How to Sell Your House Fast and Profitably

Tips On Selling Real Estate For The Most Money In The Least Time

Aug 25, 2009

While marketing a house or land has always been challenging, the real estate crisis of 2008 has forced sellers to do adhere to all the major rules of selling real estate.

Selling a house or piece of property has never been particularly easy, but when a real estate crisis strikes, the process can become overwhelming if not done well. Though no two scenarios are alike, would-be home sellers should address- as honestly and realistically as possible- the following real estate sales tips.

Though it should go without saying, pricing a house to be marketable is absolutely critical. Most property owners overestimate the likely selling price of their house. Doing so, however, may keep the majority of potential buyers from ever even taking an in-person look at a house.

Nearly all realtors can generate a 'competitive market analysis' (or CMA) report, which will inform a seller- or buyer- of the prices at which nearby homes or comparable homes have been selling. Though more difficult to acquire on their own, similar reports can be acquired by individuals without the assistance of a real estate agent.

Staging a home is the process of arranging furniture and decoration in a house to allow an potential buyer the chance to see the property as a 'home' rather than just a house. As such, staging has become very popular; there are even companies that just specialize in providing the needed furniture and accessories.

While the concept seems brilliant - and is in most cases - it's not always wise to stage a house. For very small houses, staging with furniture may simply draw attention to the fact that space is limited. Conversely, a very big house that requires a great deal of furniture to appropriately fill may intimidate a buyer.

As a rule of thumb, staging should only be utilized if it accents the property's appearance.

Again, it should go without saying that dirty dishes, cobwebs, and dusty floors are a seller's no-no. They suggest that the current owners may not be taking care of the bigger items like the roof or the plumbing if they can't even run the vacuum cleaner.

Sellers may find it's easier to convince a buyer to make an offer if the bulk of the legwork - finding a lender - is already done. So, being able to suggest a lender who's already been briefed about the property in question may be helpful.

However, 'pushing' a lender onto a buyer may only push them away from making an offer. Offer it as a convenience if the buyer isn't pre-qualified - not as a requirement. In the case of a sale of a townhouse or condominium, which usually require more red tape for borrowers, it's almost a requirement that a seller can suggest a lender that's familiar with the special ins and outs of those kinds of special loans.

Note that a loan broker is far more likely to find an attractive loan for a buyer than most mortgage companies or banks are.

Finally, a seller can never really know what's going to prompt an offer from a buyer; it may have nothing to do with the house at all. Everything from cars to pre-paid homeowner fees to a change of the paint color have been the reason deals have been done.

Though some of the added-value ideas are not necessarily part of the actual purchase contract, they can still be contracted separately between the buyer and seller.

The copyright of the article How to Sell Your House Fast and Profitably in Buying/Selling a Home is owned by James Brumley. Permission to republish How to Sell Your House Fast and Profitably in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.