Home Seller's Guide

Step 1: Develop a Marketing Plan

Create a marketing plan for your home that will help distinguish it in your local marketplace and attract buyers to your property. This may include advertising in the newspaper, posting your listing on the Internet, holding an open house and more. Your real estate professional should be able to provide you with a marketing plan specifically designed to sell your home. The goal of any real estate marketing plan is to sell a home at the best price possible in the shortest amount of time possible.

Step 2: Establish the Right Price

A key part of the marketing plan is setting the list price. If a home is priced to low, it may cost you money. If a home is priced too high, potential buyers may be scared away. To determine the best asking price review the cost of recently sold homes, evaluate the competition and study marketplace trends. Again, your real estate professional should be trained to use this information to help you reach the right asking price. It is also helpful to discuss other terms and conditions, such as timing and items that can be included with the sale of the home. Both of these can make your home more attractive to potential buyers.

Step 3: Presenting Your Home

Now it's time to get your home ready to show. Start with a good cleaning, then eliminate any clutter, add a fresh coat of paint if possible, and also make sure your yard is in top shape. Talk to your real estate professional about other tips that can help improve your home's curb appeal and impress potential buyers once they're inside the home. One way to make a home more attractive is to purchase a home protection plan. This insurance protects you, the seller, from paying repair or replacement costs of major items during the listing period. It also protects the buyer during their first year of homeownership.

Step 4: Protecting Yourself

In some cases, a home sale can also be an invitation for some to take advantage of the situation. Here are some things you can do to make the process safer.

• Ask for identification of all potential buyers not accompanied by a real estate agent
• Ask for pre-approval letter from all buyers who make offers on the property
• Lock up and hide valuables when the house is being shown or during an open house
• If you have pets make sure they are in a controlled environment when the house is being shown
• Remove any dangerous items

Consultant your BlackRealEstate.com real estate professional for addition information on how you can protect your family and your property.

Step 5: Making the Deal

Once a buyer has made an offer it is time to negotiate. Allow your real estate professional to guide you through this aspect of the sale. He or she is trained and legally obligated to help you arrive at a price, terms and conditions that are best for your situation. Once you have accepted an offer, you must work to keep the transaction together by meeting established deadlines and other agreed upon aspects of the sales. In fact, during this period there may be a renegotiation of the accepted offer price depending on the outcomes of several items. As the closing date nears, you may also need to perform repairs or do additional work to the house as agreed upon in your contract. When you finally arrive at the closing table, come prepared with the appropriate certificates and approvals as required by your town, county and state. Ask the appropriate agency or get a list of what you need from your real estate professional.