Are you getting ready to list your home? Why not stage it before you open its doors to potential buyers? Homes that are staged often sell quicker than those that aren’t, especially in competitive markets. Whether you hire a professional stager or do it yourself, the following tips will help you show your home at its best.
 

Oh, by the way®... if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them. 

Do you dream of being a homeowner one day? Although you may not be ready to buy now, there are four things you can do to prepare for when you are. From building your credit to saving for a down payment, you'll be prepared to spring when you’re ready to search for the right home. Read on to learn more.

Oh, by the way®... if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I'll be happy to follow up and take great care of them. 

Although we can't predict if and when an emergency or disaster situation will occur, we can prepare in the event that one takes place. Use the checklist below to help assemble your emergency kit to keep you and your family safe in the unfortunate event of an emergency. 
 

The majority of buyers search the Internet as their first step in the home buying process. Whether they’re searching listings or using a mortgage calculator, one thing is clear: the Internet is a powerful source of information. Below is information to help you harness the power of the Internet in your home search. 

Oh, by the way®… if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.

Saving for a down payment is a challenge for many first-time buyers. If this sounds like you or someone you know, it might be time to change your habits. The information below offer tips to help you change your habits and save more money.
 

Oh, by the way®… if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them. 

What will 2016 bring for the housing market? If the predictions are correct, this year will be great for real estate. This month, I’m sending you information about what should be a bright 2016 for homebuyers and sellers. Want to learn more about what this year’s real estate projections could mean for you? Give me a call! And remember, I’m never too busy for any of your referrals.
 

The holiday season is upon us—time for festive decorations, shopping, parties and general cheer. Make sure your pets stay safe during the busy holiday season with the following tips below. Forward this on to family and friends who have pets to ensure that they remain healthy and safe.
 

Oh, by the way®… if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them. 

Learn something new while you’re on the go! Below are a few apps to help you improve your mind while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, on a break at work or relaxing at home. Help your family and friends sharpen their cognitive skills by forwarding this information on to them.
 

Don’t Make These 5 Common Home Buying Mistakes

Thinking of selling your home? The photos you include in the listing description can pique a buyer’s interest or prompt them to keep scrolling. Below are several tips to help you present your home in the best light and stage your home for listing photos. Forward this information to family and friends who are thinking of putting their homes on the market.
 

Oh, by the way®… if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them. 

10 reasons why for-sale-by-owners (FSBOs) fail

Whatever the reason for attempting to sell solo might be, data from aNational Association of Realtors survey shows that less than 10 percent of FSBOs actually sell.

Top reasons why FSBOs fail in real estate

There are a lot of reasons why FSBOs fail and do not sell. Some of the top among these are:

1. Too many people to negotiate with

Those deciding to take the FSBO route often have to negotiate with many people. Some of them are likely to be:

• The buyer, seeking the best possible deal.
• The buyer’s agent, who represents the buyer’s best interest.
• The buyer’s attorney (in some regions of the nation).
• Home inspection companies, working for the buyer, which are likely to find some problem or the other with the house.
• Your bank, in case it’s a short sale.
• The appraiser, if the home’s value needs to be assessed.

Without the help of experienced real estate agents, dealing with so many different parties alone is often a tough task for homeowners.

2. Homeowners do not know how to prepare the home for sale

A majority of homeowners don’t know about the prelisting tasks that FSBOs should do before they list their home for sale. These usually include:

• Decluttering.
• Painting the rooms with a fresh coat of paint.
• Getting necessary repairs done.
• Getting the home floors and carpets cleaned by professions.
• Ensuring curb appeal of the home.
• Replacing outdated light fixtures.

Because homes for sale by owners just have one chance to impress potential buyers, neglecting these home sale preparation tips often reduces the homeowners’ chances of selling the house.

3. Owners do not how to screen potential buyers

FSBOs often have no idea about the difference between prequalification and preapproval, and they don’t know that buyers should ideally be preapproved or at least prequalified.

No wonder they let unqualified buyers inspect the house and waste their precious time. Not knowing if a buyer has the ability to purchase the home acts as a big deterrent for homes for sale by owners.

4. Owners fail to solve buyer’s queries

Handling inquiries from buyers on their listings and coordinating showings for their homes are prerequisites for making a sale. However, many homeowners either aren’t able to handle such inquiries on their homes or don’t have the time for them.

Even organizing showings might become an uphill task at times. Because these days potential buyers and their agents want quick responses to their inquiries, they don’t think twice before moving on to the next potential property if their inquiries and requests are unanswered.

5. Owners don’t understand the concept of golden time

According to this concept, homeowners get the most money for their homes in the first week of putting the property on the market. The longer homes for sale by owners stay on the market, the less money people will be willing to offer for them.

If a buyer tries FSBO first and then hires an agent, the buyer would have already lost the “golden time” window. This will eliminate the buyers who have already viewed the home, might have offered unrealistically low prices and have already moved on.

6. Owners fail to understand the contract procedures

The contract to buy a home involves much more than just the price offered by the buyer. Also, real estate contracts have lots of timelines and clauses and involve several common contract contingencies, such as inspections and mortgages.

Many FSBOs don’t have a firm understanding of such contracts and might not know what they are agreeing to or how to negotiate particular parts of the contract.

7. FSBOs don’t know how to handle the home inspection findings

Home inspections almost always find some issues with houses even when they are relatively newer structures. In such cases, the buyer requests problems be fixed or corrected before moving forward with the transaction.

However, many FSBOs believe that there is nothing wrong with their home, which is why they refuse to address the issues brought forward by home inspections. As a result, the offer falls through.

8. FSBOs incorrectly price their homes

FSBOs often price their homes incorrectly due to lack of experience. They set the price too high, which hinders their chances of closing the deal.

9. FSBO homes lack exposure

Homes for sale by owners are often listed on a few websites, but there are many that don’t allow FSBOs to list their property. Thus, FSBOs are unable to give their homes adequate exposure in the market.

However, when buyers hire a real estate agent, the professional can give a property online exposure as well as exposure in the local real estate segment of the newspaper. The agent even has tools to extend the exposure further, which FSBOs don’t have.

10. FSBOs fail in the closing process

Even after an offer is accepted, many things still need to be done prior to the closing. For instance:

• Get the inspections completed within the allotted time.
• Ensure the attorney(s) approve contracts.
• Ensure that instrument survey is ordered.
• Check if the buyer has obtained written mortgage commitment.
• Find out if title work is reviewed.
• Learn whether abstract is redated.

With so many things acting against FSBOs, it’s natural to find very few homes for sale by owners in the market.