Homes are as individual as the people that own them. I always study the home that I'm marketing to ascertain what its' best selling points are. Then I concentrate on who this home is going to appeal to and how to reach them. An example is a home that I marketed that was over built for the area that it was in. It was a large, new home on a huge lot. The surrounding homes were older, slightly rundown homes on huge lots and considerably less in value. Who would this house appeal to? It needed to be someone who "thought out of the box", an individual that wasn't obsessed with what everybody else thought. The answer came to me when I realized that this area had no Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's). I advertised the property in a local paper "FOR THAT MAVERICK BUYER - NO CC&R'S". It worked.
             The tools that I use to market homes are the MLS, virtual tours on Realtor.com, newspaper promotions, tasteful brochures, yard signs, agent tours, open houses and Realtor marketing sessions. If you're serious about selling your home, contact me at kathy@kathyashley.com and we can make arrangements to meet and discuss your home and how marketing it needs to be approached.       top ^
 

• Replace the light bulb in each lamp or fixture with the maximum wattage allowable.
• Wash the bulbs and lenses of all lamps and fixtures.
• Have all windows and mirrors washed inside and out.
• Wash spaces between all windows.
• Open blinds and raise shades to maximize natural light.
• Consider removing drapes to brighten the home.
• Identify items that will not be moved to the next home and get rid of them now.
• Remove furniture from hallways and narrow foyers.
• Move items that impede entry or clear sight into any room.
• Remove everything from kitchen counters, bathroom vanities and desktops; then replace only those items that are used daily.
• Remove everything from the stairs.
• Clean everywhere, but pay special attention to kitchens and bathrooms.
• Tile grouting and tub caulking must be cleaned thoroughly.
• Any soiled carpets must be cleaned, if not replaced, and remove any dents left by furniture.
• Touch up appliances and the corners of walls where paint has been chipped off.
• Clean any heating and cooling vents, giving special attention to cold air returns.
• Everything outside should be neat and trimmed. The lawn should be perfect and freshly mulched.
• Exterior painting should be done, if required.
• The front door should be cleaned and painted, if necessary, and all hardware, such as locks and latches, should be operating flawlessly.
• If the interior is painted, replace electrical switch plats and socket plates with new ones.
• Fix all dripping faucets.    top ^

Don't forget to clean the garage!

          First and foremost you've got to price it right. Overpriced homes sit on the market and eventually sell for less than what they should have. Well priced homes get the attention up front to sell quickly for top dollar.
          Second, staging your home for maximum emotional appeal can be worth the time and investment. Remove the clutter and furniture from each room that doesn't go with the décor. Place the remaining furniture in a way that makes the best use of the character and space of each room. A few tasteful accessories can greatly elevate the perceived value of your home. Fresh plants and floral arrangements can help provide the ambience that will make your home sell for top dollar..
You need to choose a real estate agent that is industrious and knowledgeable that you enjoy working with. Getting top dollar requires working together effectively to get the job done.   top ^

        A lockbox can be a real asset in getting your home shown and thus sold. The lockboxes that we use today record what realtor has used the lockbox and when. We can read the lockbox, transmit the data viva phone to the main computer and then receive a full activity report for your house.
        The lockboxes and realtors are closely monitored. Every month, each realtor must update their lockbox keypad and receive a code that allows them to access lockboxes for the next month.
Do you have to uses a lockbox? No. The choice is yours. Having a lockbox can free you up so that you don't have to wait at home for showings. It gives an accurate record of when your home was shown and who showed it. But if you really don't feel comfortable having a lockbox on your home, don't.
            By the way, did I mention that a lockbox can be programmed so that it only allows access for limited hours - like say 9:00 to 5:00?      top ^

            When you counter an offer the ball is in the Buyer's park. If the Buyer doesn't accept it or counter back, the offer is dead. Should the Buyer counter back, you can accept the counter offer as it is; or if you choose, you can counter back and throw it into his park again.
            It's important whenever you receive an offer that you take time to evaluate it thoroughly. Consider all of the terms and conditions. Assess how strong the Buyer is financially. Look at the housing market realistically. What are the chances of your getting a better offer in the near future? Make an informed decision, not an emotional one.             top ^

 Generally the Seller will pay:

• Real Estate Commissions
• Owner's Title Policy
• Half of the Escrow Fee
• Loan on the Property
• Interest, Reconveyance Fee, any Prepayment Penalties on Loan
• Recording Fees
• Pro-rated Property Taxes
• Home Warranty *
• Homeowner's Transfer Fee *
• Termite Repairs if Applicable
• Septic Tank Inspection and Repair If Applicable
• Outstanding Judgments, Liens, Bonds, Assessments
  
            * Commonly negotiated             top ^