6 Strategies To Sell A Home In Any Market

Regardless of the market, here are six strategies to help get your home sold. We are currently in a strong buyer's market, which means that there is more inventory than available buyers. In SE and Central Michigan, this has been caused partly by the decrease of employment in the auto manufacturing sector and subordinate tiers of suppliers, and partly by the credit crunch that is accompanying the spike of home foreclosures.

To sell a home in any market, there are certain broad factors to consider. Location, which you really can't change, won't be addressed.

1. Pricing is totally within your control. It's important to set your list price close to true market value. Market value is not what your refinance amount was 12 or 18 months ago. It's not what your neighbor's home sold for 8 months ago. It is truly what a ready, willing and able buyer will pay for it - RIGHT NOW. Your Realtor(R) can help you find that number by looking at recent sold data for comparable homes within a reasonable distance.

Price your home too high and you'll get few (or no) showings. And it's very possible that we'll see home values drop more through the first half of 2008, so getting a good read on the market is vital to getting you the most possible dollars for the sale of a home. Price it right at the start - don't 'experiment'.

Condition also plays a huge part in the value equation. You wouldn't pay as much for the same home if it were in poor repair, would you? Neither would anyone else.

2. Curb appeal is still very important. I admit that it's more difficult to have great curb appeal in the winter, but you can still get rid of the clutter in the front and side yards, keep the driveway and walks shoveled, and have an attractive porch. Don't under-estimated how curb appeal sets the stage for buyers.

3. Inside the home, it's very important to de-clutter and de-personalize the living space. Some people have a difficult time imaging their possessions in a house and making them side-step through rooms doesn't help one bit.

4. Neutral colors are still the best. While many people are now into vibrant colors or a wall of emphatic color, resist the urge. Stay neutral, but not stark, antispetic-looking white.

5. Stage your home. But don't do it yourself. Spend a few hundred dollars to have a professional come in and make the most of what you've got. They can also recommend neutral colors for repainting, so it pays dividends to have a home stager in early in the process. They often more than pay their way on resale amounts.

6. Choose the right Realtor(R). The most important things to look for are whether or not the sales agent is full-time or part-time, how familiar they are with your market area, and how busy they are in the marketplace. Remember that your real estate agent will be helping to guide you with price, appearance and negotiations. Find out what they'll be doing to market your home and how successful those tactivs have been in the past.

There are certainly no guarantees, but you want to have as much of an edge as possible. In the end, if you're not getting the number of showings that you need to generate a purchase offer, the price is not right. Condition will help a buyer to choose you over the competition, but you need a realistic price for your home to be seen in the first place.