Kelly Judy

15 Tips for Seliing a House

1. Know your reason for selling. Those motivations affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money you'll invest. 2. Once you know, keep it to yourself. Your reasons shouldn't be given as ammunition to the person who wants to buy your house. 3. Find a realtor. Take time to carefully evaluate candidates on the basis of their experience, qualifications, enthusiasm and personality. 4.Consider negotatations. Do you want to maximize your profit or sell quickly? 5. Maximize your home's sales potential. Appearance is critical and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home. The look and "feel" of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor. 6. Rely on your realtor. The biggest mistake you can make at this point is to rely solely on your own judgement. Ask for opinions, and make sure you're getting an honest answer. 7. Clean like you've never cleaned before. Remember, you're not just competing with other people's homes, you're going up against brand-new homes as well. 8. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. The problem is that you never know what will turn a buyer off. 9. Remove personal items. Personal items that buyers see, hear, or otherwise sense make them feel as if they are intruding into someone's life. Avoid this by making your home as neutral as possible. 10.The little touches can make a difference. A well placed vase of flowers, accent pieces of sculpture and/or potpourri in the bathroom can enhance the attractiveness of your home in a subtle, soft spoken way. 11. Don't let smell be your downfall. Bad smells kill deals! Food, pet and smoking odors must be eliminated. 12. Don't get emotional during negotiations. Let go of the emotion you've invested in your home and approach negotiations in a detached, businesslike manner. 13. Don't sign a deal on your next home until you close the deal on this one. You might end up turning yourself into a seller who is eager (or desperate) for the first deal that comes along. 14. Don't give yourself a deadline. Forcing yourself to sell by a certain date adds unnecessary pressure and puts you at a serious disadantage in negotiations. 15. Don't take a low offer personally. Don't get angry or feel insulted, evaluate the offer ovjectively. Now you have a point from which you can negotiate. 

 What every buyer should know BEFORE purchasing a home.

1. Property taxes and qualified interest are deductible on an individual's federal income tax return. 2. Often, a home is the largest asset an individual has and is considered one of the most valuable investments available. 3. A portion of each amortized mortgage payment goes to principal which is an investment. 4. A home is one of the few investments that you can enjoy by living in it. 5. A realtor can usually show you any home whether it is listed with a company, a builder or even a for sale by owner. 6. Working through a realtor to purchase a for sale by owner home can by very advantageous because someone is looking out for your best interest. 7. A homeowner can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gain tax if married and filing jointly or up to $250,000 if single or filing separately. The home must have been the taxpayer's principal residence for the previous two years. 8. Beginning with May 7, 1997, there is no longer a requirement to purchase another home more expensive than the one sold. Homeowners are free to buy up or down with no tax consequences assuming their gain is less than the allowable amounts. 9. Ask your realtor if he/she is familiar with the neighborhoods where you want to live. 10. Ask your realtor whom he/she is representing in the transaction and what he/she will do to keep you informed. 11. Your realtor should provide you with the highest level of service and advice.