Good morning! Days like today remind me of why I live in Prescott! It's Gary Edelbrock here, and I'm talking with Lee Amble. He's been telling me that folks are getting ready to consider selling their home, and he's come up with a list of excellent tips. 

Spring Home Selling Tips 101

By: Lee Amble

The following are a few ideos I have collected over my 37 years of selling real estate that should help you prepare your home for sale. Many of them will save you both time and money.

1. Get a home inspection from a licensed, reliable Home Inspector. The inspector will help you determine any problems that may need to be repaired By doing this, it will prevent a buyer from backing OUT or causing you TO lose a sale.
2. If you are going to use a Realtor, be sure you work with an experienced one that has been successful for at least 10 (ten) years.
3. If you decide to sell your home on your own, purchase some home selling books to learn about the process, definitely talk to a Title Company and a Realtor first. I am a Realtor and Consultant and can be of help in many ways.
4. It is a good idea to consider a Home Stager or have your Real Estate Consultant help you determine how your home furnishings should be presented Keep in mind, too many pictures, knick knacks, etc. cause the potential buyer to look at them and not at your home's quality, etc.

The cost for the above people will vary, but generally a Home Inspector would be about $275.00-$400.00, a Real Estate Consultant will possibly charge $100 or $200 (depending upon time spent) while the Home Stager's charge will be determined by size, etc.

The other items we will list are common sense items, but very important!

1. Never overprice your property. Price it properly so that it will not need to be on the market for months or even years.
2. Clean up the yard by raking, removing dead trees, shrubs, flowers, and don't forget to make it "firewise" which is an absolute necessity if you live in the treed areas. Keep your lawn mowed and weeds removed for a neater, cleaner look.
3. When you do home renovations, make sure they blend in and are made to look like they've always been that way.
4. Your home's first impression will be the lasting and possibly the only impression of your home. You may not get a second chance from that buyer.
5. Remove dark drapes, curtains, etc. as a light, bright home is more inviting to buyers than one that is dark. If you have chosen dark colors, you will be better off with lighter, more neutral colors to make the rooms look bigger and brighter.
6. You or your Realtor should have a Virtual Tour that will draw buyers to your home.
7. Convenience to show your home is very important. If you have pets, keep them under control, preferably out of the home during the showing. Remember, if you don't feel your home is neat enough for showing on a given day, a bad showing is better than no showings.
8. As mentioned above, remove excess pictures and de-clJilffer as much as possible.
9. Consider providing a one year Home Warranty. It will be about $300 to $400.00
10. It's always a good idea to have a garage sale and/or give items you won't be using to your favorite charity.
11. A neat, orderly garage is very important as you do WOII'f your buyers to visualize their vehicles parked in them. Too much clutter will not moke that possible. You may want to move the boxes, etc. to a short term storage unit.
12. Never over improve your home. We all have definite ideas, which may not be acceptable to your potential buyer.
13. When possible, use inviting lawn signs, brochures, etc.
14. Don't forget to tell your closest neighbors that you will be selling your home, which will give them a chance to pick their new neighbors before your sign is put up. Other possibilities are: church groups, clubs, etc.
15. When a contract does come in, negotiate with respect. Remember the value of your home may not be as much to a buyer as it is to you. Respecting them will always work the best.
16. Respond to all offers as you don't know where the negotiations will end up.
17. Never get hung up or lose a sale over any penny ante items from the buyers inspection.
18. Be as flexible on closing dates as possible.

You may not agree with all the items suggested and/or you may have numerous items I missed, but it is a start to assist you in your spring home selling tips .

"Selling A Home Is Easy, Doing It Right Is The Key!"
Lee Amble, Realtor/Consultant
National Realty of Prescott
Lee's cell: 928533-4455
Jan's cell: 928533-4488
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