What should I do if I want to sell my home
 in today´s market?

Five factors essential in the sale of your property:

1)      Price  2) Location  3) Condition  4) Terms  5) Agents you hire

If you are serious about selling your home in today´s market, we have some suggestions for you.

1)      Don´t chase the market. Price your home right from the start. Preview all the properties in the neighborhood with your agent. Know your competition. We preview homes every day, so why not go with us.

2)      Location: Your price must reflect the location of the property. Homes that back-up to the freeway, busy streets, commercial areas will bring lower prices.

3)      You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Unless you are willing to accept a lot lower price you must have your home in the best condition as possible. Look at your house "through the buyer´s eyes", as though you have never seen it before. Money spent on clean-up & repairs will come back to you in a higher selling price.

This starts at the curb.  

·        Start with the lawn, fertilize if needed. Keep your lawn trimmed, edged & watered. Keep plants from blocking windows & walkways.  "You can´t sell a house if they can´t see it". Buyers will be thinking that this home has landscaping that is hard to keep up. Weed and clear planting area. Keep the hose rolled up, clean the driveway.  If you have oil stains on concrete driveway, remove it. You can find the cleanser at your local hardware store. A bad Curb Appeal is a turn off for buyers before they even get to the front door.

·        Check the outside paint starting with the front door and trim. If you haven´t painted it lately, paint it now. If the security gate is rusted, consider replacing or painting it. Touch up paint if you see it's peeling or flaking.

·        Clear patio or decks of all items such as empty planters, charcoal, BBQ, toys, garbage cans, wood scraps, building material, etc. Remove all items that are not complementing your home.

·        Inspect screens and windows, make necessary repairs. Clean windows.

·        Inspect the house room by room. PAINT, if necessary. Clean carpets or drapes if needed. Clean windows and screens.

·        Rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. Sparsely furnish rooms appear larger.

·        A clean kitchen is important. Clear refrigerator of messages and pictures. Clean appliances. Clear away unnecessary items from counter tops, shower stalls, commodes tops. Keep only you´re most needed. Coordinate towels.

·        Sparkling bathrooms sells homes! Clean the bathrooms. Pick-up all towels and laundry. Keep the counter clean and free of unnecessary items.

·        Make closets look bigger. Remove and pack away items that can be stored elsewhere.

·        Take down or re-arrange some pictures. Take down family photos. Patch & paint if necessary.

·        Repair visible and functional items such as door knobs, faucets, molding and caulking.

·        Lighting cheers up any home. Open drapes or blinds, leave lights and lamps on, especially during showings. Change light bulbs with brighter bulbs, buy some lamps if necessary.

·        Consider hiring a professional Home Stager

If the carpet and paint is neglected, the buyer will think that the house has been neglected and they must spend thousands before they can move in, opposed to thinking how they could just move in and enjoy their new house.

4)      Terms: Offer interest buy-down or paying buyer´s closing cost.

5)   Agent: Make sure your agent is a full-time, experienced Realtor with a reputable company which can market your home throughout the duration of the listing and has knowledge of the market and financing to guide you properly.

Remember buyers have a lot of properties to choose from. The inventory is at an all time high. This is a NEW Market,  "A Buyers Market".  What homes sold for 2-3 months ago does not matter today. Make sure the Price it right from the start and the home is in the best condition possible.

Foreclosures are Up & so are Bank Repo´s (REO´s)

You will be competing with these properties. You have already heard about the real estate market and what is happening in Southern California and around the country. There may be some pockets of Orange County that homes have appreciated but not very many. Foreclosures and Short Sale properties are listed for about 40-50% less than what they sold for 3 years ago. In some areas REO Properties are entering into escrow faster than other homes due to drastic price reductions. Homeowners who are thinking of selling their properties today must be very competitive with pricing when they put their home on the market.

Your home is the largest investment of your life, protect it,
 keep it maintained, it will pay off!!