Thinking About Selling Your Home on Your Own?

What You Should Know About......"FOR SALE BY OWNER"

Are You Prepared to Go It Alone?

For most people,selling a home is one of the biggest financial transactions they'll ever experience.  And, unfortunately, the process of selling a home is now more complex and time consuming than ever before.  Therefore, in order to be successful, you often need extensive marketing, financial and legal experience.  In many cases, unless you are an expert home seller, going the for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) route can be a frustrating and potentially costly experience.  If you do choose to sell your home yourself, be prepared to stay close to home for days, weeks, maybe months to show your home.  You'll also need to be accessible during regular working hours when most showings occur.

Leave Your Worries Behind with the Century 21 System

You already lead a hectic life.  Why not let the Century21 System, the residential real estate sales organization consumers think of first, work for you and save you time, frustration, and money?  The Century 21 System gives you access to a comprehensive array of services, designed to uniquely market your home at the right price with the least amount of inconvenience to you.  You'll have a team of real estate specialists supporting you all the way plus the unparalled Century 21 Customized Marketing System.

Top 10 Reasons for Real Estate Representation

1.  To Optimize Sales Price - Properly pricing your home is perhaps the most crucial factor in making a sale.  Although you and your agent set the price, buyers determine the value.  They'll compare your home and your asking price to similar homes on the market.  If your price doesn't stack up, they may reject it and move on to the next listing.  And the longer your property sits on the market, the less marketable it becomes because buyers begin to wonder if something is wrong with it.  Pricing your home to high may increase the time your home spends on the market.  That's why your first step in determining the right price for your home is to have a century 21 experienced real estate professional prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) report for your home.  The report provides details on recent sales of homes similar to yours, as well as the asking price of homes currently on the market.  Your agent will then balance that information with other factors such as location, condition of your home, special interior or landscaping features, age of the house, and your time frame to determine a fair and competitive asking price.

2.  To Get Your Home Ready to Show - The way you present your property to prospective buyers can make all the difference between success and failure.  Buyers tend to judge homes by cost and "move-in" quality - the less they have to do to move in, the better and the more they may be willing to pay.  A Century 21 real estate professional can help you see your home through a buyer's eyes and suggest simple repairs and improvements to maximize space and attract as many buyers as possible.  Here are just a few suggestions your agent might offer:

• Clear away any debris or clutter from the front door - inside and outside - to make the entry to your home seem more spacious and allow freedom of movement for more than one person.
• Open Windows daily for a few minutes to eliminate stale air and/or cooking odors and mildew/moisture from hot showers and laundry.
• If you are at work during the day, turn on a couple of lights to make your home even more inviting.
• Polish the front door knob, clean the storm door and sweep the front steps.
• Remove excess funiture that clutters a room to make your home feel more spacious.
• In areas that need painting, keep colors neutral and light - white, beige and gray are the most popular exterior colors, while shades of white, off white and very light pastels are the safest choices for the interior.
• Place a vase of fresh flowers in a bathroom and place all personal car articles out of sight.
• Organize cabinets and closets to demonstrate how much room you have.
• Open dark drapes and blinds to lighten and brighten rooms.

3.  To Maximize Your Property's Exposure in the Marketplace - In most markets, finding qualified buyers will require more than the standard yard sign, classified ad and open house.  In fact, according to The National Association of Realtors, 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts.  Since many sales involve out-of-town buyers, marketing a home requires exclusive connections and a strategic marketing plan.  At the very least, you should have your home listed in the multiple listing service (MLS), which is only open to licensed real estate agents.  Century 21 home sales specialists have access to state-of-the-art technology tools to share referrals across a global network.  Plus, Your Century 21 agent will spend time behind the scenes helping you target serious buyers and make the best of your prime selling period.

4.  Buyers Are More Comfortable Contacting Agents - Buyers may be leery of contacting or intruding upon home owners with whom they are unfamiliar.  Potential buyers might also be intimidated looking through a home if the owner is present and feel uncomfortable making an offer if they know they'll be negotiating directly with the owner.  They often appreciate the accessibility and objectivity of a repected Century 21 real estate professional.

5.  To Pre-screen Prospective Buyers - Cleaning your home each time someone wants to look at it is a lot of work.  To save you time and unnecessary traffic through your home, your Century 21 agent can help pre-screen buyers to ensure they really are motivated to buy and are financially ;repared to do so.  And for your safety, all showings will be scheduled through your agent's office. 

6.  To Help Guard Against Misrepresentation And Claims - In today's litigious society it becomes imparative that all matters relating to the sale of the property, i.e. physical conditions, history, zoning, ect. be accuratly and comprehensively disclosed.  Overlooking even one form or required disclosure may lead to an expensive claim.  The knoledge and experience of Century 21 real estate professional can often help provide assistance with these issues.

7.  To Provide Buyers with Community Information - Today's buyer seeks to make informed decisions and demands a significantly high level of information related to their purchase.  Your Century 21 agent can provide them with detailed information on your community, school, local government and much more.

8.  To Ensure Privacy, Confidentiality and Safety for Both Sellers and Buyers - These days, you don't want just anyone knocking your door and touring your home.  The best way to help keep you and your family safe is to have a Century 21 Professional at your side, accompanying buyers as they tour your home and handling sometimes stressful negotiations.

9.  To Negotiate for Top Dollar - Reaching an agreement between seller and buyer and then closing the dealrequires complete objectivity and a ththorough understanding of deeds, abstracts, offers, contingencies, disclosures, title searches, ect. Working with a skilled negotiator such as your Century 21 sales professional with your best interests in mind may improve your chances of selling at the price that brings you peace of mind.

10. Access To Century 21 Customized Marketing System - Why deal with the risks and frustrations when you can work under the Century 21 umbrella - a well known brand name, a global network of home selling professional, and state-of-the art technology tools to help handle the details and ensure a smooth transition.