In this modern age of economic strife and a galloping “do it yourself” movement, more and more homeowners are looking into selling their homes themselves. However, taking on the role of a professional when you don’t have the same training isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Some homeowners go into the whole “for sale by owner” experience with the thought that they’re saving themselves the cost of the commission and in the end they’ll come away with more money at the end of it all. However, Realtors can often get you a higher price for your house than you can negotiate yourself. Realtors will know what the current price of comparable homes on the market are selling for so that you don’t price your home so high that it lingers on the market for months or so low that you lose out on the money that you deserve to get for your home. (more…)

Sometimes, when people have lived in a home for a while, the flaws become comfortable “character traits” which are overlooked if not forgotten. One learns to hold the cupboard door when getting a dish so that it doesn’t fall off and make sure that the guests know about that “wonky” floorboard. It’s so easy to modify one’s own behavior in one’s own home that many people forget that buyers will not be so easily swayed to look past the faults in the house’s makeup.

Some people may think that home staging is a waste of time, but when it comes to real estate – especially these days – nothing can be taken for granted. The time when a home could be shown in messy glory and still sell for big bucks is long gone. Now, homeowners have to clean, de-clutter, repair and stage for home buyers to take a second look. Those flaws that the homeowner and their family overlook could be the final point that sways a buyer to look elsewhere – where they’ve repaired the tiles on the kitchen backsplash and spackled in the dent that Junior made in the bedroom wall when he was three. (more…)

Some people, myself included, have this funny thought process that no matter what the project is, they can do it themselves. Well, in many cases this is completely true; there are a great many projects that you can, in fact, do yourself and get fabulous results from. However, not every project is a good candidate for a do-it-yourself.

Take, for example, the job of selling your home, while there are a plethora of agents out there chomping at the bit to assist you in home sales, there are some people who consider home sales just a big DIY project. If you have experience in real estate or are a retired agent, then this might actually be a reasonable DIY project; if your only experience in real estate is buying or selling a home with an agent, this is not a good project for you to take on yourself, however. (more…)

The whole point of the “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) sign is that the owner sells their property without having to pay Realtor® fees. However, it takes a lot of knowledge and experience to sell a home, as many would-be solo sellers can find. FSBOs are a great niche to get into, if you know how to find and approach their owners.

FSBOs are a great target market. The owners are motivated sellers. You already know that they own their home. They are serious about selling, since they’ve gone to such lengths to sell on their own. They have already done part of the job of marketing their place through their own efforts, leaving you to list it on the MLS. Since most FSBOs fail to sell as owner-sold properties, somebody must be doing the work of selling them – it should be you! (more…)

Your real estate agent has suggested that you hire a home stager, but you’re not sure. Or you’ve heard about home staging, and you wonder what it entails. What is home staging, and why should you stage your home?

Home Staging is the process of rearranging your furnishings in order to make your house the preferred home among buyers. It generally includes packing away unneccessary furniture and home decor, especially objects that reflect your personality. (more…)

Home purchase is one of the most valuable investments that a person could ever venture into, thus in the midst of global financial uncertainties, more home buyers are becoming conscientious and careful in choosing homes they prefer to buy. This is quite important for home sellers who are wondering why their houses are not selling at all.

What are the reasons why your house does not sell?

In many cases, there are prominent reasons why properties continue to be idle and unsold even in an extended period of time. This does not only mean loss of money but a waste of time for the home sellers. It is important to know what the top reasons are why this may happen in order to come up with the corresponding solution to the problems. (more…)

Currently in prison, serving a 150 year sentence for one of the largest scams in history, Bernie Madoff sits by watching his assets being sold off one by one in an effort to compensate the victims of his crime. The latest item on the chopping block is his luxury Hamptons beach house. He wasn’t a flashy person in his regular life, and this is reflected in his home. There are no tennis courts or guest houses, in fact there isn’t even a garage, but the home is ideally located on the beach, close to the pounding surf.

The home has a subtle elegance, with an understated decor designed to take advantage of the panoramic Long Island views available in most rooms of the house. The large covered deck and pool also allow for stunning ocean vistas and quick access to the beach, only steps away. (more…)