Price Is Right
Priced correctly and marketed aggressively, most homes will get an offer quickly. How you and your agent handle negotiations can affect the outcome of your home sale. Your Jim Maloof/REALTOR® agent will conduct the negotiations with professionalism, attention to detail and a loyal representation of your best interests.
Real estate sales transactions are multi-faceted transactions. We look at all angles to find a strategy and solutions that help you accomplish your objectives.
Pricing Your Home
The most important question you will likely have is “What is my home worth?” A Jim Maloof/REALTOR® Agent can help you answer that.
The knowledge, experience and research we apply to pricing our clients’ homes produce shorter market times and a higher listing-to-sale price ratio.
The most effective way to get the highest selling price for your home is to price it right from day one.
To arrive at the best list price, we complete a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) which compares your home to other similar properties currently listed and those recently sold. We use home location, local supply and demand, days on the market and property features to arrive at what we believe is a fair market value for your home.
The surest way to see the selling price decline is to set a list price that is too high and then take reductions to chase the market.
Accurate list price is important because the greatest amount of showings occur in the first few weeks of market time.
Remember, time is money and it is best to work with your agent to advise you on today’s market price.
The Risk of Overpricing
- Could cause it to be used as a “target” to sell other properties, lead to loan rejection for a hopeful purchaser due to appraisal and lessen your ability to purchase another property.
- Causes your home to become “shop-worn”
- Eliminates potentially good offers
- Reduces the number of showings
Preparing Your Home
Ensuring your home is in the best showing condition will set it apart from the competition and could be the difference between a timely and productive sale or one that drags on.
- Declutter
- Organize
- Clean
- Paint
- Brighten your home
- Spruce up exterior
- Make necessary repairs
- Remove personal valuables
- Remove pets
- Disclose everything
Tips for Home Staging
Ideally your home should show like a model in order to stand out in today’s competitive market. Staging can be as simple as rearranging a few pieces of furniture to hiring a professional to furnish an empty home. Your Jim Maloof/REALTOR® agent can give you staging suggestions or assist you in locating a professional stager.
- Use neutral colors and décor to help your home appeal to the largest number of potential buyers.
- Add color through accessories such as pillows, vases and oriental rugs.
- Arrange furniture in small groupings that demonstrate a room’s functionality, and do not overcrowd a room with furniture. Place pieces in a way that dictates logical traffic flow.
- Use light, airy window treatments, like simple sheers on a curtain rod.
- Hang window treatments so they cover the least amount of glass.
- Higher wattage light bulbs can brighten up dark areas, while dimmers are a low-cost way to add a desirable feature and allow you to increase or decrease light levels in different rooms.
- Camouflage outdated furniture or worn upholstery with slip covers, and replace worn bedspreads and throw rugs.
- Personal photographs and mementos add warmth and character to a home, but use them in moderation so the buyer will focus on the home, not it’s owners.
- Keep kitchen counters clean and clear of all items, and remove all magnets and notes from the front of the refrigerator. If your kitchen needs an update, paint cupboards with a neutral color and replace knobs on cabinets.
- Remove all personal items from the bathroom counter. Stock fresh towels and get a new shower curtain and rug for the floor.
- Use interesting accessories to draw the eye to desirable features like built-in shelving, bookcases or fireplace mantels.
- Display fresh flowers.
- If you have collectibles, display them in neat, uncluttered groupings.
- Remember outdoor spaces like your back yard, patio or balcony. Add furniture, plants or potted flowers with seasonal settings.
