Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Homes For Sale by Owner Increasing on the Market

Homes For Sale by Owner Increasing on the Market
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_R_Richards]Jonathan R Richards

Why do we see more homes for sale by owner on the market now than there ever were before? One possible reason is that a lot of people have had tough economical times over the past couple of years and have had to make the decision to sell their homes before they have to go through the foreclosure process.

For some home owners, they need to quickly make as much money as they can on the sale of their home to avoid a foreclosure. Furthermore most people do not want to see a foreclosure shown on their credit rating. Consequently, they may decide to offer their home through the "for sale by owner" method.

Why do people choose FSBO listings? Basically, anyone who needs to make as much money as they possibly can on the sale of their home has a better chance by selling it FSBO. In today's economy, the value of houses, in general, has fallen. Because of depreciation in the housing market, many people find themselves bound to a mortgage that is now in an up side down situation, they owe the bank more than the house is worth. Some people, even though they have faithfully made their mortgage payments for years, are still just about even with their mortgage and the present worth of their house. Therefore, sellers have to take advantage of whatever system provides them with the highest possible return for the sale of their property.

For these reasons, people are opting for the less expensive method of selling their house, that is FSBO or for sale by owner. The thousands of dollars that can be saved by this method might just make it possible for the seller to avoid a foreclosure procedure on his property. Thus, his/her credit rating will not be affected.

Selling a home for sale by owner can be a great option for you. Search the internet; find out ways that other people have been successful in selling their homes by FSBO. Make a note of the little things you can do to increase the odds of selling your home quickly. You can also look at other homes for sale that are comparable to yours to make sure that you have selected the best price range for your home. FSBO will be viewed by a large number of people, increasing your chances to sell your house quickly.

John is the author of Flat Fee MLS articles for [http://www.chicagoflatfeelisting.net]MLS & Realtor.com $150. You can find more information at [http://www.chicagoflatfeelisting.net]Sell Home Quickly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_R_Richards http://EzineArticles.com/?Homes-For-Sale-by-Owner-Increasing-on-the-Market&id=2570399

Friday, July 17, 2009

Staging a Home For Sale

Staging a Home For Sale
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Alessandro]Samantha Alessandro

Los Angeles is a huge city with a population of around ten million people. There are a number of different districts that cover the approximately 4,000 square miles of land. Everything from upscale neighborhoods consisting of million dollar homes to family oriented suburban living and even some high crime areas can be found in the Los Angeles area.

If you intend to sell your home here, it is important to have it well prepared before it is advertised. It will have to compare to other such homes in your neighborhood to be a serious consideration for a potential buyer. That means you will need to appropriately stage your home.

What Is Staging?

Staging a home means to prepare it for presentation. You are about to present your home to the world in hopes that they will see it as their home. In order to successfully do that, you will need to put a little work into your home. Let's look at the steps involved.

· Thoroughly clean your home. Washing walls, carpets, and windows would be a great start. If you don't have the time, hiring a cleaning service may make sense for you.
· Remove all personalized items and memorabilia from the home. Family pictures should be taken down.
· If needed, a fresh coat of paint goes a long way to making a home seem maintained.
· Any projects that you've put off, such as replacing linoleum or wall paper should be completed.
· Any minor repairs must be performed. This would include: fixing holes in walls; replacing broken or missing knobs, light switch covers, and the like; repairing leaky faucets; and other trivial items.

Curb Appeal

Let's not forget about curb appeal. If you can't get the would-be buyer into the house, all the work on the inside won't ever be seen. A well-manicured lawn with some nicely placed decorations and maybe flowers will catch a prospective home-owners eye. You must be sure that unsightly junk piles are removed. Remove any stains on the driveway. Patch the lawn if necessary. Any vehicles that are disabled should be relocated or gotten rid of.

If you have lights that are non-functioning make them function. Any dented or damaged siding should be replaced. Repair any cracked or broken windows. Be certain all steps and handrails are safe and functional. Be sure to keep the lawn mowed and trimming done.

The overall goal of staging a house is to make it appear neat, attractive, and well-maintained. With the competition in home sales, you must take every step possible to make your house more attractive than the one on the next block. The more upscale your neighborhood in Los Angeles, the more important staging becomes. If your real estate agent has any suggestions, listen well and take them into full consideration. If you've made a careful selection when choosing a real estate agent, they will be able to offer you great insights as to what the Los Angeles clientele is looking for in your neighborhood. http://www.realestate.califindit.com
Samantha Alessandro is a licensed real estate agent and Los Angeles real estate expert. She currently works for CaliFindIt.com, California's premier source of information. If you are searching for the best agents and properties currently for sale in Los Angeles, visit http://www.realestate.califindit.com where you can map out available properties in neighborhoods and take a virtual tour of your selected properties.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Alessandro http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-a-Home-For-Sale&id=2506358

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Cleaning Your Home After Sale

Cleaning Your Home After Sale
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine]Joseph Devine

The process of preparing your home for sale can be very stressful and time consuming. Once the home has sold, many people are unsure of what steps to take before the new owners move in. People are often unsure of what condition the home should be left in and what their legal obligations are to the new buyers, repo home for sale.

Although some contracts stipulate that the home should be "swept-clean" before move-in, many sales contracts may not include any language regarding the cleanliness of the home after the sale is complete. That said, common courtesy usually suggests that the former owners should attempt to leave the home as clean as possible for the new homeowners.

At the very least, the former owners should remove all furniture from inside the home, should clean out attic spaces and closets, and should take any and all lawn furniture with them as they move out. Standard cleaning often includes:

• Carpets dry-cleaned or vacuumed to remove dust and dirt

• Kitchen and bathroom floors mopped

• Counters and sinks cleaned

• Light bulbs replaced

• Kitchen appliances cleaned

• Garage areas swept and cleaned of debris

• Locks changed or all keys turned over to the buyer

• Lawns mowed and edged

Occasionally, listing agents will pay to have a professional team clean the home to help with the sales process. Having the home thoroughly cleaned before the home is shown to the public often helps with the overall appeal of the home and may save the owners time after the sale is complete.

In the case of foreclosed homes, the original buyer is often no longer occupying the home or may be too upset with the situation to care about its condition for the next owner. Homeowners who have been foreclosed on may choose to leave personal belongings behind, leave the home dirty or unkempt, and in some cases may choose to inflict damage before leaving. In these cases, the bank may opt to have the home cleaned before the new owner moves in, or may simply sell the home "as-is". Homebuyers may occasionally include stipulation or credits into the contract to have the home professionally cleaned before they move into the home.

If you would like more information about home sales in the Austin area or if you are interested in selling your current home, visit the website of the [http://www.carvajalgroup.com]Austin real estate professionals of the Carvajal Group.

Joseph Devine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine http://EzineArticles.com/?Cleaning-Your-Home-After-Sale&id=2593240