broad asked:

You might think that the best way to sell your house in a slumping market is to price it low and then just get it listed on every website you can. But you may find, like many of my neighbors have, that is not enough. Most realtors and home sellers make the same mistake when it comes to creating the listings for these homes.

Here’s the listing for one of the townhomes in my area:

“Small complex located in the heart of Burnaby Heights. Rarely available beautiful corner unit at very desirable Red Brick Heights. Only two years old, this gorgeous three bedroom, 2 bathroom unit is 1375 square feet, also has a loft on the third floor. Oversized panoramic rooftop balcony with a beautiful view of the North Shore Mountains. Open plan with gourmet kitchen with real wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances with granite countertop and hardwood on the main floor. These high quality units do not last so be quick before it is gone. Low strata fee and well managed.”

A copywriter skilled at their craft would never write like this. The best copywriters start their copy knowing what their prospect already feels about the product – in this case, the product is the house. And lately the real estate market has made many people feel scared. It’s also made others feel like there’s real opportunity. So it’s likely that many prospective purchasers’ desire for a home is being met with an even greater fear of what might happen to their investment if they buy one or a desire to capitalize on the market crash.

If you have to sell your house, you need to acknowledge that fear or the desire to make money – not, as was done in the above example, try to create a fake sense of urgency. And you need to appeal to the positive emotions that might make someone want to buy a house even in troubled times.

Beginning with the features of the house and trusting the prospect to respond positively to the fact that it’s only two years old, with a panoramic rooftop view and a gourmet kitchen, is what the competition is selling. Instead, think about the prospect and how he might feel about those features (how it feels to cook for your family in a great kitchen… and open the door to see the mountains in the morning… and know your money is safely invested in this high-quality/well-located home). Then carefully craft each part of your listing to support those emotions and benefits – with pictures, maps, and words, all directed to get those emotions working toward the sale of the home. I think that is exactly what an expert copywriter would do. And I bet that, in combination with the right price, would sell my neighbors’ houses.

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Bruce Durrell asked:

Many people believe that they can sell their house on their own without any help from a realtor. They believe they can save the money on the closing costs by selling their own house. This is especially true because the internet has allowed for a vast flow of information and is an endless resource. However while some are successful this is something that you may want to reconsider.

There are many different reasons that you would want to use Parker realtors to help you sell your house. The first reason is the most important and that is time. It takes a lot of time and effort to sell a house. You may have no problem putting in the time and effort however you will encounter a lot of problems along your journey. Parker realtors have the knowledge and experience of the local Parker, CO market that will allow them to solve these snags in no time where you may spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. You will also save a lot of time rather than trying to research other local Parker properties and find out the best price for your house. The right realtor can help you find the right price for your home, not only at the local area level, but at the neighborhood level!

Another important fact is the ever changing market conditions. Parker realtors are dealing with the market every day. They know how it has been going and they can see the trend of where it is going. By letting realtors handle your property you will not have to worry about the average dollar per square foot, mean selling prices, and comparisons of how much properties sold for versus how much they were listed for.

Another big project and time consuming effort will be to get your house noticed. You will have to create connections and spend the time, effort, and sometimes money to list your property. If people don’t know your property exists then you won’t sell it. Parker Realtors have many different avenues that they use for networking. They have different agencies, websites, and sometimes word of mouth connections that they use to sell a house. Without all of these tools your house may stay on the market for a long time as no one will know it’s there. The bottom line is don’t go with any Colorado real estate agent, but find one that knows Parker since it has its own unique factors.

Finally you would have to deal with negotiating and taxes. Negotiating can be a problem for some people that will cause them to lose a sale because they won’t go below their set price. Parker realtors can negotiate using a more professional aspect and can present their offers with the client’s best interest in mind. You also won’t have to deal with the taxing authorities and other bureaucracies during your sale. They will often want information before, during, and after you sell your home. There’s a lot of legal work that’s involved in Colorado with selling a house that you may not want to deal with.

Overall Parker represents a relatively large area, so Parker realtors stay in business due to referrals. Therefore they want to keep their clients happy and referring people. To save yourself time and effort you will definitely want to consider selling your house through a specialized realtor before you try to sell it yourself.

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Amanda Searle asked:

We are all aware of the recent changes in the real estate market. Due to the high number of homes for sale, days on the market have been increasing. This calls for an adjustment in your strategy if you are planning on selling your home and purchasing another home. A year or two ago, it may have been possible to find the house you wanted and then list your house for sale. In today’s market however, putting your home for sale should be your first step. Once your home is on the market, start researching the market in the area you want to buy in.

Once you get an offer on your house, then start looking at homes for sale. This strategy ensures that you find a house when you are in a position to purchase, rather than finding that perfect house and making an offer, but being unable to sell your own home in time. It also ensures that your offer price on your new house is as realistic as possible because you know how much your former home is going to sell for.

Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to enlist a Realtor to market your house, a Realtor only gets paid if the house sells. If you are thinking about moving, remember the first step could be to get started marketing your current home for sale and then, shopping for a new home once you have a contract on your present house.

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Susy Copus asked:

The property market continues to fall and is expected to do so for some time yet. If your property is on the market you simply want to sell your house and be able to get on with the next step in your life. There are no quick, easy fixes to selling your house in the current market, but here we will outline some approaches that you may not have tried.

The estate agents say lower your price. Obviously this is true. Lower your price and you will be more attractive to the elusive buyers. If you want to buy another house then this option might be possible as it’s likely that your next property will have a lower price too. You could sell at a lower price, rent for a few months and then be a cash buyer once the market has bottomed out. You’d be the perfect buyer.

Alternatively, prepare your house to be not just another house, but a wonderful house, and an opportunity for someone to buy. What’s special about your house? What can you make special about your house? Put in some thought, time and possibly money to make it more special.

Perhaps a drab garden can become the perfect garden for children with a wendy house, lawn and flowers. Perhaps the space under the stairs can be a work station, or a pretty, exposed storage space. Perhaps the hall can be made into a welcoming space by a fresh lick of paint and careful lighting, the rooms warm and give the feel-good factor.

Speak to your agent. Yes, the market is difficult, but can the photos be redone? Photos are usually the first impression a buyer can get. If you are not be impressed with the image then others won’t be either. Ask the agent to take new ones, or you may be able to take them yourself. Has the description enough “wow-factor” and is it correct? Wording in the description is very important and you must check it carefully.

Advertise your property on private sellers websites and newspapers. Some sites are free and just need your time to input the details. This gives you more exposure. You may be able to register with more than one agency and if not, ask when your contract is up to go with another agent. Agents do not want to lose any business and may be able to make a few more calls and follow more leads if they know you are serious about moving your house sale to another agent.

And if you can’t sell your house?

Unfortunately there isn’t much choice and you will need to make a decision which will be a relief in itself. You can stay in your house and wait for the housing market to recover which it will at some point. If you have enough space you could even rent out a room and save the income to have a bigger deposit for your next move. If you can’t sell your house and you need to move for a specific purpose, then you need to look into renting out your property and renting in your new location. You can then sell and buy when the housing market recovers.

There are less buyers out there, but house sales are still going through. Your house needs to shine and stand out as an opportunity not to be missed.

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Jack Jaron asked:

Your family home is the most valuable financial asset under your possession. The sale of property should be the basis of a good return on one of the biggest investments in your life. Most people look at this asset as a safety net that bails them out of financial troubles. However, if you move too quickly then you can lose out on substantial gains that you may derive from a calculated sale of your property.

Quick House Sale Preparation

Life can be unpredictable and often we are faced with financial barriers which can only be overcome by selling off our prized assets. One of our biggest material assets can be the home that we own. Often the equity on the home can be liquidated quickly.

However, in order for you to make a good bargain it is always a great idea to assess the market value of property. This should not be done simply at a time when you are looking to sell your house and release the mortgage however you must continually practice analyzing the real estate market and trends prevalent in the industry.

This will allow you to capture an opportune time and sell off your property for the best price. It is really unfortunate if you’re unable to harness the full value of your property by moving too quickly and selling off without full information. Of course no one has the time to keep following real estate trends especially if you are busy with your employment and family life. This is where professional real estate brokers come into play.

If you’re looking for a quick property sale then you can take the advice of a reliable and professional broker who will guide you with the best strategy to meet your financial requirements. Apart from this since the broker does not charge you any commission they are motivated to get you the best price and get their commission from the buyer.

Reasons for Indulging In Quick Property Sale

Whether you want to stop repossession on your home or liquidate your material assets to stabilize your financial standing it is a good idea to utilize professional services of brokers to get the maximum value from your home.
If you are facing the charges of repossession then it is a good idea to sell and rent back your house. This will allow you to stay in the family home and actually stabilize your financial position. Apart from this you benefit from saving on moving costs and signing the lease that is more expensive for a new home.

Make sure your broker pays for evaluation and surveying your property by arranging a solicitor. Based on your financial position you can work with a broker to devise a time line which matches your requirements and allows you to ease off the financial burden. Some companies can even accommodate you by purchasing your home for a good price and then allowing you to repurchase it or buy back when you are financially stable. Unfortunately a divorce settlement or inability to repay your debts could be the reason that you want to let go of the property but it’s not necessary that you have to move out and lose it forever.

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Edward Dirk asked:

This is a series of articles which looks at selling your house. Each article will build from the other to give a start to finish self help series to aid people to sell your house. The spring 2008 home sales market is starting to open in the sense you must start the process now to have your house ready for the spring market. This is a very important factor in selling your house this year, is to be prepared for the market.

The first part covered in article 1 “Sell Your House” was to find a agent that you are comfortable with. I don’t mean a agent which just tells you everything you want hear either. This type of agent will only hurt your efforts to sell your house. The time it takes to find a good agent will be well worth it. Some people just use the word of mouth on finding a agent. This can be helpful, but what was the market like when these people used that agent. During the home market bubble days a child with a cardboard sign and pop up table could of sold a house, from their lemonade stand. So, ask when the person used their agent to buy or sell their house. This will be a important factor. Once you look around now days you find that only agents that are better at their jobs are the ones who are left in the sales market of today, that is if they are a seasoned agent with more then 10 years experience.

The other thing you must be very careful of is the hybrid/discount home sellers. These are are like comparing the big well known car dealers to the corner lot with the sales/owner wearing his plaid suits and telling you what deal he has for you. The thing is these guys are using high tech ways of selling you their services. These people hide behind TV and computer screens as they sell their services as a faceless animated service. These services assist you in selling your home and that’s it. They became very popular in the bubble era also as they did not charge very much for what they were doing and still got a house sold. Remember, as I stated above a kid with a cardboard sign could have sold a house during this time period. This is becoming self evident as these discount places have had to resort to lots of TV ads to keep their business going, lucky for them they still have money left over from the good time market and some people believe anything they hear in a TV Ad.

Once you have found a agent who is well rounded, you can sit down and start to talk about your house with them. The agent should be one who knows about houses and what needs to be done to a house long before the sign hits the front yard. The agents now days who know what they are doing, are joining up with people who know how to fix and stage a home for sale. When you want to sell your house you need a well rounded person now days more then anything. Ask the agent what their game plan is on selling your house. Theres so much more then just placing signs and ads for open house now days. The comparable houses that have sold in your area was a large part of selling your house also. These are things that any agent should know along with setting the correct price for your house. We will cover these areas more in articles to come.

The agent if he or she is well rounded should be looking at the whole house and if they don’t have the experience to see your house as whole package and what needs to be done you need to ask them to find someone to help. The whole house needs to be looked at in great detail. The whole house just so you know is the total yard and house, not just the inside of the house like some house staging people would lead you believe. The house staging professionals of yesterday started off in the home interior design market and have the feeling that a interior designer is what a house needs to sell. The inside is just a small part of what needs to be looked at. To sell your house it needs to be looked at starting right from the front curb.

A good agent is going to know this and start by taking you out to the curb and asking you what you see, or if they don’t a good sales consultant will. The front curb, is the starting point. You may say, who cares about the outside? You need the inside to be nice right? The process for a buyer starts at the curb where they stop their car. The buyer sees your house from the outside first and if they never even slow down, do you really think they will make it inside. You need to get the buyers to slow down and stop to take a look. Take a pen and paper and write down what you see. Does your house have any curb appeal? Would you stop and look at your house the way it looks right now? What can you do to help improve the look of your house? Remember, a good agent is looking to do what needs to get done to sell your house. You need a person who does this kind sprucing up work and knows what is the best for return on investment. Still, watch out for someone trying to sell you on high end repairs or excess work, you could just be spending money for no reason.

I have been providing consulting services for years now and believe that this year is going to be one of the years where a house is not going to sell unless it has been prepared to hit the market. The market requires you to find a person who can prepare your house for you along with the consulting part. The old house stagers give you a report and tell the names of friends who can do the work you need done. Find a full service company who can come in and give the house a full report and be able to do the work or has the network to get the work done. You see, giving you a report for 2-4 hundred dollars and then leaving, still leaves you with having to call the needed contractors and get the work all scheduled and done, you really could have done that on your own, with maybe a little self help materials. I have found that because I have been doing many home consulting, repairs and improvements for years I see things different than home owners. I do forget that I have conditioned myself to look for the details required to sell a home, not live there. When you see something everyday and walk right by it, you don’t think about it. For example, a bath room door which does not close correctly or swings open by itself. You have lived with it for years and years, you don’t think about it, you live with it. New prospective owners will not feel the same way.

I have found that many things I think of with regards to fixing houses are not always how, owners look at things. This is why, when you look at your house you will view it as just fine. It may be just fine for you and was fine for you, now your trying to sell it to someone else, not you. We will take a look at what you need to do to the exterior of your house in order for you to sell your house. Many times with the right help and some money well spent you can increase the chances of your house selling and selling much faster. We will be looking at the front of your has and curb appeal coming up in the next article.

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Kai Leibermann asked:

This is possibly one of the worst times to sell a house in the past 20 years. Don’t let it put you off! You can still get good money for the home that you love, without dropping to ridiculous prices. All it takes is a unique approach to the market, and working a bit harder than what you normally would… Oh, and forget about getting a real estate agent to help you, they’re having a tough time as it is!

Step 1

The first step is to make a confident decision as to what your property is worth. How much did you pay for it and when? How much do you love it? Do not consider underselling it, since you know exactly what a great house it is. If you feel confident and secure in the figure you want, you’ve successfully made the first step. You’re NOT going under this price!

Step 2

You’re going to do a mass public showing, but you need as many people to turn up as possible. It is essential that you place an effective advertisement in the paper and on the internet to reach the most buyers. I’m not talking about the standard “great place, family home, love it, $200,000 or nearest offer” kind of thing, I’m talking about something unique.

Step 3

Presentation is the key. Your open house mass showing needs to impress enough to give the impression that your property is worth more than what the market would normally think. You’ve already got heaps of people showing up because of your great ad, which makes it look like there is massive competition, now you need to make the place look snazzy. Clean it like you’ve never cleaned, and dress it up like never before. Think outside the box and you’ll be surprised!

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Sean Browne asked:

There are many reasons why people need to sell a house fast, and for people in such a position there are investment companies willing to buy properties fast for cash. It could be due to divorce or illness, or due to a buyer pulling out meaning someone may miss their chance to purchase their dream home. Whatever the reason, it’s easy enough to find a purchaser to offer you a quick sale.

The main benefit of selling to a property investor or investment company is the speedy sale. This is because they are not concerned with the colour of your wallpaper, and they won’t have to go away and discuss the purchase with their partner. They won’t see something they like better down the road. Professional property investors buy property week-in, week-out. Very few deals fall through, it is unlikely they will have problems raising finance, and they are not going to want to delay the process because they haven’t sold their house yet.

In fact, through use of experienced solicitors, the whole process can be transacted in as little as two weeks, and very often the buyer will pay all fees.

The only drawback of using such a company to ensure a fast property sale is that they will not offer as high a price for your property as a buyer who is buying a home for their family home. However, the speed and ease of the transaction makes for a compelling argument for the use of a property investment company to expedite a quick sale.

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Paul Sharp asked:

Every home seller wants to sell the house fast for the maximum price. To achieve this it is important to know which repairs are absolutely necessary and how to price it competitively to sell the house in the shortest time. By planning carefully and sprucing up the house professionally to maximize first impressions you can ensure a quick sale. You must get marketing tips on how to find qualified buyers and attract many offers to sell the house.

Best time to sell

Real estate markets generally pick up in February and the wave usually lasts till the end of June. This period is considered to be the strongest selling season. Another strong period is from early September to late November. Late November sees the market slow down due to the holiday season.

Pricing

Avoid overpricing. The market situation also should be taken into account. The pricing should be in line with the prices of recently sold homes in the area as identified in the comparative market analysis report. Get purchase offers and make a counter offer and be prepared for multiple offers if you have priced the house right. After finding out what the house is worth by looking at the prices of other houses in the neighbourhood, you can price it 10% below them. This will help to sell your house in no time if it is the cheapest and newest in the market.

Marketing

The advertising to sell the house must have all the selling points. Quality photographs and virtual tour of the house online can increase the traffic and showings. Hiring a professional stager for staging your home is a good idea to impress the potential buyer.

Repairs to be carried out

Find out which repairs and home improvement projects can increase the value to sell a house. Patch the cracks in the walls and replace the cracked floors and tile of the kitchen counter. Repairing and touching up kitchen cabinets can enhance the overall look of the house. Repair or replace door knobs, drawers etc. Leaky taps and faucets should be replaced in the bathrooms. The creaky floors and jamming drawers should be fixed. Make sure that the toilet seats are to be replaced. Repairing and replacing the missing shingles or tiles from the roof is also very important. Paint the exterior fixtures like the door frame, window trims, fence and the mail box. Polish door handles and rust spots and make sure to repaint the areas with peeling paint. Paint the exterior fixtures like the door frame, window trims, fence and the mail box. Polish door handles and rust spots and make sure to repaint the areas with peeling paint. Repairing faulty doorbell and sprinkler system are a must.

Preparing the house for sale

Once you have made the decision to sell your house the first thing to do is to dissociate yourself from it. Family heirlooms and personal photographs should be removed from the house. Removing all clutter is essential before showing the house to prospective buyers. De-clutter and clean off and organize everything on the kitchen counters and storage racks. Buyers tend to open to check kitchen cabinets and closets. If a potential buyer sees everything well organized, it would create an impression that you take good care of the entire house. Neatly arranged spice jars and dishes in the kitchen and arranging the shirts facing the same direction in the wardrobes and lining up the shoes in the rack are sure to create a good first impression. It is a good idea to have beds made, putting large furniture away, lock pets away and remove personal possessions etc.

House should sparkle

After deciding to sell the house, make sure the house looks **** and span. Remove cobwebs, clean fan blades and wash the windows thoroughly. Side walks and exterior must be cleaned with pressure washer. Wax the floors; re-chalk the tubs and sinks and showers. The sinks and wash basins must be stain-free. Chrome faucets and mirrors should be polished. Dust all furniture and light fixtures. Clean out the refrigerator and vacuum the house daily. Fresh towels must be hung and make sure there is no smell or odour anywhere. Replace dirty and worn out rugs and curtains. Switch plates should be cleaned and sticky windows must be made to open easily. Trees should be pruned to allow natural light inside. Clean up the oily floor of garage and keep the walks, patio and derive ways clean. Mow the lawn and trim the bushes.

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Cole Stevens asked:

When you sell a house, you put a sign in the front yard with your phone number and an ad in the paper. But, how do you grab the attention of passers-by who may be interested in the home but not motivated enough to actually pick up the phone and call you?

Open houses are one solution, but they’re not a 24-hour solution. As a result of this dilemma, more real estate agents are turning toward private radio transmitters to do their talking for them.

Private radio transmitters, also sold as the “Talking House” product, allow you to broadcast – on a low-power radio frequency – a short recorded message with information about the property for sale. But, how does it work? Do you need a license? For answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

How does it work?

The private radio transmitter is typically installed right inside the home that is for sale. Meanwhile, you can post a sign outside instructing passers-by to “tune in” to your frequency to find out about the home.

How easy are they to use?

Small radio transmitters are remarkably easy to use. If you’ve ever used a basic car radio adapter for your iPod or mp3 player, then you can use a private radio transmitter.

Most units simply plug into the wall and either hook up to a player or allow you to record a message with information about the house right onto the machine.

Do you need a radio license?

No, you do not need an FCC license if you get a low-power transmitter. Of course, if you’re purchasing a commercial or ultra-powerful transmitter then you’ll need one. However, most of those products aren’t sold to the public.

What if I have two properties next door to each other?

Then, you simply set your two private radio transmitters to two separate frequencies. Otherwise, the two transmitters will conflict with one another, creating a soup of combined messages.

Will it bother my clients?

No, a private radio transmitter is typically completely silent and a very small drain on electric power resources. The only inconvenience may be passing cars stopping close to the house to tune in and get more information.

Private radio transmitters are also a powerful lead generating tool for attracting new clients. By setting yourself apart from other real estate agents and offering your clients such a unique selling tool, you’re sure to start attracting leads and new prospects.

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