Excerpt

Believe it or not, every day thousands of dollars are lost by sellers when they sell their home. When you see a SOLD sign on a house in your neighborhood, your normal reaction might be: "Good for them. Their house sold. But its also important to ask: Did the house sell for the highest possible price? Or did our neighbors leave equity behind when they sold their home?

The basic rule of real estate is that homes sell within a particular price range. The value of homes is not set in stone. Even two professional appraisals often differ in price. There are just too many factors involved, and no two homes are exactly the same. Even in a subdivision with identical houses, one house may be of higher value because its a few feet closer to the bus stop. This book is designed to help you understand the factors involved in determining the value of a home and what you can do improve it and maximize its value, so you can sell it for the highest possible price.

The factors that determine the price range your home falls into can be split into two categories: those that are out of your control and those within it. Factors that are generally out of your control tend to set the propertys general price range for sale (e.g., $450,000 to $500,000). These include location within a particular community, the direction that the house faces, the building style, square footage, age, and the basic layout. The factors that are within your control will determine where within that price range your home is likely to sell. These factors include the standard of maintenance, interior dcor, including colors and home presentation, number of rooms, as well as the overall condition of the house.

This book is about getting the highest possible offer on your home, but also about how to protect potential profits between the signing of the sales contract and settlement. Considerable dollars can be lost as a result of contingencies that arise during the process that may require renegotiation in order to secure the sale. The most common reasons for contract renegotiation are: defects or deficiencies found during the home inspection, environmental concerns, and issues regarding disclosure or the outcome on the appraisal. This book is designed to help you anticipate and manage these issues in advance, so that contracts are less likely to be opened for renegotiation and sellers can get the best possible price for their home.

How is this book different from others currently on the market? The more general the discussion on preparing a home for sale, the less likely the work will adequate enough to make a significant difference in the outcome. This book discusses in detail how best to prepare and present your home to buyers, from the experience of a realtor who also has over 11 years of home inspection experience to draw from, with detailed checklists and guidelines as to what to do in advance to correct all the most common problems that may exist -- information that will help you sell faster, with fewer problems and for the highest possible price.