Ready to Sell Your Home?

What you can expect from your REALTOR®

Outline their professional responsibilities to you, including complete Disclosure, Loyalty, Confidentiality, Obedience and Accountability.
Help you determine the best asking price.
Extensively market your home to maximize the number of buyers who know about it, request showings and make offers.
Offer proven advice on how to prepare and show your property so you get top market value for it.
Assist you, if necessary, in finding any home-related services you need.
Regularly communicate with you to keep you fully informed of everything they do to sell your home.
Provide feedback from all showings and open houses.
Update you on both real estate and money market changes that could affect your property’s sale.
Be available to help pre-qualify potential buyers.
Promptly present and evaluate each offer with you.
Negotiate the highest possible price and best terms for you.
Manage contractual, title and transaction details and keep you informed.
Ensure that important items are signed, sealed, and delivered on closing day.
Arrange for a moving company and relocation agent, if required.

Renovations – Which Ones Are Market-Smart?

Generally, few homeowners renovate their homes to sell them because they know they won’t recoup the full cost of the renovations in the sales price. In a lot of cases minor renovations can really improve the overall impression of a property’s character and quality and increase the value.

Here are a few “market-smart makeovers” you might consider:

Kitchen – New flooring, cabinets, counter tops, appliances, and lighting can be costly, but buyers typically look for updated kitchens, and you’ll recover a large percentage of your expenses on resale. Even a minor facelift – for instance, new paint, floor covering, cabinet doors and hardware – can pay off in a faster sale at a better price.
Bathrooms – As with the kitchen, renovating bathrooms can pay off in terms of both value and marketability, especially in an older house. Go for good lighting, large mirrors, attractive fixtures, and materials, plenty of storage and neutral colors.
Energy-Efficient Improvements – With everyone “going green” energy-saving upgrades and repairs that reduce fuel bills can be a selling point.

Small Upgrades And Repairs Can Make A Big Difference

Exterior

Fix or replace anything damaged or worn, such as patio and deck, gutters and eaves, windows, shutters, screens, storm doors, light fixtures, porches and steps, walkways and fences.
Touch up all exterior paint or if needed, re-paint the house.
Fix doorbells, tighten loose doorknobs and oil squeaking hinges.
Clean or paint front door, polish front door hardware, replace “Welcome” mat if necessary.
Green-up dry lawn patches, plant extra flowers for color, place potted plants beside the front door.

Interior

Fix or replace cracked molding or floor tiles, leaking taps and toilets, loose door knobs, squeaky door hinges, closets or screen doors that are off their tracks, bathroom lighting and hardware, toilet seats, loose caulking or grout.
Fix and touch-up walls, ceilings, windows, etc.
Brighten interiors with a new coat of paint in light, neutral colors.
Shampoo carpets and rugs, replace if necessary.
Make sure major appliances are in good working order.
Replace switch and outlet plates and register vents with more elegant ones.
Add closet organizers or shelving to make closets more functional and spacious looking.
Add organizers or shelving for basement and garage.
Clean and paint concrete floor and walls.
Clean water heater and drain sediment, change furnace filter.
Buy the furniture you planned for the new house to improve the look of this one.