Selling your home part 2 - how it works here in Silicon Valley or anywhere else

·         Your timeframe – must you sell immediately or are you able to have your home on the market for a few weeks/months?

·         Are you willing/able to have repairs done prior to being put on MLS?

·         Are you willing/able to repaint/carpet/spruce up prior to being put on MLS?

·         Are you willing/able to declutter/clean your home prior to being put on MLS?

·         Are you willing/able to have your home professionally staged prior to being put on MLS?

When you meet with your chosen Realtor, 80% of the marketing of your home will be done in the 10 minutes it takes to determine a listing price.   The answers to the above questions will go a long way to determining the price at which the home should sell.  

Homes that are remodeled (updated kitchens and baths, new paint in/out, new windows, newer roof/landscaping/) and in good neighborhoods/school districts sell more quickly and for more money.   Even in this sluggish market, such homes are still selling within 7-14 days.

The Realtor should have a list of recent close-by comparable sales (within the last 4 months) and will give you an estimate of the expected sales price of your home.   Sometimes this price is less than the seller’s estimate.   It is not uncommon for a seller to believe that his home is worth more than the market indicates.   Most often, though, the price at which a home sells is closer to the Realtor’s original analysis – so it’s usually a good idea to go with the Realtor’s listing price right from the start.

I always advise my  sellers to have all the appropriate inspections performed prior to their home being listed on MLS.  This allows me to create a binder complete with all the disclosures and inspections (property, termite, roof, chimney, pool etc etc) for the buyer's perusal prior to an offer being written.  This greatly minimizes transactions that fall through during the contingency period.

Contact me:  karen@biglarderi.com