Home Selling
101 Tips
Joye Bridal
Table of Contents
Category 1: Knowledge is Power 7
Tip 1: Before anything else, grab a powerhouse of knowledge. 7
Tip 2: Be a listener, and be a GOOD one 8
Tip 3: Basic rule: don’t get locked out of the market because you’ve overpriced your house! 8
Tip 4: What are the ads saying? 9
Tip 6: Read and devour all that you can! 10
Tip 7: Realistically speaking, my house is really worth… 10
Tip 8: Play the real estate game seriously. 11
Tip 9: Get only enough to get you started 11
Category 2: Know thy Area/Community 12
Tip 10: Good schools? But of course! 12
Tip 11: It’s the fitness thing, you know. 12
Tip 12: And what about concerts and that kind of thing? 13
Tip 13: Will I fit in the area? 13
Tip 14: Is there a doctor in the house? 14
Tip 15: How is the transportation system? 14
Tip 16: No gossiping allowed! 15
Tip 17: Help, my car’s been snowed in! 15
Tip 19: Getting to know your house…for the last time 16
Tip 20: Did you say an in-ground pool? 17
Tip 21: Put romance back in their lives… 18
Tip 22: See, this garage door is really simple to operate! 18
Tip 23: I never promised you a rose garden. 19
Tip 24: You’ll have a roof over your head for the next 25 years. 19
Tip 26: A house that’s safe and sound. 21
Tip 27: What? No hot water again? 21
Tip 28: Someone forgot to look up the ceiling… 22
Category 4: Your Motives for Selling: Watch out for the Psychological Effect 23
Tip 30: Not the time to be fickle… 24
Tip 31: Nostalgia is a strong feeling 24
Tip 33: My home isn’t a hotel! 25
T34: Listen up, but stay with your convictions! 26
Tip 35: I’m selling, no matter what. 26
Tip 36: Even well-meaning friends can derail you! 27
Category 5: Getting Serious and Getting Ready 27
Tip 39: This isn’t a multiple choice test. 28
Tip 40: The well’s run dry. 29
Tip 42: Actually, now that you ask… 29
Tip 43: Show that you mean business! 30
Tip 44: If I were buying this house… 30
Tip 45: Is there an expert around? 31
Tip 47: You and I are different. 31
Tip 48: Did you inherit these doorknobs from your grandmother? 32
Tip 49: That noise is driving me nuts! 32
Tip 50: Is this door going to fall on me? 33
Tip 51: So, how many insects do you have here? 33
Tip 52: For you or the buyer? 34
Tip 54: I wish you hadn’t done that… 35
Tip 55: Bring in a contractor. 36
Category 6: Letting the Word Out: “I’m Selling my House!” 36
Tip 57: Reach out far and wide! 37
Tip 58: Word of mouth is just as powerful as advertising 38
Tip 59: Can the company help me? 38
Tip 60: Ah, the old reliable…the bulletin board! 39
Tip 61: Am I missing the sugar? 39
Tip 62: Have you been negligent? 40
Tip 63: How much do I want? 40
Tip 64: Will the buyer ask for flexibility? 41
Tip 65: Is this a good time to sell? 41
Tip 66: The truth will come out… 41
Tip 67: Umm, how will I word this ad? 42
Tip 68: Can you just state the bottom line please? 43
Tip 69: Do your thinking before picking up that phone 43
Tip 71: Where should I publish? 45
Tip 73: Cyberspace? Do I really want Martians buying my house? 45
Tip 74: Do you want to write a house story? Try the home section, not the classified ads 46
Tip 76: This is EXACTLY how I want it 47
Tip 78: Add “Or best reasonable offer” 49
Tip 79: It’s my favorite day of the week! 50
Tip 80: Would you repeat that please? 51
Tip 83: Are you a (phone) grouch? 53
Tip 84: Let’s get serious here. 53
Category 7: Showing Your Home 53
Tip 87: Surround yourself with beauty. 55
Tip 88: I knew you’d ask that! 56
Tip 89: Children OK, animals NO! 56
Tip 90: Who’s that standing by the door? 57
Category 8: Negotiations, Settlement and Contract 57
Tip 91: Can we talk about your price? 57
Tip 92: It doesn’t hurt to be honest. 59
Tip 93: My home is your home now 59
Tip 94: How quickly will he settle this matter for me? 60
Tip 95: This covers just about everything 61
Tip 96: Can we change this a little bit? 62
Tip 98: Crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s… 63
Tip 99: What, you’ve changed your mind? 64
Tip 100: You’re willing to pay more for my house? 65
So….you’d like to sell your house? Great! Everyone’s doing it. But this is your first time and you’ll be doing the sale yourself. Nervous? Of course!
The fact is, it’s only unnerving because you haven’t got a clue about the dynamics of selling a house – your house. It’s the one asset you have where you’ve plunked down your lifetime savings. Now you want it all back!
That equity you were slowly building over these years will come back to you a hundredfold because you’ve thought about it long enough to realize that there is a handsome profit waiting to be made.
Don’t worry! This episode in your life doesn’t need to be a drama of horrors. In this book, we’ve collected important tips for you – the first timer - all 101 of them, in fact.
And when that check finally lands on your hands and the last box has been shipped out of your house to make way for the new owners, it will be exhilarating – more exhilarating than you’ve ever imagined it to be.
Study the tips. Some you already know, no doubt. But even with 101 or 1001 tips, you’d still need professional advice – you managed to eliminate the real estate agent, but you’ll still need your lawyer (or notary) and your accountant.
You need to consult with other professionals as well – like the professional house inspector who can dish out valuable advice about repairs and maintenance.
These tips can help you map out a selling strategy for your house, and when you turn the lock for the last time, you’ll come out of the experience wiser. And yes, wealthier, too.
The confidence you gain by getting your feet wet the first time could – who knows? – make you want to do it the second time, and then a third time…and more!
If you’ve decided to dispense with a real estate agent to avoid paying those ridiculous commissions, then start thinking like one.
How? Three to six months before your target sale, bone up on home selling strategies. If you have friends or colleagues who’ve worked in real estate, talk to them, but don’t tell them you’re thinking of your selling your house so they won’t try to convince you to do otherwise.
Ask them about mistakes they’ve made or mistakes that their relatives and friends have made. Survey the entire landscape. Personal experiences are always an excellent source of knowledge and strategies.