Realtor vs FSBO

Trained Realtors - The Understanding You Require To Sell Your House

It is very difficult to market your home for sale all by yourself, as many people who do so often run into a difficult situation and trying to give themselves maximum exposure. For this reason it is a good idea to utilize a professional Realtor.
When it comes to having your house sell or not, it all comes down to marketing. Without any of the exposure that you get from a real estate agent, putting your home in front of prospective buyers is difficult.
These days one of the best ways to get some attention for your home is by using the Web, and an agent who is already established with a web presence could be a real boon to get people to look at your house. Let's face it, this is the era of the internet.
The vast majority of those in the market to buy a home have spent quite a bit of time on the Internet looking around to find homes before they actually contact a Realtor to go see them. This is why it is vital for a Realtor or agent to have a commanding web presence.
Another thing that an agent excels at is putting your home in front of other agents who may have potential buyers. This is probably one of the most important parts in the process of selling your home.
Your Realtor will most likely know all of the other realtors in town and set up a private viewing for all of his or her agent buddies so your home can get full exposure to all of the different realtors in the area. These are some pretty powerful benefits as I'm sure you can imagine. Most all of your realtors will also have a budget for advertising their listings both in print and media.
This should be including full-color advertisements in your local newspaper, and have your home listed and flyers that can be found 24 hours a day on a sign in the front of your yard. Without the help of a Realtor it is nearly impossible to gain this type of exposure.
Not only is the Realtor going to make an investment of their time and effort into the sale of your home, but they will also put their money into it as well. It is in their best interest to see that your home is sold in a timely manner and for the best price possible. They are able to showcase your home in a fashion that most home owners cannot achieve due to the time involved.
Not only do they have very good knowledge of the market in the area, but they have access to all of the marketing media as well. You might surely be surprised when you ask your Realtor what it is they are doing to effectively market your home. Discovering the right Realtor can be tough I understand, and as this article said you need to get one with a powerful web presense.



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Remodel Your Kitchen and Bath without Breaking the Bank

It’s not surprising that two of the most popular rooms for home makeovers are the kitchen and bathroom. When potential homebuyers are searching for homes, they generally are more attracted to homes with updated kitchens and baths. These same rooms rank high in return on remodeling investment at resale, according to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost-vs-Value 2008-09 Study.

However, both can be pricey ventures. According to the same study, the national average for minor kitchen remodel was $21,246. A sample remodel at this cost includes replacing cabinet fronts, flooring, laminate countertops and oven and cooktop; installing mid-priced sink and faucet, adding wall cover and repainting trim.

The national average for a mid-range bathroom remodel was $15,899, which included replacing fixtures, installing a porcelain-on-steel tub, new shower and ceramic tile flooring.

If you’re like many consumers today, you are more budget conscious and may not be able to afford thousands of dollars on a remodeling project. Here are some alternatives that will give your kitchen and bathroom a fresh, modern look without breaking your piggy bank.

Kitchen Cabinets—Give your cabinets a fresh look by either refinishing or refacing the fronts at a more economical cost than buying new ones. You can even take the center face out and install a glass front.
Hardware—Replacing your cabinet knobs and drawer pulls, can give your kitchen an entirely new look.
Paint—A fresh coat of paint is always a sure bet. And it is one of the least expensive ways to give a room a makeover. To further transform the room, choose more modern hues, such as a warm yellow or deep red.
Countertops—The price of natural quartz or stone countertops can quickly eat away your kitchen remodeling budget. Less expensive, yet still attractive alternatives are solid surface materials such as Silestone® or granite and ceramic tiles. An even more affordable choice is laminate, which is easy to install yourself and comes in a variety of colors and styles.

Faucets and Sinks—Add a fresh new look by replacing your sink and faucet with a high-arched spout in an updated finish, such as brushed nickel, brushed chrome or stainless steel.
Backsplash—Another option to modernize your kitchen’s look is adding a backsplash. But rather than having ceramic tiles, consider creating a mosaic with ceramic or glass or install a faux backsplash panel.
Window treatments—Switch out older valances with options that let the natural light in.
Lighting—By adding under cabinet lights or even track lighting, you can create a dramatic look to your kitchen.

Bathroom Paint—As with the kitchen, a new coat of paint is a low-cost way to renew a room’s look. Choose a warm color to give the room an intimate feel.

Showerheads—Change out old showerheads with a new rain showerhead.
Shower Doors – If you still use shower curtains for your bathtub, you can update the look by installing glass doors. Frameless doors are preferable. However, if the walls aren’t flush to the tub area, framed doors will still give you the modernized look you’re seeking.

Hardware—Just as with the kitchen, replacing the knobs and handles can give your vanity a fresh new appearance.

Lighting and Mirrors—In addition to the vanity, the lighting and mirrors above that area can combine to make the perfect focal piece for your bathroom. If changing the vanity is not in your budget, consider swapping out your unframed glass for a more decorative mirror and add a new lighting fixture.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to add pizzazz to your kitchen or bath. Just changing one or two elements can make a huge difference in its appeal to you and a potential buyer down the road.

Joanne Genesio can be reached at (215) 260-6011.

Prudential is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity.

The Home Selling Process from Start to Finish

You’ve made the decision to sell your home. Even if you’ve sold a house before, this process can be daunting because it is a major financial transaction that involves many steps from selecting a sales professional and marketing the home, to negotiating with buyers and finally receiving funds at the closing. Yet, the home-selling process doesn’t have to be intimidating if you know what to expect. The process can be divided in nine steps.

Step 1: List your property with a real estate professional. Select someone who is knowledgeable, listens carefully, and with whom you feel comfortable. Interview at least three real estate professionals. Use their listing presentations to compare their preparation and professionalism. Don’t base your selection solely on selling price or commission. It’s probably best to avoid working with someone who promises you the moon—in this case, an unrealistically high price—then has to make price reductions until the property sells. Instead, focus on marketing plans, service and past results.

Step 2: Establish price and time frame. Determining a fair asking price is crucial in this market. Price the property too high and it could languish on the market. Of course you could always decrease the price later, yet you’ve lost potential buyers. Your real estate professional can help you determine true market value based on a comparable market analysis, which will include recent home sale transactions as well as homes currently on the market. Supply and demand, craftsmanship, amenities, condition and any special circumstances can also impact price. For instance, a relocation move might necessitate a quick sale.

Step 3: Develop and implement a marketing strategy. To get the most exposure for your home, you should have a marketing plan with clear objectives and an outline of specific resources to be used. Your plan should include a mixture of conventional and online marketing to optimize your reach to potential buyers.

Step 4: Get Your Home in Show Condition. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. So make sure your home is in tip-top shape inside and out. Eliminate clutter and remove personal items. Refresh the paint, clean the carpets and make minor repairs. Keep the grass trimmed and add color to your landscape. You may also want to consider hiring a professional to stage your home. A home in move-in condition is much more attractive to buyers in a competitive market.

Step 5: An offer is submitted. Once your home is on the market, a buyer will make an offer through his/her real estate sales professional. The buyer’s sales professional will present the offer to your representative, who will promptly relay it to you and help you evaluate the offer.

Step 6: The negotiation process begins and eventually an offer is accepted. One of the most critical roles played by your real estate professional is in the negotiation phase. Negotiations over the terms of a home-purchase contract can be extremely sensitive. The process of offer and counter-offer may go on until parties arrive at an acceptable contract, which can go very quickly or take days, even weeks.

Step 7: Buyers submit a loan application and home inspections are scheduled. Most often, the loan approval is contingent upon a satisfactory appraisal and various inspections.

Step 8: The loan is approved and the closing process begins. Once the buyer’s home loan has been approved, preparations begin for the closing. The closing, also referred to as settlement or close of escrow, is the final step toward completing the sales transaction between the buyer and seller. During this process, your sales professional will funnel all the necessary closing documents to the escrow agent. This may include the deed, mortgage, tax receipts, a Certificate of Occupancy and other documents. A final walk-through will also be scheduled. Once the escrow agent receives the paperwork and the funds pertaining to the sale of the property, the escrow is closed.

Step 9: Time to move!
Of course this is a simplification of what is otherwise a complex transaction. As you are going through each stage of the process, look to your real estate professional to provide guidance so that you feel comfortable every step of the way.

Joanne Genesio can be reached at (215) 260-6011. Prudential Fox & Roach is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company.
Equal Housing Opportunity.

Selling, Marketing & Upgrading Your Home

Selling Your Home

Some People prefer to sell their home by themselves, but what are the risks of doing so?? Real Estate Firms offer great services, when it comes to marketing your home, attracting potential homeowners of purchasing your property and determining the going price of your home. If you do attempt to sell your home yourselve, these are a few thoughts to consider...

Marketing your home:

When it comes to marketing or advertising your home, your advertisement in which you advertise your home's content is vital. Every description of the property, should be displayed properly, including pictures. Location can be a big factor when considering selling your home. If a home is near busy roads or highways, at times this can be a downfall. To lessen the blow, investing in fencing can really benefit this situation as well as pricing it properly.

Upgrading your Home:

It would be a great idea to add upgraded appliances to modernize it. The real estate market is pretty fierce, so researching about the latest appliances, upgrades, or additions, can make or break a potential buyer's decision on purchasing your property or your neighbor down the street.

Another great tip is to always place oneself in your potential buyer's shoes. What would you change about your house, what changes would benefit your home to attract buyers.

~Joanne

Selling Your Home in a Slump

In today’s market selling may seem like a ludicrous idea. No one has the funds to buy or the background to obtain the appropriate amount of loans, so how could you even think your home would move? But you don’t have a choice. You’ve been transferred or your spouse has. You have to list your home, and you have to get someone to buy it. For that to happen, you’ll have to prepare, safeguarding against anything that could keep pen from paper.

Begin with the look of the house itself. In a booming economy, you could get away with cluttered rooms, unusual décor and a few maintenance problems. Today, you can’t. Get rid of the junk in your corners, your closets, the middle of the living room floor . . . just un-junk. Then, tone down anything that screams. Four red walls and a leopard print couch may appeal to you, but they won’t please the prospective buyers. Neutralize them. When you’ve done that, go through the house looking for little repairs that need to be done - chipped paint, old fixtures, dying flowers, etc. Fix them, and then do another inspection. This time, however, have a friend walk through who will be brutally honest and pinpoint any problem areas. Your eye isn’t always the most discerning, so having back up is crucial.

Once you’re ready to list your home, do so reasonably. Price your property as it should be priced. An inflated number won’t invite haggling; it will invite disinterest. And forget about what you want to happen. This isn’t a fairy tale market; it’s not even the market of yesterday. You won’t see the same cash return your neighbor did last year or the previous owner did when you bought the home. You’re going to get a deal that matches today’s market. It may not be the best, but at least it will be a deal.