A Guide for Preparing, Advertising, Pricing and Closing to Make the Sale of Your Home Stress Free

Preparing the Physical Property

1. Make sure the home is spotless! Many bank-owned homes are dirty or run down and usually have some kind of weird odor, especially in Port St Lucie and Jensen Beach. A clean, fresh smelling home can really set you apart from all the other distressed property out there.

2. Curb Appeal: For less than $100.00, you can buy several bags of mulch and small plants to spruce up any yard. If need be, cut back any trees or bushes that hide the front of your home. Overgrown bushes can make a house look smaller than it really is. Also make sure gutters are cleaned and neatly hung, and to remove any rust stains from well water using Rust-Aid.

3. Paint: Usually most buyers can over look some odd colors. But if your home looks like a fruit loops cereal box, you might want to invest in some new paint. White, cream, and tan colors can make a buyer feel more relaxed and comfortable in your home.

4. Always Disclose! If you know there is something wrong with the house and you don’t tell the buyer, it could come back and cause major problems. If there is damage or a defect, make sure to tell the buyer in writing. Then follow it up with, ” That’s why we have such a good price on the house!”

Advertising and Pricing

1. BE INFORMED: Find out what has recently sold in the neighborhood, what is currently for sale in the neighborhood, and how those homes compare to yours. You can find recently sold info at your local St Lucie and Martin County Property Appraisers, or any major real estate website. The first month of advertising a home is crucial. Don’t waste time by not being competitive. Your local Realtor is crucial for finding this information! You should always list the property at a competitive price or no one will come!

2. Find out who is looking for your type of home and how to reach them. Who would be looking for this type of home in this neighborhood? For example, neighbors of the home you are selling might have family or friends looking for a home and where better to move the right next door! Make sure your neighbors know that your home is for sale! You would be surprise at how many Realtors don’t do this! A simple open house can really let the neighborhood know about your home.

3. When selling your home, make sure to have a clear for sale sign in the front yard that includes the price, and specs of the home. By putting the price on the sign, you only get calls from buyers who like the house and price and eliminate the tire-kicker “fact finders.”

4. Have Open Houses. Make sure you advertise at least a week before and try to direct all requested showings to that open house. The more people the better, and more competitive the buyers will be.

5. Internet Advertising: Your home should be everywhere on the internet with nice bright photos, and easy ways to contact and setup showings! There are many free websites that will advertise your home for you and allow you to post detailed photos and information.

The Deal

1. Have as much control over the deal if possible! The more control you have, the higher the chance of it closing! You or your Realtor should manage every aspect of the deal to make sure everyone is doing what they are suppose to do!

2. Prepare and familiarize yourself with the financing that your buyer is using. FHA/VA loans always have appraisals, termite inspections, seasoning requirements, and insurance requirements. FHA buyers make up the majority of the market but also can be very difficult to close.

3. Be prepared to help the buyer with closing costs. 6{7fcbeda410c9f02a886f83a59a5af911565ec7141a170d397df667872a958d9e} is the max a seller can pay for closing costs. This will help keep more money in the buyer’s pocket and also help them qualify for the loan. Usually Sellers will offer 3{7fcbeda410c9f02a886f83a59a5af911565ec7141a170d397df667872a958d9e} on average but this is always negotiable.

4. More and more buyers are walking away from the deals and leaving their deposits. Make sure you get at least $1,000 deposit to make sure the buyer is serious. Some sellers will even get an additional deposit from the buyer after the inspection period is over.

Final Tips

With a ton of homes for sale in Port St. Lucie and even more on the way, you want to make sure your house stands out of the crowd. Every seller always offers their home for a certain price, and usually will allow buyers to inspect it and use financing to buy it. What buyers love and DON’T find very often are seller paid closing costs, creative financing and down-payment programs, a free home warranty, granite and stainless steal upgrades in lower priced homes, or having the house be move-in condition. Remember none of these tips will matter if your home is over-priced! If you need more advice, contact your local Realtor.