Excellence in Real Estate
Price your home realistically.
Sales statistics show that properties that are initially priced too high eventually sell for less than properties that were correctly priced in the first place. Also, over-priced houses can take months or even years to sell, while properly priced houses usually sell in a matter of weeks or even days. When selecting your agent, make sure that each Realtor you interview presents a CMA (or Comparative Market Analysis) that shows what he or she thinks your house is worth. The average or median price will likely be very close to your home's true market value.Use a REALTOR(R).
As a buyer, it usually costs nothing to hire a real estate professional to help you find and purchase a home--your Realtor will likely get a portion of the commission the seller pays to his Realtor. When choosing an agent, get referrals from friends, relatives, and co-workers, and then interview as many agents as possible. Pick an agent that works in the neighborhoods you're interested in. Listen to your agent, but make your own decision.Make high-return improvements to your home before you sell.
There are a number of improvements that you can make to your house that will provide a greater-than-100% return on your initial investment. Chief among these is having your house painted, but you should also consider kitchen and bathroom renovations, adding fireplaces and skylights, and attic or basement conversions. Contrary to popular belief, building a swimming pool is not a good capital investment, and will usually only add 33% of its cost to your home's final sale price.