Pricing
your home
Setting the proper asking price or list price
for your property is the single most important
factor that will determine the success or
failure of your home sale. The consequences of
making the wrong decision can be painful. If you
price your home too low, you will literally give
away thousands of dollars. Price it too high,
and your home will sit unsold for months,
developing the reputation of a problem property.
The value of your property is determined by what
a ready willing and able buyer will pay for it
in the open market, which will be based upon the
value of recent sales. What you think the
property is worth has no effect on value and the
amount of money you need to get out of the sale
of your property will also not determine its
value. As a rule of thumb, you should price your
property just above recent sales but below
current listed properties in your area. This
strategy will help you in determining the
appropriate asking price.
Tips
to help you sell your home
Buyers buy homes based on emotion. Many factors
come into play and many that a buyer isn’t even
aware of. Buyers will buy according to what they
see. For this reason, a cleaner home is better,
brighter and more open home is better, no odors
is better and neutral colors are best. Make your
home as appealing and uncluttered as the home
that you would like to buy. When it’s time to
show your home, all your preparations will be
worth it. Keep your home on the market and let
your home be shown even when you’re not there.
If you don’t, you’re limiting the showings and
the opportunity to find a buyer. Always keep
your home ready to be shown.
Holding an open
house
A great way to expose your home to a large
number of buyers at once is by holding an open
house. An open house is a specific time that you
set aside for prospective buyers to visit your
home without an appointment. This is a great
opportunity for neighbors to see your home. Some
people feel that open houses tend to attract
curious or nosy neighbors but on the contrary,
neighbors may be one of the best sources for
word of mouth advertising, which is priceless
and free. Your neighbors know a lot of people
and may have a friend, family member or a
co-worker who is looking for a home in the
neighborhood. To hold an open house, put up a
sign and advertise the date and time of your
open house so potential buyers can know when
they can visit and see your home. An open house
will serve as another tool for exposing your
property to potential buyers and Realtors.
Questions to ask your potential buyers
Ask questions about what they’re looking for and
what type of homes they’ve seen. Are you
planning to buy within the next month or two?
Are you a pre-qualified buyer? If they have not
been pre-qualified for a mortgage, explain that
they will need to be pre-qualified for a
mortgage commitment before they can continue
with the process of buying a home.
Seller real property disclosure, radon gas
disclosure and lead paint disclosure
It is the lawful responsibility of the seller to
disclose known material facts about the property
for sale especially conditions not readily
observable affecting the value of the property.
Full written disclosures of your property
condition is a vital part of the marketing and
sale of any property. Properties with written
disclosures tend to be more appealing to buyers
than those without. Besides, Florida law
requires seller disclosure. Disclosures reduce
misunderstandings that can lead to delayed
closing, re-negotiation, and even litigation.
Radon gas Disclosure is required and mandatory
in the state of Florida at the time or before a
person, enters into a contract for sale and
purchase or a rental agreement. Lead based paint
disclosure is only required if the home was
built before 1978.
Fair Housing Laws
It’s important for you to be informed about the
strict sanctions against discrimination in the
federal Fair Housing Law. Realtors, Mortgage
professionals and homeowners may not refuse to
sell, rent, deal or negotiate with a person
based on race, color, religion, sex, disability,
marital status or national origin. You need to
be aware of the Fair Housing Laws so you will
not be responsible for any violation.
