For Sellers
Sell With Knowledge
1. Know Your Rights & Responsibilities
It is importance that you stay well informed of the details of both your real estate listing contract and your purchase and sales contract. Real estate contracts can be complex and confusing, and they are legally binding documents. It is important that you know what you are responsible for before signing the contract. Not being familiar with your listing contract with your broker can lead to misunderstandings and not being familier with the terms of your purchase and sales contract with a buyer could cost you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on repairs and/or inspections.
2. Setting the Price For Your Property
Marketing real estate in Stowe is fairly straightforward for most properties: define the sales audience, explain the property clearly, understand its strengths and weaknesses, and price it appropriately relative to similar sales. Appropriate pricing is critical. Anybody selling a product obviously desires to get the most money possible for that product. Placing an excessively high price on a property, however, often proves to be counterproductive. Before set ting your price we should sit down and go over all the comparables in the area. By walking you through a comparative market analysis, you will have a better feel for the Stowe real estate market.
As a sellers of real estate in Stowe your paticular goals do impact pricing strategy and should be accounted for. Sellers trying to chose a listing broker, however, often place misguided comfort in the broker that promises them the highest "list" price. An unjustifiably high listing price often causes prospective buyers to anticipate more than what you, the seller, have to offer. An aggressively high list price may even cause a potential buyer, especially one knowledgable about Stowe real estate, to lose interest before they even view your property. As a result, overpriced properties have a tendency to take an unusual amount of time to sell, and they end up being sold at a lower price. Your desired sales price is important, but market based realism should inform the upper and lower ends of your acceptable price range. For example, if you are under no preasure to sell your property, setting your asking price at or just beyond the top end of the recommended range may be a credible strategy. But only if you are prepared for the possibility that showings and offers do not materialize. At Sterling Realty, Ltd., we work with our clients, whether you have real estate in Stowe Vermont, or in the surrounding area, to define expectations. We then work diligently to meet or exceed them.
3. Choosing the Method Of Marketing/Advertising
There are a number of ways to market and advertise your property such as Open Houses, Classified Ads in local newspapers, Home Magazines, Real Estate Websites, Flyers, etc. Before accepting a listing we should agree on the best methods of marketing your particular piece of property.
4. Pre-Qualifying Buyers
It doesn’t make sense to spend time with mere window shoppers. Often times people who do not come through a real estate agent are months away from buying, and are more interested in browsing the market than actually making a purchase. Many times they are not prepared to make a purchase because they have not sold their home yet, are not financially prepared, or they may even be unsure as to whether they want to relocate or not. When appropriate, Sterling Realty, Ltd., will investigate a potential buyer’s financial strength. This will help keep you from wasting your time with unqualified prospects.
5. Preparing Your Home For Sale
Your home needs to be made as presentable and as pleasant as possible when attempting to sell to prospective buyers. One of our agents will meet with you to make recommendations regarding any necessary repairs as well as cleaning, de-cluttering, and potential improvements. A cluttered, unkept home in need of repairs lowers the value of your home and even turns away some buyers. Furthermore, often a homeowner can make relatively low cost improvements that will have a large impact. Low cost improvements may enable you to either sell your home for a higher price, or sell your home more quickly, or in some cases, both.
6. Presence While Showing
Buying a home can be an emotional and difficult decision. Likewise, sellers often have emotional attachments to their property. It is not normally a good idea for an owner to be present while prospective buyers are viewing the property. You may think that you know your home best. The flip side is that you see your home through a colored lense which may limit your receptitivty to substantial or stylistic changes that a particular buyer may need to envision to make your home their home. As your real estate agent in Stowe, we are best suited to being warm and receptive to any questions or comments prospective buyers may have.
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