Curb appeal The first thing a buyer sees when they drive up is the front yard. If the outside does not impress buyers, they may not take the time to see the inside.

Easy access. Top selling agents do not have time to run around town to pick up and drop off keys. They’re too busy selling houses! Therefore, they may not show a home if both the key and access are not readily available.

Paint and carpet are the best home improvement investments one can make. Paint makes a house look clean and smell clean! Fresh paint and new carpet is like giving the house a makeover.

All odors must be eliminated. Many sellers may not notice the smell but buyers will. If the seller has pets or is a smoker, they need to get rid of the odors associated those items. This is a touchy subjects for many agents and sellers. If a seller has a life style were odors may exist they should ask the agents opinion from the start.

Price. It is very important that a home is priced at a competitive market price right from the start. The market is such that if a house is overpriced, it may not sell. If the price of a property is at market price right from the start, you will get more offers and interested buyers. Here are some of the reasons to list at a competitive market price. If a house is overpriced, it will limit qualified buyers, lowers showings, limits financing and agents think the seller in unrealistic and won’t waste time showing the home to qualified buyers.

Most of the marketing in selling a home is done at the time the agent and seller decides what price to list at. If the seller is not willing to list at a competitive market price, they should consider not putting it on the market at this time.

Once the seller has made a decision to sell and if their plans are to buy another home before signing any contractually binding paperwork the seller needs to get pre-approved for their next mortgage. Pre-approved means that a mortgage professional has examined, submitted and received acceptance on the future borrowers financial capabilities of qualifying for a mortgage based upon their income to debt ratio, loan information, and credit profile.

Many times borrowers are told they are pre-qualified prior to the lender examining in detail the borrowers complete financial profile. This leads to great frustration and disappointment.

The purpose of this newsletter is not to give real estate advice. The purpose is to stimulate thought for our clients and professionals within our network.

If you are a REALTOR® professional receiving this newsletter or know of one, please contact our office to introduce yourself and your services to us. We are always seeking to grow our referral network and expose professional services to our client base.

The loan professional that has made this information available specializes in equity repositioning solutions for those buying, selling or refinancing real estate.