Posts tagged selling a house

Old-Fashioned Advice

Jun28
2010 Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

house for sale

Having a hard time selling your house? Even though all you hear about these days is new ways of marketing, in a competitive market like this one, sometimes good old-fashioned advice will take you the furthest. This involves you stepping out of your comfort zone.

Hopefully you already completed the first step, which is advertising with Buy Owner. Once your advertisement is set up, you have the support of the nation’s leading for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) company at your disposal. Buy Owner will promote your listing nationwide 24/7 through BuyOwner.com, its 1-800 number and its magazine.

You should do everything you can, too. Take the initiative to “sell” your house everywhere you go.

Use techniques like these:

• Talk to strangers. Though we’re taught not to as children, networking with those around you in grocery stores, churches, libraries, coffee shops and on public transportation might score you a home buyer. You never know, these seeming strangers may be the future homeowner of your house, or they might know someone who is looking. You might as well share your story!

• Hand out flyers or business cards when those you talk to seem interested. Unless you give them a reminder, they’ll forget. On the flyer or card, include the web link to your Buy Owner advertisement and the phone number on your For Sale sign. These sources give all the information the people need. You just need people to go check them out.

• Advertise on Craigslist. Make the most of your Buy Owner advertising by copying the HTML from your Seller Tools that will reproduce your professional listing on Craigslist! Include a catchy title so that people will check it out.

What will sharing your Buy Owner web link and phone number do? It’ll show potential buyers that you’re serious about selling. You set up an advertisement with a credible company and now you’re going the extra mile to make sure that people see the ad.

What happens if you don’t go the extra mile? Buy Owner will advertise your house on social networking sites and on our website. We’ll advertise to people driving past your house when they see the bright yellow sign in your yard. We’ll go the extra mile so you don’t have to. But if your house still isn’t selling in this tough, competitive market, we’re just saying there is more you could do.

Remember, it’s U that makes the difference®!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , ,

Add Dollars by Decorating

Apr02
2010 Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

Call it decorating, call it staging, the fact remains: the way you furnish and accessorize your home can dramatically affect its value in the minds of buyers.

It’s true. Beyond cleaning, organizing and repairing your residence, the way you decorate has the potential to turn an average home into an impressive showcase. Rooms will look larger, features will stand out and, when done right, buyers will be pulling out their pocketbooks.

So what can you do to make your home look more expensive?

OPTION 1: Hire a Stager. Professional stagers make it their business to know what decorating options will change the look of your home and which will give you the most bang for your buck.

OPTION 2: Stage It Yourself: You might not be a professional stager, but you might be able to do a little personal research and come up with the basic strategies that one would use. To help you get started, here are a few ideas:

  • Scale: A very large room should have larger furniture, which fits with the size of the space. Have an enormous wall in your two-story entryway? Don’t use two or three small prints to add color—use large paintings or tapestries or artwork that helps fill the space!
  • Lighting: The day of a showing, pull back the curtains and turn on the lamps in your (freshly cleaned, ideally) rooms. This will make everything look brighter, more inviting and better to buyers.
  • Personality: When you’re living in your home, of course you can put out family portraits, albums and knick-knacks. When you’re selling, however, you are trying to help buyers see themselves in your home, not help them see YOU in your home. Do everything you can to depersonalize.
  • for Inspiration: One of the best things you can do in terms of decorating ideas is look through magazines and books for inspiration! Find ideas you like and then implement them in your home.
Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , ,

Prepare Your Yard for Spring

Mar29
2010 1 Comment Written by Alicia

In springtime, while it’s easy to excuse yourself from yard work because of constant rainfalls or annoying allergies, you really should prepare your yard for the season, and for the one to follow, summer. If you wait too long, it could take longer for your grass to appear lush and weed-free, for your gardens to redevelop and for your fruit trees to produce.

And this is never more true than when you’re trying to sell. Now is the time to make your home—and its surroundings—look its best.

Here are steps to keep in mind:

  • Remove anything in your yard that doesn’t belong. That means raking dead, crumbled leaves that reappeared from under melted snow, picking up twigs and branches that snapped off of nearby trees, and disposing of any litter that blew into your yard from unknown sources.
  • Dethatch your lawn by using a rake to get rid of the layer of dead grass that has taken residency over your lawn. This is vital for your grass to receive the natural nutrients needed to grow. Also, if you use fertilizer or weed killer, it will not reach the lawn unless you remove this layer of thatch.
  • Lay a slow-release fertilizer on your lawn. This type of fertilizer will slowly release nutrients in your yard that will not cause the grass to grow before it’s ready. This way, even if Mother Nature decides to cover us with an April snowfall, your lawn will still be slowly working its way toward a green June.
  • Dig your lawn mower out of the shed or the corner of the garage and test it. Check for wear on the spark plugs, sharpen the blade, change the oil if needed, clean out old grass clippings and fill up the gas. If the mower is in need of repair, you have plenty of time to fix it. If not, it’ll be all ready for the first cut.
  • Scale back trees and bushes by trimming back limbs that are damaged or have grown beyond the rest. This will make room for the tree to grow faster and healthier. Keep branches out of your walkway and patio/porch area. Evenly trim bushes to look neatly manicured.
  • Now is the time to plant new foliage in the yard. Spring rain creates soft soil that makes digging as simple as ever. Plant new rose bushes, berry bushes or fruit trees now so that they have time to begin their spring growth.
  • While you should wait to plant and decorate with new perennials, you should pick them out now. Research the types of perennials available, find out which will grow in the sunlight and type of soil available in your yard, and plan a layout.
Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , ,

Preparing for Surprise Showings

Feb22
2010 Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

Showing Your Home Image

If you’ve kept up with our blogs, you know how to prepare for open houses. You know that a fresh coat of paint in an otherwise drab room isn’t a bad idea. You know that in spring the bushes should be trimmed and in winter salt should be laid. You know that baking cookies during an open house is an easy way to add a comforting aroma, a hospitable charm and a homey atmosphere.

When you get down to it, preparing for a scheduled open house isn’t all that hard. You clean, declutter and make your home look presentable. But what happens when potential homebuyers show up unannounced? It happens. Independent buyers can show up without calling and expect to see your house. Sure, you can turn them away and set up a more convenient time for them to show up. However, this move might turn them away, wondering what it is you have to hide, and annoyed at you not working with their schedule.

It is, after all, a buyers’ market.

So when the doorbell rings in the middle of your cooking brunch late on a Saturday morning, what should you do? Here are some tips on how to stay focused and calm during a surprise visit, and how to make the house presentable no matter what.

Start making these chores a daily habit, so that when a surprise visitor arrives, these things are already in order:

• Make your bed, and have everyone in the house make their beds.

• Designate a room or part of the yard for pets.

• Replace a light bulb as soon as one burns out.

• Apply salt to walkways as soon as icy conditions occur. Shovel snow right away too. Keep grass mowed and weeds pulled.

• Lubricate door hinges so that no doors squeak.

• Dust, vacuum and wash windows on a weekly basis or when you notice a need for cleaning.

• Wash dishes immediately after use and place them in the dishwasher, or dry and put away.

• Open window blinds on major windows each morning after you wake up.

• Provide containers or crates for toys, and make room for them in a closet.

• Make it a rule to take off shoes at the door, and supply a container for the shoes.

• Change out of your pajamas as soon as you wake up.

When the doorbell rings, here are quick fixes to do before answering the door or while the potential buyer is looking at your house:

• Put the pets away in your designated room or yard.

• Put all toys away in the containers or crates.

• Have a candle on hand for you to light when the doorbell sounds.

• Close closet doors; open bedroom and bathroom doors.

• Keep mouthwash on hand to quickly use as you put away toys and light a candle.

• Have space available in a closet or on a coat tree for your potential buyers’ coats.

• While the buyer is looking around, go to your laundry area and remove all clothes from clotheslines and throw them in the dryer, out of sight.

• Turn on an appropriate television show or some music, to lessen any awkward silences.

• Know the information on your house, such as its total square feet, so you are prepared for questions.

• Stay calm. Don’t run around and shout through the door to the surprise visitor. All of these last-minute tips can be done quickly enough to not keep the visitor waiting. Act polite, and if they are inconveniencing you, don’t show it.

Chances are, a potential buyer who shows up unexpectedly will be courteous and will ask if it’s okay for him or her to view your house at that time. If you agree, and your house looks put together and prepared for visitors, you will score yourself an impressed buyer.

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , ,

Wrap-Up of 31 Tips Series

Feb01
2010 1 Comment Written by Shanna

31 reasons

We hope you’ve enjoyed our January series on 31 reasons to sell with Buy Owner! Yesterday was our final post, but in case you missed anything, here’s a roundup of all 31 reasons:

1. No Commissions!
2. Market until Sold
3. The Power of the Internet
4. Custom URLs
5. It’s the Best!
6. Customer Service
7. Marketing Consultants
8. Choice of Placement
9. Professional Writers
10. Community Info
11. Professional Photos
12. Custom Captions
13. Virtual Tours
14. Online Statistics
15. Talking Yard Signs
16. Complete Control
17. No Middle Man
18. eCatalogs
19. Advertise Open House Dates
20. Easy Print/E-Mail Features
21. Google Maps
22. Schools Listing
23. Craigslist Tool
24. Zestimate® Feature
25. Flyers Tool
26. Housefly
27. Buy Owner Blog
28. Green Living Tips
29. Guaranteed Rate
30. Catchy Commercials
31. Proven Track Record

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , ,

8 Ways to Improve Curb Appeal

Nov16
2009 3 Comments Written by Shanna

curb appeal

Remember when you were a house hunter? You may have driven through neighborhoods to get a feel for the types of homes in the area or how close they were to schools, shopping, highways. And right after location, the #1 thing you were noticing was how the place looked outside.

When done right, curb appeal has the power to pull potential buyers in, implying that the interior of your home will be just as impressive as the façade. When done wrong, it can turn buyers away and eliminate any interest they had.

So what can you do to improve your property’s curb appeal? Here are eight quick areas to work on:

  1. Landscaping: A manicured lawn, trimmed bushes and thriving flowers can do wonders for a home’s overall appearance. Don’t have time to plant? Potted plants can be just as beautiful, set near the entryway or on a front porch.
  2. Driveway: Repair any cracks or stains in your driveway and look for ways to upgrade it such as adding flagstones or staining the concrete.
  3. Exterior/Façade: Repair any damages to your home’s façade, and give it a fresh coat of paint, if applicable. Another important thing to notice is the condition of your gutters: do they need to be cleaned or replaced? Now is the time!
  4. Front Door: Sometimes a fresh coat of paint or new staining can dramatically improve the look of your entry; choose a color that will pop, and you turn your front door into a real focal point. Other updates include new hardware, new house numbers and/or a new outdoor light fixture. Maybe even add a wreath!
  5. Roof: A new roof isn’t just good for curb appeal; it also is vital for the weatherproofing and insulating of your home. A quality roof can actually reduce heating and cooling costs, which is a benefit that communicates easily to buyers. Plus, for information on green roofing options, see this Buy Owner Blog article!
  6. Lighting: Landscape lighting heightens the drama of your home’s curb appeal by adding ambiance. Consider using solar lighting for a green option!
  7. Mailbox: Ideally, your mailbox should complement the rest of your home’s style and be in mint condition. To dress yours up, consider fresh paint or new staining, depending on its materials.
  8. Decorative features: From seasonal flags to attractive birdbaths or sculptures, there are many options for completing your home’s look. One goal to keep in mind is symmetry.
Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , ,

What To Do with Two Mortgages

Oct12
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

housemoney

In last week’s selling-tips post, we looked at the importance of avoiding two mortgages and recommended selling your existing home before buying another, while keeping your eye on the market throughout your sale.

But what should you do if you’ve already purchased a second home, obtaining a second mortgage along with it? What if you’re trying to sell but not finding the buyer?

Here are three options to consider:

1) Rent your old home. When people aren’t buying, they’re renting, so what potentially seems like a tragic home market could be the perfect time to become a landlord! If you can find renters whose monthly payments will cover your old home’s mortgage payments, you’ll take a huge strain off your finances.

2) Lower the price of your old home. The importance of pricing aggressively cannot be overstated, particularly in a competitive market such as today’s. If your home isn’t attracting interest, consider lowering the price.

3) Refinance. Talking to your mortgage provider(s) can be helpful in situations like these, where it may be in both their and your best interest to refinance. You may also want to check with Buy Owner to see what best rates we can connect you with!

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , ,

8 Tips for Accepting a Bid

Sep14
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

clip_image002

In today’s buyers’ market, you as a seller may be especially excited when an offer comes in for your home. Yet in your celebration, don’t rush too quickly! Remember there’s much to consider before accepting a bid as offered.

To make the process a little better for you, we’ve created a list of eight steps to keep in mind during the process.

Start the process early. Have an inspection completed right when your house goes on the market, so that whatever needs fixing gets fixed. That way, when negotiating a deal, a potential buyer can’t use a valid problem against you.

Do your homework. If a potential buyer has a concern about your asking price being too high, and has data to back them up, be familiar with the circumstances that they are presenting. Find out what homes in the area are being offered for and being sold for.

Consider all your offers. If the offer is significantly lower than your asking price, ask why. If the buyers did research and found other homes in the area to be sold at a lower price, you have a particular topic to discuss and review. If they have no particular reason, explain to them why you priced your home as is.

Take your time. You are allowed two or three days to consider an offer, so take that time to think it through. What is your home worth? Will you be making a profit? How soon do you need to move? Consider your options before professionally replying with a written acceptance or a counteroffer.

Know the financial situation. Make sure that the potential buyer has been preapproved for a loan, if need be, and find out how much they plan on offering as a down payment. You’ll save yourself numerous headaches down the road if you settle financial questions early on.

Prepare a counteroffer if you are unwilling to accept the initial offer. Usually the first offer you receive is less than what the potential buyer is willing to spend, but the final negotiation might still end up below your asking price. Decide whether you’d rather wait for a higher offer and continue to pay your mortgages, or take a lower offer and pay fewer mortgages.

Be fair. If you are dealing with more than one offer at a time, make sure the buyers are aware of this. One, it might cause them to offer a higher bid. Two, it make them aware that even if they agree to your counteroffer, you can still deny it if you receive a higher bid.

Be obliging. This is, after all, still a buyers’ market. Be willing to throw in the washer/dryer set or a lawn mower; think creatively about incentives. Find out when the buyer needs to move. Discuss financial matters to find out when and how the buyer plans on paying. Be professional and calm through the entire process.

For more helpful tips on negotiating, read this past blog.

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , ,

A Harder Kind of Home Sale

Aug24
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

houseforsale

Before my grandma died, she began getting rid of things: the guns my grandpa made before he’d died—sold in a garage sale; the box of silverware he’d given her as a present—mine to take; the knick-knacks, the books, the furniture—all gone—sold, trashed or passed on to someone. Before she moved into my family’s house, where she’d live for a while, we had to sell hers, and that meant getting rid of things.

In a way, this was very hard, a beginning of the end, so to speak, when she said goodbye to the home she’d known for decades. But in another way, this was good, selling her house before she died and not after. We didn’t have to wonder how she’d want us to do things or sort through a lifetime of possessions.

This is a process familiar to many, whether selling a home for a loved one who is ill or for a loved one who’s passed away, and it’s never easy. The important thing to remember is to take things one step at a time and to have help whenever possible.

To help navigate you through the experience, here are a few tips from Buy Owner:

  • Legalities: Is there a will involved? Will you need to transfer title before selling? Is there an outstanding mortgage? What taxes would be involved with the sale? If your loved one died in the home, are you required to disclose that to potential buyers? In cases where a home owner has deceased, some or all of these questions will be important. Seek legal counsel to know how to proceed. Whether you choose to keep or sell the home, you’ll need to have all the information in front of you.
  • Logistics: You’ll probably want to have all mail forwarded, at least for a few years, in case anyone who doesn’t know about the situation tries to contact your loved one. Also, consider having the locks changed, and find out what bills (utilties, etc.) will be due.
  • Possessions: If you’re responsible for going through a house full of things, the best method is to sort as you go. Decide what you want to keep (of anything not accounted for in the will) and put everything else into categories: donate, sell, trash.
  • Preparation: As with any other home sale, you have to prepare the property before marketing it. This is the point where you need to depersonalize from the home as much as possible and think of it only as a business transaction. Prior to posting a description and photographs online with BuyOwner.com, for example, you should have decluttered, cleaned and reasonably staged your residence.

Here are some previous Buy Owner Blog articles that could come in handy: 25 surefire (and cheap) ways to sell, Top 10 Home Staging Tips and Why Curb Appeal Matters.

Posted in Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , ,

What the Market Means for Sellers Now

Aug19
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

price

While there are signs that today’s real estate market is recovering, the turnaround is going to be slow going. And what this means for you as a home seller is you need to get proactive, if you are serious about selling soon.

According to data from the Multiple Listing Service (MRED), average sale prices have decreased—in some areas, such as Chicago, by as much as an average 30% loss. Unfortunately, there is still an oversupply of properties on the market, including low-priced foreclosures and short sales, and not enough buyers to buy them. The buyers who are serious are often first-time home owners looking to qualify for the $8000 tax credit and get a steal of a price.

So what should you do?
The best strategy for a savvy home seller right now is simple: lower your price. This isn’t an easy answer, but it’s one that works. Lower your asking price, as reasonably as you can, until it generates interest.

Why is this the best answer?
Price is the first thing a buyer will notice, as we’ve written before in posts like How to Sell Fast and 5 Price Tags of Overpricing. Price is also the #1 thing that can turn a potential buyer away, especially when the competition is filled with lower-cost alternatives.

So consider reducing your price by $5K and seeing what happens. That’s the way to be aggressive in this market, and that’s the way to sell.

Posted in Market News, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , , ,
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Founded in 1984, BuyOwner.com® is the leading provider of real estate marketing services. We pioneered the "For Sale by Owner" (FSBO) market, which today represents over 20 percent of all residential real estate transactions.

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