So you have decided to sell your home on your own, figuring you can do what a professional realtor can do, right?
Well, let’s see what you have planned. You will be taking photos and a few virtual tours. Will you be using your smartphone, if you have one or a digital camera?
Does it matter? It all depends on what resolution that you want the photos, the angle, sunlight and what you will be focusing on, so that it stands out online.
Putting all the accurate and pertinent information all over the net. Did you check to make sure your taxes are correct? Did you add back all your deductions that you were able to take, star exemption, military and senior exemptions?
Your buyer probably will not be allowed to take them.
One must look through the eyes of a buyer to make sure what you see is what they will see and observe; whether it be your clutter that you must eliminate, the aging paint on the walls and ceilings that might be in need of redoing or at least a touch-up.
How does your kitchen and bathrooms look?
I am not suggesting that you redo them, unless you feel doing them will get you more money?
Be careful, depending on what your budget is, you may or may not recoup your investment, but it sure will sell faster but at your expense and to the benefit of the purchaser.
You should consider a pre-inspection if your home is 25 years or older.
There are some key components of a pre-inspection: checking your heating, plumbing electric, roof, windows and of course termites should be handled by a licensed exterminator, who will write up an inspection report and issue you a termite certificate that should be transferable.
Your inspection will be well worth the investment, so you will know what repairs need to be completed before your buyer finds out and subtracts more than it actually would cost for you to do it.
Lately, I have had a few inspections in co-ops that I was going to contract on.
Normally, it is not done, but some buyers want to know about the infrastructure of the building they are purchasing in; so they will know how the roof, heating, electric and plumbing are in good condition.
No one wants surprise assessments or increased maintenance fees on items that will have to be paid for by all those stockholders who own. Sometimes there could be an issue or problem that the management is not aware of that the inspector might discover and bring to their attention to have them take care of by repairing or replacing.
How is your garden?
Lots of flowers or boring and dreary looking?
It is to your advantage to do your plantings right now, with impatiens, black-eyed susans or any flowering annuals that are very popular at this time of the year.
You want as much color in the front of your home as possible. Make sure all your shrubbery are trimmed below your window sills, as I have seen so many homes that the trees and shrubs are completely covering windows; also not allowing the sunshine to come into the home.
I wonder why homeowners aren’t always more proactive in do this? I guess sometimes getting lazy can be directly related to age or just that you are not into it; then hire someone!
But remember, for many, the home represents the largest part of one’s wealth; so keeping it in the proper condition keeps your home value up.
Another example, cleaning and washing out your gutters and leaders twice yearly, will keep the water flowing down and away from your home; as opposed to entering your home behind your soffits or basement!
Prices are approaching the highest point in history and maybe we have another 8% to go (considering basic inflation over the last 10 years) to eclipse the price points of 2007. Although more families and people are leaving N Y than are coming in, the current demand is still causing prices to increase. The return on your home is much better (8.1 percent March 2017-March 2018) than the ½ percent that you are earning on your bank account, right?
Phil Raices is the owner/broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 7 Bond St (soon moving to 3 Grace Ave). in Great Neck. He has earned the designations as a graduate of the Realtor Institute and is a certified international property specialist. He can be reached by email:Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or by cell (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions or article suggestions or provide you a free comparative market analysis on your property.
