TIPS FOR Sellers

Once you've decided to take advantage of HomeByOwners Network MLS listing service, there are several things you can do to help your home sell quickly. Here are some helpful tips:

• Clean your home, inside and out.
• Update decor if needed.
• Price your home based on current market conditions.
• Write a good description of your home and lot.
• Take clear, color digital photos of your home.
• Market your home to reach as many buyers as possible.

Clean Your Home
We can't stress enough the importance of this step so we put it first on the list. No one wants to buy a dirty or cluttered home – and no buyer wants to walk through one either. You will sell your home more quickly if it looks neat and tidy. If you are unable to clean your home yourself, hire someone to do it for you – it will be money well spent. Don't forget to clean the appliances that will be staying with the house, too.

It has been said that many buyers form their opinion about your home within the first 20 seconds of seeing it. That means your home's "curb appeal' is very important. Wash the windows, sweep walkways and brush off any cobwebs in the eaves and vents. Some colorful plants or flowers near the front entrance will brighten and improve your home's appearance. If landscaping is needed to improve your home's look, consider your budget. Once your home and yard are clean and neat, you should keep it that way until your home sells! You'll be less flustered when a buyer wants to come by for a quick showing.

Clear Out The Clutter
Your home will sell faster if the rooms are clear of clutter, personal items and excessive furniture. Put away magazines and any piles of papers and bills you might have out. Clear off kitchen countertops of appliances, cookbooks, etc.This may be a good time to reorganize your closets and drawers. Remove personal items that you might have hanging on the refrigerator (the kids' artwork, magnets, etc.). Put away personal photos and any potentially offensive artwork or decorations that might draw attention away from what a great house you have.

If your home appears cramped because of too much furniture, move some of it out to the garage or rent a storage unit. Or if you don't need it, hold a moving sale and sell it! You can also donate items in good condition to Goodwill and other charities. Remember to let buyers focus on your ROOMS, not your furniture or belongings. By removing excess furniture, you will allow buyers to envision their own items in your space.

Pricing Your Home
In determining what your home's market value is, you may want to consider hiring a professional real estate appraiser and ask one or two realtors to estimate what they would recommend as a listing price. A real estate appraiser will measure your home and give you a fairly reliable estimate of the actual square footage. He/she will also look at comparable properties that have sold near your home. An appraisal will include an estimated market value based on his/her visual inspection, measurements, and the comparable home sales. Ask the appraiser's advice about a listing price compared to that appraised market value.

You may also want to consider asking one or two realtors to do a market analysis and offer their best estimate for a listing price for your home. Most agents will offer this service at no charge, but do tell them you are planning to sell your home yourself.

A professional home inspection will give you a detailed report about the condition of your home and any potential problems that you may want to address before you sell. Of course, a buyer will likely hire a home inspector as well, but if you have already hired your own inspector, you probably won't have any big surprises.

Write a Good Description of Your Home
A clear, concise description of your home for your HomeByOwners Network MLS listing will be invaluable. Here are a list of questions to prompt you to think of a good description:

How many bedrooms & bathrooms?How many square feet of finished/heated space?

Is the neighborhood sought after? Is your home located within a good school system? Is it convenient to shopping, schools, and major roads?

How big is the lot? Large or small? Private? A corner lot? Is it landscaped? Low maintenance? Does it have an irrigation system? A well? Any other attributes of your yard that make it desirable? A fenced back yard? Room for kids to play? Any playground equipment that will stay? Does it have a pool? A hot tub that stays? Deck or patio? Screened porch? How about a garage? What size? Is there a workshop? How about a storage area or storage shed? Any other amenities?

What is your home's style of architecture? Is it one-story? Two-story or more? Is it brick, stucco, or siding? Is your roof fairly new? Are the windows new or energy efficient? Have you added insulation?

Does your home have central heat and air conditioning? What powers your heat/AC? Gas? Electric? Oil? Or does your home use window units? Ceiling fans? Have you replaced the hot water heater or other plumbing items recently?

Does your home have an open floorplan? Does it have a fireplace? Formal dining room? Eat-in kitchen? Family room? What kinds of flooring can be found in your home? Hardwood floors? Carpet? Ceramic tile? Vinyl flooring? Is any of the flooring new? Have you recently updated any of the rooms, including painting?

Take Good Photos of Your Home
If you have a digital camera, you can probably take your own photos of your home. If you don't feel comfortable taking your own photos, HomeByOwners Network offers this service for a nominal charge.

Begin with the exterior and take photos from different angles so you have several from which to choose. Try to crop out power lines or anything else that will detract from buyers focusing on your home. Try to show your home from the most flattering angle in the best light.

Interior rooms should usually be well-lit when photographing. In some instances, natural sunlight will do a better job of showing off your home, so you may want to try photographing each room with and without the lights on and draperies open.

Once you have selected the best photos, you can email them to us or save them onto a disk for inclusion with your MLS listing.

An example of a clear, crisp photo. This kind of photo will help to sell your home.

Marketing Your Home

In addition to your HomeByOwners Network MLS Listing, you may want to market your home in a few more ways. A front yard "For Sale" sign is part of your HomeByOwners package and it has room for your telephone number so potential buyers can call you directly. You may decide you want to invest in a "take-one" tube and produce and print flyers for interested buyers to take away. You can also place a classified ad in the newspaper to reach any buyers who don't have access to the MLS. Your HomeByOwners MLS listing description can be edited and one of your exterior photos sent to the newspaper.

Finally, tell your friends and acquaintances to send any interested buyers your way. And if you know someone who is working with a realtor, tell them about your MLS Listing through HomeByOwners Network!

We wish you the very best of luck in selling your home!