If you are thinking of selling your home, chances are you're caught up in a mass of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving up to a new home or facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new and exciting adventures. Remember, I am here to help you with any of your needs. Call or e-mail today!

Getting Your House Ready to Sell

Introduction: Emotion vs. Reason
De-Personalizing the House
Removing Clutter, Though You May Not Think of it as Clutter
Fixing Up the House Interior
Fixing up Outside the House

Pricing Your Home

What Happens Behind the Scenes
Dropping Your Price...Too Late?
Types of Listing Contracts

Open Listings
One-Time Show
Exclusive Agency Listings
Exclusive Right to Sell
Details of a Listing Contract

Price and Terms of Sale
Lockbox - Yes or No?
Real Estate Commission
Multiple Listing Service
Agency Duties of a Listing Agent
Resolution of Disputes
Listing Commissions and Related Issues

Is the Commission Negotiable?
How and When the Commission is Earned
"Hot" Market Under-Pricing Strategy - Commission Issues

The Listing Agent & Marketing Your Home

The "Real" Role of a Listing Agent
Preliminary Marketing - the "For Sale" Sign
Preliminary Marketing - Flyers and the Brochure Box
The Listing Agent - Marketing Your House to Other Agents

The Multiple Listing Service
Office Preview
Broker Previews and Culinary Delights
Office Flyers
Marketing Sessions

The Listing Agent - Marketing Your House to Homebuyers

The Purpose of Advertising in General
Real Estate Company Advertising
Individual Agent Advertising
Neighborhood Announcements
Open Houses
Showing Your House to Home Buyers

Convenience and Availability
Why You Should Not Be Home
Lighting, Fragrances, Pet Control and More
Keeping the House Tidy and Neat
Handle With Care!
Many people rank moving as one of the top five causes of stress. How you handle your children before and during the sale of your home can reduce some of their stress - and yours!

Experts recommend the following to make this a smooth transition:
  • Children should only be told of a planned move once the decision has been made. Discussing the possibility of a move beforehand only causes unnecessary anxiety, according to many child psychologists.
  • Minimize the stress your children feel when moving by getting them involved in their favorite activities - sports, academic or artistic - BEFORE the move actually occurs. Children can use the Internet to find out about their favorite activities, events or teams, as well as other interesting facts about their new area.
  • Another way to help children adjust to a new environment is to allow them to become familiar with the area before the move occurs. Take a vacation, or short trip to your new location to allow them to get to know the area. That way, it will seem familiar and reassuring once they've moved.
  • And finally, let your children stay with relatives or friends during the actual packing and loading process. That will relieve the stress of seeing their possessions packed into boxes and taken away.
Is a 1031 Exchange Right For You?
You may have heard of people "exchanging" their investment property to avoid huge tax bites out of their sale proceeds. An exchange of real property can be a valuable tool to defer or avoid capital gains tax on real estate transactions.

Section 1031 of the IRS Code offers real estate investors a great investment opportunity to build wealth and save taxes. By completing a 1031 exchange, you can dispose of investment property, use all of the equity to acquire replacement investment property, defer the capital gains tax that would ordinarily be paid, and leverage all of you equity into a replacement property.

Replacement property acquired in an exchange must be of "like-kind" or similar to the property being sold. The following are examples of properties that could be eligible for a 1031 exchange:
  • Single Family Rental
  • Multi-Family Rentals
  • Farms/Ranches
  • Raw Land
  • Retail Offices
  • Motels/Hotels
  • Golf Course
  • Industrial
  • Leases of 30 years or more

Properties NOT eligible under 1031 include foreign property and primary residences.

1031 exchanges are primarily designed for people interested in investment properties, not for typical home sellers and buyers looking to purchase a residence.
After the SOLD Sign
You've probably spent so much time and effort on making sure your home sells for the best price possible that you may not realize there's more to do! Now that the SOLD sign is in your yard, here are some things you can do to get ready for the move.

Stop by your local post office to pick up a change of address form so your mail will be forwarded to your new home. If you're not sure of your next permanent address, consider renting a post office box for a few months to guarantee your mail delivery will not be interrupted.

Be sure to notify anyone who provides you with service at your home that you are moving - landscapers, home cleaners or window washers. If you are moving out of the area, ask for recommendations of service providers you could use at your new home.

It's time to decide now which belongings have sentimental value, and which you can part with. Set a weekend aside to have a moving sale and arrange for a local charity to come by and pick up whatever doesn't sell. This will make it much easier to pack and will also save you money, since movers generally charge by the pound.

Getting started on these activities will ensure that you and your family experience a smooth transition to your next property.
Quick Tips!
Call and schedule a date for termination of utilities, phone and cable services so you don't pay for service after you move.

Give children a job to do during moving preparations. Boxing up their books or toys gets them involved with, and excited about, the move.

Exchanges usually involve slightly greater costs than sales, so not every transaction should be an exchange

Your personal tax advisor can offer information specific to your situation and help you determine if a 1031 is right for you.

Don't pack your child's security blanket or other favorite toy. It should travel with your child instead.

Moving during the middle of the school year allows your children to make new friends right away.
17 Simple Things to Make Your Home More Marketable:
  • Make sure your entranceway says "Hey, look at me!"
  • Paint (or touch up) exterior, and repair screens and windows.
  • Check A/C and heating systems.
  • Fix leaky faucets, toilets, and faulty lights.
  • Repair wall cracks, re-caulk bathrooms and kitchen.
  • Mow lawn, edge driveway and walkways
  • Throw out junk from garage and storage areas.
  • Prune dead limbs from trees.
  • Clean your windows.
  • Vacuum drapes and carpets.
  • Clear out closets.
  • Remove excess furniture.
  • Ensure windows, doors, and locks work smoothly.
  • Weed flowerbeds and trim shrubs.
  • If you have a pool, make it crystal clear.
  • Clean lawn furniture.
  • Keep cats and dogs out of visitors' way.