Sellers: General Information

Selling a home without the representation of a real estate agent may save you some money up front but may certainly cost you more in the long run. In a recent survey by The National Association of REALTORS® home buyers and sellers found that the median home price for sellers who use a real estate agent is 16 percent higher than a home sold directly by an owner.

At Action Keys Realty we pride ourselves in being some of the best professionals in our area. We spend many hours researching the current market data and keeping up on the latest trends in our area. Since our local ordinance and procedures are very complicated. We keep abreast in any changes to our local procedures and laws.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) research shows that 77 percent of all recent buyers used the Internet to search for homes. Not all real estate Web sites are created equal, however. Sellers who provide personal information online to be referred to a network of real estate professionals are, in effect, authorizing the owners of that site to sell their information to third parties. To protect your privacy go direct to the source. At Action Keys Realty we will NEVER share your personal information or email contact information with any other vendor. We will put together a personal marketed program designed just for your home to get it sold right the first time.

Are You Ready To Sell?

Unfortunately, home selling has become a more complex business than it used to be. New seller disclosure statements, longer and more mysterious form agreements, and a range of environmental concerns have all emerged in the past decade. More importantly, the home-selling process has changed. Buyer brokerage – where REALTORS® represent homebuyers – is now common nationwide and good buyer-brokers want the best for their clients.

The result is that while almost 100,000 existing homes are sold each week in the United States, the process is not as easy for sellers as it was five or 10 years ago. Surviving in today’s real estate world requires experience and training in such fields as real estate marketing, financing, negotiation and closing – the very expertise we specialize in at Action Keys Realty of the FL Keys, Inc.

How Do You Improve Your Home’s Value?

The general rule in real estate is that buyers seek the least expensive home in the best neighborhood they can afford. In terms of improvements, this means you want a home that fits in the neighborhood but is not over-improved. For example, if most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms, two baths and 1500 sq. ft. of finished space, a property with five bedrooms, more baths and far more space would likely be priced much higher and likely be more difficult to sell.

Improvements should be made so that the property shows well, is consistent with the neighborhood and does not involve capital investments, the cost of which cannot be recovered from the sale. Furthermore, improvements should reflect community preferences.

Cosmetic improvements – paint, wallpaper and landscaping – help a home “show” better and often are good investments. Mechanical repairs – to ensure that all systems and appliances are in good working condition – are required to get a top price.
Ideally, you want to be sure that your property is competitive with other homes available in the community.

Setting The Stage To Sell

When preparing to put your home up for sale, your first concern is the home’s exterior. If the outside, or “curb appeal” looks good, people will more than likely want to see what’s on the inside. Keep the lawn and landscape nicely manicured. Trim the bushes and season permitting, plant some flowers. Be sure your front door area has a “Welcome” feeling. A fresh coat of paint on the front door goes a long way.

Of all the rooms inside your home, pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. They should look as modern, bright and fresh as possible. It is essential for them to be clean and odor free. A fresh coat of paint just may do the trick. Have any leaky faucets taken care of. A call to a plumber is a wise investment.

Since you want your home to look as spacious as possible, remove any excess or very large furniture. Make sure that table tops, dressers and closets are free of clutter make sure walls and doors are free of smudges and look for anything that might indicate a maintenance problem, such as cracked windows, holes in the wall or stained ceilings.

Finally, if check all area for dampness or leakage, which may indicate a past leak or wood rot. Be sure to have the home spayed for pest and check for any evidence of termite activity or damage.

Quick tips for showings:

Keep counter tops cleared
Replace all burned out light bulbs
Open all drapes and window blinds
Put pets in cages or take them to a neighbor
No dirty dishes in the sink
Clean or replace dirty or worn carpets
Always look at your home from the buyer’s point of view. Be objective and be honest. 

For more tips and tricks, visit our Curb Appeal tips, or our Seller’s Checklist. Contact the team at Action Keys Realty.

*Copyright National Association of REALTORS®, Reprinted from REALTOR.org with permission