Now that might seem like a silly question to you, but just stop and think for a moment. When have you been to the doctor or dentist and they tell you to do something…and you do…for the first few days or weeks, and then you start to slack off. I can relate to this after a recent dentist appointment and a new dental hygiene “process” I was given. I’m still trying to adjust.
There is a lot involved in the sale of a home. But, there are things you need to do even before that listing agreement is signed, and the sign goes in the yard (or on social media in the case of a condo!)
When I meet with a potential seller, I’m there to help you sell your home. And I’m going to be pretty direct about what you need to do (on your side) to make it happen. And, you can’t take it personal. Yes, I know it’s your HOME…but you need to remember, it is now a house that we need to sell. You can pack up your memories and take them to the NEW home. But we have to sell this one first.
“But I love my red accent wall.” “The colors match my furniture. It will make the place show much better.” Ah, no, and no. Neutral paint will make your place show much better. Painting can be a tricky thing with a Buyer. Think like a buyer for a moment. You have red walls and now you know the first thing you have to do is paint before you move in. Or hire someone. Oh, well, I need money for that, so I need to ask for more Seller paid closing costs, or get some more off the list price so I’ve got the money to paint.
See what you just did to YOUR bottom line sales price by not wanting to paint?
I’m going to give you professional advice to help you maximize your profit. Listen to my suggestions, and let’s work together to show your house/condo in the best possible light for the best possible price.
No matter how much time you spend on researching and educating yourself about your home purchase, it’s hard to cover every detail. Here are a few tips for avoiding rookie mistakes with your first home purchase.
Save as early as you can: Even if you think you’re years away from buying your first home, try to start saving for your down payment. It makes a huge difference in your monthly payments, and helps avoid paying Private Mortgage Insurance.We LOVE working with first time home buyers. We have some other great resources and tips at our Intown Atlanta Real Estate Buyers Guide. But we are happy to sit down and talk about any part of the home buying process, and in fact, that a big part of our initial consultation with new buyers! We are here to help!
Call us now at 770.713.1505 or complete our Buyer Questionnaire to help us understand what you are looking for in your new home!
Let these Tips for First Time Home Buyers help you get started!
Just give us a call and we can schedule a time to meet!
Selling a single family home and a condominium do have differences. And when it comes to preparing your home to put it on the market, a home owner will have a few other areas to pay attention to that a condo owner will not have. Let’s look at 10 Ways to Make Your House More Salable.
Curb Appeal. Yes, it matters…big time! I’m not saying install a whole new yard, but keep it tidy. If you have a lawn that leans more towards weeds than actual grass, keeping it mowed, and mowed short will make it look much better! Trim shrubs and edge walkways and the curb. Potential buyers will be standing at your front door for a few moments while the agent is getting the keys from the lockbox…consider some potted plants or flowers to brighten up the entrance way. If you have a busy schedule, or if you move and leave your home vacant, hire a lawn maintenance company for the duration until your home is sold. An unkept yard has kept many a buyer from ever even getting out of the car and looking on the inside. As part of our marketing strategy to sell your home, when we meet with you, we walk through your entire home and discuss changes and things you can do to make your home look better and sell quicker.
Let’s sit down, look at the market, and put your plan together to sell your home!!
We’ve written some other articles with tips about Selling Your Home HERE.
Maybe the better question is how we will NOT market your home for sale!!!
As a real estate broker, I’m constantly looking at listings. Multiple times a day. So I see how YOUR home or condominium is being marketed. Because first, and foremost, is the marketing that we place in the Multiple Listing Service. Because from this ONE location….your listing goes almost everywhere….like this…
And very most likely…the FIRST place anyone is going to see your home IS on a real estate website from the list above. Calls to mind the saying, “First Impressions…..” So, just imagine you have listed your home or condominium For Sale. You’ve most likely hired your real estate professional based on a referral from a friend or family member, or you have have searched online and found them. Hopefully you saw their marketing as part of a listing presentation. And you were given some examples of how they would be marketing your home. Right?
Well…kinda, sort of….everything! What we as agents enter into the Public remarks field is what will show up to not only other real estate agents but to anyone and everyone searching online. When they find your listing, be it here at MyMidtownMojo, or on any other brokerage site, or even Zillow or Trulia…what they see will be a result of what the real estate agent put in the Public Remarks field.
So imagine this is YOUR home or condominium and this is what I (or anyone else) sees about your home:
Yep. See those public remarks. Or lack thereof? That is how this particular home is being marketed…and it has BEEN on the MLS like this for almost THREE WEEKS!!!
Imagine the same part of the MLS description above looking like this?
Notice here there is a complete description of the condo! The location, features, amenities what’s unique about it. A special mention about what the HOA fee includes. And further, there is “private” remarks that only agents can see in the MLS that may can have further details or showing instructions. (NOTE: we are limited on how much we can put in the Public Remarks, and may pass on other details in Private remarks to help “sell” an agent on showing your home.
Which description do you think will better help sell this condo?
I tell my clients that your home may be shown multiple times during the listing period, but it will be SEEN thousands of times on hundreds, or thousands of websites. And on those websites, will appear those Public Remarks.
In fact, we consider this part of marketing your home SO important, that we have the description ready, along with the photos so that all of these parts of your listing are completed at the same time….and when your listing goes “live” in the MLS, there are photos, and a description and all the necessary information that should be there. Not this, “oh we’ll get it in the MLS and upload the photos on Monday when we get them.” No way!
Your marketing should be First Class…and it will start that way with a complete listing appearing in the MLS.
After all, how would you want YOUR home marketing to look?
We never like to think about it…but face it….we all are and will get older. It’s a fact of life we can’t deny, or stop!
If you live in a home and you are at the stage in life that you think this is your “forever home” then as you remodel, you may want to think about how that home will work “forever” for you if you have health issues in the future.
Instead of just thinking about granite choices, or paint colors, think long term about choices that could help you stay in your home longer. Everything from grab bars to open kitchens to stairs are certainly a factor. A walk-in shower as well as a tub…with a wide ledge to sit on….and then get into the tub…all things to consider NOW as you make renovations.
Access in the kitchen might include a movable island for when there may be a need for wheelchair access.
And if this is not your stage in life, you might have to be assisting a parent with these choices…so some good information to help you help them.
Here is a great article in the New York Times, titled Home Renovations for The Golden Years that goes into more detail about this subject.
