Posts Tagged ‘Realtor’

Home Property Value – Importance of Pricing Your Home Right for Sale, by Wayne Warshawsky, a Realtor from McKinney, Collin County, TX. Go to energizedseller.com to get more home selling tips. Dan Eason interviews real estate professionals in order to provide quick but helpful house selling tips for home sellers to know how to sell a house.

Stop losing money and learn whats really needed to get your home soldNOW

Buying a foreclosed house can save a lot of money in home buying. Learn how to buy a foreclosed houseusing the real estate tips in this free video. Expert: Richard Blake Bio: Richard Blake is a licensed real estate agent that has closed more than 20 times the number of transactions per year than that of the average realtor for the last three years. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

If you have been thinking about purchasing or selling a home in Fountain Hills, Arizona you will definitely want to read this. The most important factor when thinking about purchasing or selling property in Fountain Hills, Arizona is to obtain a Real Estate Agent that knows the area, knows the contracts, and knows how to cater to your needs. At any time you may click on the website associated to this article to contact a Realtor that will answer all of your questions in person, on the phone, or in an email. After reading this article, you will know what to do and what not to do when purchasing property in Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Fountain Hills is just east of North Scottsdale. The scenery is stunning, the people are friendly, and the weather is absolutely gorgeous. Many people are attracted to Fountain Hills for several reasons. Several times a day an enormous fountain in the middle of a lake shoots water hundreds of feet high that can be seen for miles around. This is perhaps the main feature of Fountain Hills and the biggest tourist attraction. Around this lake each year there are several festivities, art shows, fire works, and much more. This peaceful community is certainly upscale luxury living.

When purchasing a home in Fountain Hills, it is important to find a Realtor that knows the area well, knows how to negotiate contracts aggressively to save you money, and can find what you are looking for. The difference between a terrible Realtor and a wonderful Realtor could seriously cost you thousands of dollars. An experienced Realtor is a must. Keep in mind, at any time while reading this article you can view all homes for sale in Fountain Hills by clicking on the website associated with this article, then clicking on property search. You can search by city, zip code, price, square footage, and much more. You can view any home for sale in Arizona here.

When selling property in Fountain Hill the same principles apply. You must get a Realtor that can price your home correctly, market your home effectively, and answer all of your questions. If you are moving from Fountain Hills to another area of Arizona, you want to make sure that you Realtor coordinates the two transactions so that you are not left living in a hotel between transactions. This process can be very tricky. Let a professional Realtor handle this for you. You may find such a Realtor by clicking on the link associated with this article.

When buying or selling, it is extremely important that you are properly protected. Did you know that when selling, there are free programs available to put your home under warranty through the duration of the listing? For example, if your air conditioning unit breaks during your listing, this warranty plan will cover you so you do not have to claim such a tragedy on your home owners insurance. Many Realtors do not even know about these types of programs nor do they even offer such programs. Realtors are not allowed by law to give tax advise to clients in Arizona, but we can show you articles written by accountants that show you how to maximize your tax write offs. You would be surprised when moving, what you can and can not write off on your taxes. Many Realtors barely know how to do their own taxes let alone show you the right resources to maximize your savings. There is much you can gain from using an experienced Realtor and an enormous amount of money to be saved.

If you have been thinking about buying or selling a home in Arizona, you are in the right spot. We specialize in communities such as DC Ranch, Silver Leaf, Troon, McCormick Ranch, McDowell Mountain Ranch, Fountain Hills, Grayhawk, Legend Trail, Ancala, Desert Mountain, Desert Ridge and the Scottsdale Kierland area. However, we help people buy and sell homes all over the state of Arizona. If you have any questions regarding buying, selling, or leasing property in Arizona please contact us anytime.

Are you ready to sell your house yourself and keep the commission you would otherwise give to a realtor? Well, you’re in good company. In today’s hot real estate market, more and more home sellers are opting to “go at it alone.” As the “sell your house yourself” trend expands, so do the range of tools that sellers have to help them through the home selling process. From books to web sites, Internet discussion groups to adult education courses, sellers who chose to sell their homes without a realtor’s assistance are finding that they really are not alone.

Of course, it helps if you have previous experience buying and selling a home. The terminology and the steps involved in the home selling process are unique. But even a novice can survive the home selling process if he or she approaches this task in an orderly and planned manner.

When you decide to sell your house yourself, the first thing you should do is research your market. A visit to the local tax appraiser’s office will give you the recent sales figures you need on recent comparable home sales in your neighborhood. Or, simply log on to your computer because in many counties, this information is available online. Regardless of who handles selling your home, you’ll have a better chance of selling it quickly if you set a reasonable and fair asking price right from the start. Any realtor will tell you that your best selling opportunities occur within the first 3 weeks of listing your home, so don’t be greedy- especially in today’s market. Don’t try to get the highest possible price based on an appraisal that was done when the market was hot.

In addition to county records, there are plenty of web sites that will provide you with an estimate of your home’s fair market value such as HomeGain dot com. The nice thing about these types of sites is that they offer so much additional information about the home selling process. It doesn’t really matter which method you choose to research your home’s fair market value; just make sure you do it.

Once you’ve made the decision to sell your house yourself, and you’ve determined the right asking price, get ready to act quickly. In some markets, even homes that are offered FSBO sell fast. Stick to your checklist and when you have time to breathe, think about all the things you might do with the money you’re saving by not using a realtor!

If you’re getting ready to sell your home, you’ve likely considered the pros and cons of selling it yourself vs selling with an agent. Certainly, the FSBO market is growing exponentially with the help of the Internet, but will it actually save you money to do it yourself? What does a real estate agent do aside from collecting commission? Well, before you rush outside and knock a for sale sign into the front lawn, you might want to find out.

Usually, when homeowners attempt to sell a home themselves, they want to save the money they’d have to pay to a real estate agent to do it for them. Does it work? Well, that depends on the seller’s level of skill. You can certainly sell your home yourself. People do it everyday, and if you have industry knowledge and experience it may be a good option. It’s like anything you choose to do yourself – from fixing a car to representing yourself in court. If you have an aptitude for the work, a few connections here and there and masses of time on your hands, you can be your own professional and save a few bucks.

But saving on the commission won’t necessarily save you money. It’s common for FSBO homes to sell for much less than it would cost for an agent. In fact, the National Association of Realtors estimates that the average FSBO home sells for 16% less than a Realtor or broker would sell it for. Why? Well, just because you can sell your home yourself doesn’t mean you should. Selling a home is real work that requires time and expertise. There are real pitfalls. In the world of FSBO, the road to closing is littered with bad deals, overpriced homes languishing on the market, liability, strangers overruning the weekends and general wasted time. You can still prevail, but anyone who has a demanding career, anyone who doesn’t like to do it themselves, anyone baffled by current real estate transactions, anyone who doesn’t want to be tied up with home showings and strangers walking through their home for months on end, should get a Realtor onside. If this could be you, putting energy into finding the right real estate agent instead of putting up for sale signs will get the job done faster, better and without stress. Some of the things a Realtor will bring to the table:

- Salesmanship: Any real estate agent worth his or her salt will be a born salesperson with a solid marketing plan, access to networks and a strong knowledge of what goes into pricing a home right and closing a good deal. Realtors have access to marketing materials and advertising channels that most people don’t.

- Paperwork: An experienced Realtor will be able to breeze through the stacks of paperwork that are always tied to selling a house. By filling out forms, applications, securing documentation and making sure that your bases have been covered before problems arise, an agent takes a huge burden off of sellers and often makes the difference between a deal and no deal. Not having paperwork completed on time is the number one reason most real estate deals fails.

- Protection: though you will still need an attorney, a Realtor has knowledge that can protect you in the long run. Knowing the fair housing laws, state laws that pertain to real estate and how to properly fill out important documents like disclosure statements will eliminate your liability and get you your money

- Dealing with Buyers: For busy people, this is one of the most welcome things a Realtor will will do for them. Fielding calls and inquiries, eliminating the tire kickers, staging your home and showing it to interested buyers when they want to see it allows you to carry on with your life, avoid lost work and put energy into your next move.

- Links to Professionals: there are a lot of people involved in a single real estate transaction. An agent that’s been in the industry for a while will have links to reputable lawyers, mortgage brokers, appraisers, contractors and other necessary professionals that will help you make the sale the way you want to make it.

- Appraisal: A Realtor will also be able to manage and monitor the inspection report and the appraisal, making sure they meet current standards.

Though we’ve all heard the myth of the shady real estate agent, the truth is that most Realtors are dedicated professionals whose clients’ success is directly tied to their own. By being honest about the amount of time and energy you have to devote to selling your house and educating yourself on what a Realtor really does for the commission, you’re in a position to decide whether to invest in finding the good ones or to brave it alone.

Check out this Free home Negotiation Guide. It will help you save money and get a lower sales price. Keep your Realtor and Seller honest with this free guide.

Placing your house for sale on market and watching it sit unsold could be really wrenching experience for any body. Here let us offer you some expert suggestion for making sure a fast home sale of yours. As the home sales season goes in to very high gear, you might also feel extra pressure on sell your house fast and in a hurry. Here are some ways to set an appealing pace in the home sale race.

Set an correct value of your home

Every home owner asked stated that the most vital factor in selling a home quickly was to set a correct value. Further, the most usual error home sellers make is pricing in addition high. Experienced real estate investment agents sturdily suggest beginning from the standard price in your area and functioning from there, rather than initial with your preferred net gain. Your most excellent gauge to decide the right selling price for your home is the new selling prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood. Your realtor is the most excellent starting place of those prices – they have insider access, after all.

Your home must be prepared before selling

There are lot numbers of things you could do to make your home property more attractive, and they must be done before you begin displaying it – and this is known as home staging. ‘Staging’ has been recognized to make home sell faster. The key is being certain, which your house looks its extremely unsurpassed from the start. Now is the actual time to make wanted repairs to your home. If it requirements augmenting up, get that done first. Fresh paint, trimmed underbrush, mowed back yards and clean and tidy sanitation are all significant factors in making your home good-looking and saleable.

Talk to your employer if they can help

If you are relocating for job, check with your company’s relocation backing plan. Some might cover the cost of long-distance home selling also, or even buy the home and resell it, depending up on your circumstances. There you have it. Apply these guidelines to sell your house fast as the peak home selling and buying season is upon us.

Buying a home in Illinois can be confusing at best, and maddeningly exasperating at worst for the inexperienced home buyer. There are so many neighborhoods catering to completely different lifestyles, from metropolitan big city Chicago, to small rural farm towns and everything in between. It can be difficult to know what you want out of an Illinois home, let alone where you want it.

Finding the right Illinois Realtor can make the experience go much smoother for you than if you were venturing the wilds of Illinois real estate alone. Here are a few tips to making your Illinois home purchase blessedly simple and as stress free as possible.

First, understand that there is more than one kind of Illinois Realtor. Selling Agents work for the best interest of their clients, the person selling property. They typically only share information about a particular property with potential buyers that the seller wants them to share. Any information that may be disadvantageous to the seller remains confidential. However, having a buyer’s agent as your Illinois Realtor means your Realtor is working for your best interest, and will disclose any and all information on Illinois real estate.

Get to know the local communities and the lifestyle they offer. You should have already determined how much you can afford to pay for your new Illinois home. Your Illinois Realtor can help you narrow your search to neighborhoods that meet your financial framework, and offer the lifestyle you want. Find out about local places of interest; parks, schools if you have children, shopping, theater, churches, recent criminal activity and anything else that may be of importance to you while making your decision on where to buy a home.

Be flexible. Of course there are some things that are important to you and you shouldn’t compromise. If you’ve always wanted to plant and tend a flower garden, don’t allow yourself to be talked into buying a home without a yard. However, if you have too many specifications on your list for your Illinois Realtor to look for in a home, you may be disappointed. Be willing to consider many different options as far as architectural style or age of the home are concerned. Remember, improving and updating your home is a fast way to increase its value, and may be worth the investment.

Be prepared to do some researching into the history of any Illinois real estate you are interested in. It’s a good idea to have your Illinois Realtor help you order a home inspection. Find out when the house was built, how long it has been on the market and why, what the damage and repair history of the house includes, and any changes and improvements have been made since the house was originally built. Ordering a thorough home inspection can prevent you from buying a home that requires costly repairs after you move in, or at least keep you from ignorantly taking on such a home.

When it comes to making the huge decisions involved in buying real estate, a good Illinois Realtor is your best friend. He or she can help you not only find your perfect dream home, but save you thousands doing it.

Purchasing a home may be the single most important investment of your life, and possibly the largest purchase you will ever make. When you are dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars, it may be a good idea to use a Realtor with experience, a fine knowledge of the area, education, and aggressiveness. An aggressive Realtor that knows how to negotiate the price of the home with you effectively may be the single most important factor when getting a good price on a home.

The first thing you want to do when purchasing a home in Arizona is to get pre-qualified for a home loan. This step does not take long, but is extremely necessary. In Arizona, you can not get into a contract with out getting pre-qualified for a loan. When you get pre-qualified for a loan, the lender the pre-qualifies you will produce a document called an LSR. Once you have a loan status report, you are able to write an offer on a home.

When purchasing a home, it is usually a good idea to see what has sold recently in the area. When you find the home that you want to purchase, a good Realtor will give you a comparative market analysis. This report will show you recently sold properties in your neighborhood. This will give you an indication of the market conditions in the area you are planning on buying in. You will be able to see if prices have been falling, rising, or remaining steady. This may or may not be an issue, but I do not believe anyone wants to over pay for a home.

Once your have made on offer on your home with your Realtor and the contract has been accepted by the seller, you move in to the inspection period. Generally, you have ten days to conduct inspections. It is a very good idea to have the home inspected by a professional home inspector. If you do not know one your Realtor should be able to recommend one. A home inspection will cost anywhere between three hundred dollars and five hundred dollars depending on the size of the home. This is money well spent because you will know exactly what is wrong with the home.

The inspectors will inspect the electric system, plumbing, roof, flooring, pool equipment, appliances, doors, showers, and several other items. After the inspections have been completed you then ask the seller to make repairs with a document called the Buyers Inspection Notice and Sellers Response. It is a contract within the contract. The buyer and the seller negotiate the terms of what is going to be fixed and what is not. The Realtors will quarterback the process, but again, it is imperative you have a Realtor that is aggressive so that you get more items fixed during the inspection period.

After the terms of the Buyers Inspection Notice and Sellers Response have been negotiated and agreed upon, it is usually smooth sailing until you go into the title company to sign your final loan documents. After the inspection period, you will want to obtain home owners insurance, and make sure all your utilities will be turned on in your name upon move in. Make sure you work with your lender so that there are no hiccups at the end of the escrow. The lenders job at the end of escrow is to deliver the loan documents to the title company so you can sign the documents. Once the documents have been signed the, title company will deliver the signed documents back to the lender so that they can fund your loan. Once the loan has been funded and recorded, you may now move in to your new home.

Again, it is of paramount importance to use a Realtor that knows what they are doing, that has ample experience, and makes sure you best interests are priority. Please visit the link below to get in contact with a professional, experienced, educated, and aggressive Realtor. You will get the quality representation you deserve.

One of the nicest areas in the country is Austin, Texas and there is plenty of Austin real estate from which to choose. If you go online, you can let your fingers do the walking when you are seeking Austin TX real estate. It is easier to go online and look for real estate as you can narrow down your search and visit fewer properties. 

When you are looking for Austin real estate online, you can use filters so that you can only look at the real estate that you want to see. For example, you can filter in the price range that you are considering when it comes to real estate as well as the types of homes that you are looking for when you are performing a search. By taking a look at the Austin real estate online, you can filter out any homes or properties that you cannot consider due to size or price range. 

You can find both residential as well as commercial Austin TX real estate by looking online. Austin has long been considered to be the jewel of Texas and the real estate values in and around this city are more reasonable than in other parts of the country. Because of the abundances of Austin real estate properties on the market, it is easier than ever to find the perfect property that is both spacious and affordable. 

After you have searched the internet looking for Austin real estate, you can make an appointment with the realtor to take a look at the property. This can save you a lot of time as opposed to taking a list and running around the city.  You can only look at the properties that you want when you are seeking out Austin TX real estate online. 

Austin Texas has a lot to offer for families as well as singles. The climate in the city is warm and it is right on the Colorado River. There is plenty to see and do in Austin as it is also considered to be the Live Music Capital of the US.

When you are looking for Austin real estate, take a look on the internet and find a real estate company that will be able to provide you with the right property deals for you. You will want to work with a company where you feel comfortable and will be able to show you photos of the Austin TX real estate so that you can get a better idea of what you are looking for. Once you have narrowed down your search, you can then take a look at the properties.  The Austin real estate companies will also work with you if you are from out of town and seeking to settle in Austin. You can make appointments for when you travel to the city so that you can look at the homes or properties that you want to see, making the most of your trip and wasting no time when you are looking for Austin TX real estate. 

PaulDaSilvaHomesTV.com Making Home Buying Easier and Less Stressful. There are a number of costs to consider, on top of the purchase price, that figure into your calculations of affordability. This is true whether you are buying your first home or trading up to a larger one. Not all will apply in your situation, however it is better to know about them so you can budget appropriately. The REALTOR who gave you this video can give you more detailed information FREE and without obligation. Arming yourself with the right information will make the home buying process easier and will help you make the right decisions for your and your family. http

Forget everything you may have heard about real estate marketing, pull up a chair and hear me out.

If you are a real estate professional, marketing yourself can also feel like a pretty thankless job. You know what I mean, don’t you?

You entered real estate possessing the sincere desire to assist the public. But it didn’t take long to discover if no one knew who you were or how to contact you, your career was not going far. Because without a continuous flow of new business, real estate agents will shrivel up and die.

Time flies so I am not surprised that two years have passed since I sold my house. I was on the other side of the table though. I needed a real estate agent. I was about to become a seller.

Due to personal circumstances, my move was a necessity. That’s why even though the real estate market had taken a turn for the worst, I proceeded with listing our home.

I mention this because the rest of what you are going to read here is not based on theory. It is from my personal experience which I hope can be of assistance to readers.

Like I already mentioned, I needed a Realtor to list our home. I had a jump on this decision because I knew who to pick being the owner of a mortgage company. I appreciated the willingness of the agent I chose because I knew it made her nervous to list our home. Talk about feeling scrutinized.

Marketing practices had changed since the last time I sold a house. After all, thirteen years had passed. Real estate marketing had moved to the web using virtual tours. To update myself, I requested a market analysis and marketing plan from my Realtor.

Well, I was right! Things had changed. Throughout the process of marketing our home, I certainly discovered a thing or two. And I dare say our real estate agent did too. As we finished up with our listing agreement, I mentioned to my agent my one pet peeve regarding real estate marketing.

I continued to explain how my husband and I were checking out neighborhoods admiring properties for sale lately. In order to keep from confusing the homes when we talked them over later in the day, I was collecting flyers. But here is what I was noticing.

We had a little system. My husband would pull over to the curb while I jumped out of the car to grab a flyer from the box in the yard. But I can’t tell you how many times I was frustrated by an empty flyer box. Sellers had to be discouraged too.

But most of all, I thought about the lost opportunity for the real estate agent who had been hired to market and sell the property.

Now I knew everyone in real estate was focusing on internet marketing to generate real estate leads. Flyers has been around since the dinosaurs. Paperless was the way to go! But hold that thought until you hear what happened. Then you can be the judge.

So getting back to my pet peeve. We were still meeting with the listing agent and I told her as a seller, I was only going to request one thing. Give me a full flyer box, please. I did not expect her to fill it. I suggested we make it my job to replenish the flyer box.

Although my agent seemed a but skeptical, she agreed to comply with my request. Reflecting on the transaction while signing the final documents, I am not sure which of us was most surprised.

Going back again, do you remember the real estate market was in the dumps? The four months it took to sell our home was longer than I’d hoped for. But neighboring properties seemed impervious to receiving offers.

Now while our home was up for sale, a strange thing was happening. We felt a little discouraged because no one were coming by. Or were they? I began to count how many flyers were going into the box and how many were left over every couple of days. We counted at least one hundred gone every week.

The virtual tour stats, overwhelmingly positive, confirmed the story. It turned out even though our house wasn’t getting visited physically, home buyers and real estate agents were touring it digitally. Our Realtor had made sure every flyer had a web address leading to a descriptive page and a link to the tour. Potential buyers might have not been knocking on our door but they sure were using the flyers to locate our home online.

Now think back to what I mentioned earlier about real estate agents missing marketing opportunities because of empty flyer boxes. Not our Realtor! In spite of a depressed market, she attributed selling at least three other houses to prospective home buyers who made contact via her flyers. She also listed a property for a homeowner due to the flyer.

And don’t forget my house. It sold faster than others in our neighborhood.

My Realtor and I both came away with a valuable lesson. By mixing traditional real estate marketing methods with new, we got a superior result than either by itself.

A doer upper is really a excellent solution to cost-effectively purchase your first dwelling inside the Virginia household current market.

If you’re inside marketplace for any new house, but don’t must spend tons of money or merely cannot afford today’s increasing household charges, you may possibly need to appear into purchasing a doer higher.

By acquiring a household in imperfect condition you will be capable to conserve a bunch of money.

You will find thousands of houses offered all over California waiting to be revived to beauty. All that you just ought to realize is in which to look. 1. One of the most traditional way of finding a fixer residence is just receiving inside your vehicle and scouring the districts that interest you. If you do occur to find a doer higher this way, ensure that you take down the tackle too because the name and number of the estate agent on the sign. Two. Discovering a household to revive may possibly also be carried out by searching the classified ads. This really is also a a lot more normal system of obtaining a fresh household. The smartest factor about seeking to get a doer top using this method is that you’ll be in the placement to lookup by place and value with out having to depart house. Three. And normally you’ll be able to search for any doer top within the web. You can find Two approaches to complete that : you may possibly either research a website that provides lists from a spread of diverse property agencies, or you can go to the place of each independent agency. By hunting for any doer higher on the net, you’ll assure your self of coming across the greatest quantity of properties obtainable inside your neighborhood, and conserve oneself a small time too! it also pays to make use of a seasoned realtor that may spot key problems, counsel you on what extra inspections you might wish to believe about as well as will use a great contact list for trustworthy contractors and others you might ought to seek advice from with.

Total, getting a doer higher may be done in a variety of distinct methods. Rather than overlooking this choice, why don’t you give it a attempt? It doesn’t cost anything to look, and you’ll discover out a doer top is your ticket into the house marketplace or perhaps a method to obtain a desire household.

Find out more information about Fredericksburg Homes For Sale

Whether you need to downsize or upsize, the neighbors are creepy, the wallpaper is grating on your last nerve or you “just can’t live in this hell anymore,” you’ve officially decided to sell your home. “What next”? is the question most often asked, and I hope to answer that in the following step-by-step guide to the home-selling process. Although a Realtor can walk you through the process better than I can in an 1100-words-or-less article, I’m going to start the ball rolling.

Find a Realtor.

The reason this is the first step is because it’s the most important step. Yes, I’m a Realtor, so I tend to advocate representation, but there are several excellent reasons to call an agent. The first is that it’s a good way to avoid lawsuits, property disputes and contractual no-nos when you have a knowledgeable professional watching your back. We’ve had extensive schooling and keep our knowledge up-to-date with classes and informative postings. We know real estate. Very few real-estate-related incidents crop up that surprise us.

Another reason to use a Realtor is we have resources at our disposal to better sell your home. Besides the MLS, Homes magazine, signage and other tools, we talk. We talk to each other. We talk to our buyers. We talk to strangers. We sell your house at charity events and soccer games. We’re not afraid of alienating people talking up your home! We are marketing gurus, and we’re the greatest advocates for your home. What a combination!

Having said that, finding a Realtor is easy. Talk to people you trust. Ask them if they liked their Realtor, and why. Good Realtors should get more business from word-of-mouth than soliciting folks at their doors.

Preparing your home for sale.

There’s a lot of information available regarding this subject, including an article I’ve written, aptly titled, “Preparing Your Home for Sale.” But because it’s not included in this one, I’ll just cover the highlights.

The first impression is oftentimes the most important, so tackle the outside. Mulch, trimmed foliage and flowers go a long way toward beautifying your property, as does power-washing the exterior of your home and painting trip and shutters. Fix broken windows (and yes, clean them).

Next is the interior. My personal rule of thumb is this: If you haven’t used it in a month (excluding holiday fare) or didn’t even know you owned it, let it go.

Clutter is the silent killer of home sales. A “busy” room will make even the most sedate buyer twitch. Countertops should be swept clean of all but the most necessary items. The smaller the room, the less clutter. A fresh coat of paint on walls will work wonders too. Remember, though, dark-colored paint makes a room feel smaller and . . . well, darker.

Make those repairs that you’ve put off and put off. If the light bulb is out, replace it. If you have to jiggle the toilet handle to flush it, fix it. Because if it doesn’t come up when the buyers are looking at your home, it will certainly be revealed in the home inspections.

Putting it on the market.

Your Realtor will be able to go into more details, but here’s the synopsis: You’ll sign a contract with the agent agreeing to list it for a certain amount of time for an agreed-upon commission. In most instances, that commission will be split with the agent that brings the buyer. Your agent will then take photos and write remarks about your home making it sound much, much better than it is. Don’t fret. You’ve become used to your home. It actually is as good as it sounds!

Then your agent will likely put your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Every Realtor and anyone who uses a Realtor to buy their home will have access to the MLS. Used to its full potential, it’s a wonderful tool with which to entice buyers.

Selling your home.

If you’re in the majority and your home doesn’t sell the first day, you won’t believe the amount of people that will traipse through your home without buying it. It’s enough to discourage even the most stalwart Pollyanna. But persevere. There’s a buyer out there somewhere who will love your home!

Receiving an offer.

The buyer’s agent will submit the offer to your agent, who will then present it to you. You will have a limited amount of time to either accept it, reject it or counter it. Once the offer or counteroffer is accepted, you move on to the next (and sometimes scariest) stage.

Home inspections.

As a buyer, home inspections are vital . . . as a seller, home inspections are just plain frightening. And I’m going to take just a moment to enhance that fear. Don’t be thinking your home will pass inspections with flying colors simply because you haven’t had any noticeable problems. Home inspectors delve deeper than oceanic treasure hunters. You may not know that the polarity is reversed on 14 of the 32 outlets in your home or that the insulation in your attic is insufficient or you’ve got standing water in your crawlspace that could lead to the M” word (mold). Be prepared to be unprepared for the results.

And remember, this is a negotiation, just as the terms of the original contract were. The best real-estate transaction is a win-win for both parties involved. You’re both just people, and you both just want the best for yourselves and your families.

Escrow.

Escrow is just the period of time from contract acceptance to closing. Not to put too fine a point on it . . . it’s boring. Use this time to pack up your home.

Utilities.

Remember to call the utility companies a week ahead of the closing date to schedule the turning off or transfer of service for the day of possession.

Closing.

More often than not, closings for the seller are bittersweet. A lot of memories are compacted within four walls and a roof. But take heart, when you’re sitting across from the buyers at the closing table, know that you’ve made their dream of homeownership come true. But please don’t forget to hand over the keys . . .

And not all-important, but certainly significant enough to warrant a shout out, don’t forget to recommend your Realtor to others. We love referrals!