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SELLERS GUIDE
A Beginner's Guide to Sell Your House
by Andrew L
The decision to sell your house wasn't made on the spur
of the moment. It may have been spurred by the desire
to live in a nicer home, the need to move for a new job
or the necessity to get a handle on out-of-control costs.
But whatever the reason for the decision, you've got a
lot of work ahead of you before you're ready to actually
sell your house on the market if you want to get the best
possible price for your property. Is this your first time
to sell a home? No problem! Read our tips below that will
show you how to sell a house.
Assess The Value Of Your Property
Pricing your home right is the key factor in selling it
in a reasonable amount of time. Setting a price too high
will make your home undesirable to buyers. Pricing it
too low may, in fact, deter buyers who wonder what's wrong
with it - or simply not get you a fair price for your
property. Now is the time to do your research.
How much should your house sell for? In other words, what's
the 'right' price? It's the price at which homes similar
to yours in the same neighborhood have sold recently.
You can use the free online home valuation service to
find out exactly what your home is worth if you plan to
sell your house yourself. Alternatively if you plan to
sell your house with an agent, a good Realtor can quickly
give you a reasonable approximate price based on recent
sales in your neighborhood, coupled with the condition
and specifics of your house. A Realtor can also make specific
suggestions for things you can do to prepare your home
to sell for a good price.
Figure Out How Much It Will Cost You To Sell
If you've never sold a house before, you may not be aware
of all the associated costs. You'll need to know about
these costs in order to help you adjust the asking price
on your house, as well as to help you estimate the profit
that you'll realize on the house. If you're counting on
the sale of your house to finance the purchase of another,
this is especially important. These out-of-pocket costs
may include:
* Advertising your home, if you're selling it yourself.
This could easily run into hundreds of dollars, depending
on the methods you choose.
* Realtor commissions - typically 6% of the selling price.
*Closing costs, including attorney and other professional
fees
* Excise taxes on the sale
* Property taxes and any homeowner association fees
Take Care Of Any Needed Repairs
If you've been putting off getting the driveway fixed,
repairing the roof or any other needed repairs, the time
to do it is now, before you put your house on the market.
Some repairs, left undone, will prevent your home from
selling at all and others will bring your asking price
down. Replacing broken roofing tiles, loose gutter shoring
and other minor but unsightly problems will make your
house that much more saleable.
Get Your House Looking Its Best
Selling for the price you want depends on how appealing
your house is. Take a good, hard look at your house, inside
and out. Trim bushes, mow lawns, plant a flower bed. Something
as simple as giving your siding and windows a good scrub
down can freshen its look immensely.
Here are some other things that increase the chances of
your house selling quickly:
* A fresh coat of paint, or just touching up the trim
* Freshly painted interior walls
* New carpet or flooring in common rooms like the kitchen
or bathroom
Have A Garage Sale
Get rid of all the accumulated clutter and pocket a little
profit at the same time. That collection of kids' bikes
in the garage may be a storehouse of memories to you,
but to a prospective buyer they're just clutter - and
they will make your garage look smaller. Clear away as
much clutter as you possibly can. When you're ready to
show your house, it should be as close to move-in condition
as possible. The more easily a buyer can picture their
own family in the house, the more likely they will be
to buy.
About the Author
Andrew is the web owner of "Home Buying and Home
Selling Tips: How to buy a house and sell house fast",
a website that provides informational guide on home buying,
selling house, home mortgage loan, foreclosure home, real
estate investment, and more. |
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