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SELLER'S INFORMATION

Painless (or mostly) Sale of Your Home
Some real estate brokers/agents may be too polite to tell you what needs to be done to make your property sell for top dollar. People sell houses for a variety of reasons, not all of them positive. Divorce, change in family structure or job relocation: You might be planning a move up to larger home or better location…or many other reasons. And yet, when a sign goes up in the front lawn you get a bit of a lump in your throat remembering the good times there. Not to mention the criticism from potential buyers regarding your favorite choice for colors; etc. Therefore, if we may, we would like to offer a few suggestions to aid in “pain-free” selling of your property.

Hire a Realtor! It is pretty easy to find one, usually the word REALTOR is in the company name. Realtors are the pros in home buying and selling.

Ask the Realtor how your property will be marketed; ask for specifics.

Also, ask for references from previous sellers. This is very important and could save you potential headaches and stress. Ask what sort of marketing they will perform to get the best price for you. Also, do they have a website which is easily accessible? Some real estate companies have websites that are hard to find especially-- just for Topanga. This prevents buyers from even seeing your house is on the market. If you have access to a computer, try out their presence on the internet

Our website: www.topangacanyon.com –That couldn’t be more specific!

Get the most from open houses
Don’t believe that open houses necessarily sell homes. In fact, they are best for obtaining new buyers—perhaps for other properties. Lookie Loos also come to get ideas for decorating or just to dream about owning a better home.

There is one type of open house that is highly useful—an agent's open, where local real estate agents are invited to tour your property. These are the open houses most likely to generate a buyer, and less likely to generate stress. Expect the agent you sign with to one where they bring the agents who work in their office on a tour of your home, and another when they bring local agents from other offices through. A final note on allowing strangers access to your house: Do put small valuables, jewelry and the like away in a safe deposit box before putting your house on the market.

Owners shouldn't be present during open, houses or when any brokers/agents are showing prospective buyers the house. Leaving during showings accomplishes two things: It allows prospective buyers to truly shop your house without fear of offending you. Most real estate agents aren't this blunt so we'll say it—excessive hovering by an owner scares potential buyers away. But, the best way to handle objections by buyers is to address them directly by the broker/agent; silence doesn’t allow this.

Here are a few other things your agent may be too polite to tell you:
If you smoke in your house, it will be much harder to sell. Consider having it professionally cleaned, carpets to drapes, and repainted on the inside. Smoke outside while the house is on the market.
Do you have pets that come inside? Does your house smell like your dog or worse yet, cat urine? Pet odors repel buyers, and be aware of the fact that people who don't have pets are far more sensitive to pet odors than pet lovers are. In other words, you may think your house smells fine, but it might be really (pardon our frankness) stinky.

Rid the house of clutter—even if it means doing some of your packing early. Keep countertops and bathrooms shiny. For some reason, there's nothing more off-putting than some one else’s crusty toothpaste on a bathroom sink. Nobody's going to declare, "Heck, I would have bought that house at full price until I saw the hairball on the floor of the tub." But a clean, nice smelling house speaks volumes on an emotional level, and will sell itself in a way that a dirty, funky place never will.

Be prepared for unexpected costs
So, you've got an offer you're ready to accept? Don’t celebrate yet—that money may need to go toward some home repairs. In fact, the most difficult part when selling your home may be meeting the terms and conditions the buyer may request.

Next, there may be the implied judgment about your living conditions. You most likely will be asked to fix problems you may consider minor, but the buyer may consider a “deal breaker”.

Be honest with yourself about the condition of your home there may be problems; in fact, usually are found during the inspection period. Therefore, to avoid these conflicts, consider fixing items needing repair PRIOR to putting the house on the market. A good Realtor will point out some of these conditions. Be thankful they did. We will!

MARKETING TO SUCCESSFUL SALE