Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Selling Your Home in 2013

Atlanta KitchenMany first time homebuyers who jumped on the tax credits from a few years ago, are now thinking of becoming first time home sellers and second time buyers.  The forecasts for most real estate markets across the country for 2013 are positive, with some particularly hot areas showing significant growth predictions.  These two factors are gearing up to make for an exciting upcoming spring/summer in real estate throughout the United States.  With that being said, and despite the fact that the residential housing market has turned a corner, things are just as competitive as ever.  For those who will be on both sides of the contract, this means you need to be diligent in your new home search, competitive in pricing your existing home, and strategic in your marketing...i.e. you need to hire a professional, experienced, and reliable realtor! 
It really doesn't matter if you live in Atlanta, Georgia or are looking to sell Boulder, Colorado real estate; if you are planning on selling your existing home and buying a new one this spring or summer, there are several things you should be doing now to prepare your property for the market. Simple home maintenance projects, de-cluttering, budget planning and basic community research are some of the first steps.  These tasks will help you figure out the what, when, and where questions you have before starting the search for a qualified realtor. Finding a realtor who specializes in your area of interest and the kind of home you want will help to make the home buying experience more efficient.  If your location allows it, using the same realtor as your listing and buyer's agent, may make things more seamless, especially if the purchase of your new home is contingent on the sale of your existing home.  
Although the real estate market information is different from city to city, and also between price brackets, there is a common science to selling a home.  This is where hiring the wrong agent, or an inexperienced friend/agent, can cost you dearly.  The first thing you and your realtor should do is complete a walk-though of your home, where you make a fair evaluation of its overall condition and create a plan of action.  This is a very important step, because pricing your home right the first time will broaden your scope of potential buyers.
Since the majority of your showings and open houses will happen within the first few weeks of listing your property, you want to make sure it is in its best condition before the first potential buyer walks through the door. In order to do this, you will definitely want to apply a fresh coat of paint (consider the exterior as well), steam clean or chemical clean carpets if they can't be replaced, start packing and de-clutter, take down the majority of personal affects, clean up your yard and maintain a clean home at all times. 
Lastly, the marketing plan your realtor has for your property will directly affect how your home does on the market.  With the modern era of real estate, you have to hire a broker that offers internet marketing services. Things like listing blogs, QR codes, interactive video tours, mobile applications, and graphic flyers, can help put your property in the spotlight of its individual market.  These kinds of new tools help your agent get your home the most exposure, which hopefully results in competitive offers, and the best possible deal for you!
via:http://www.tinafountain.com/blog/selling-your-home-in-2013.html

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