REAL ESTATE “NUGGETS”

SELLERS – Sprucing Up Your “Product”

In the overall sense of the real estate sales business, my experience is that, “. . . to the SELLER(S), the term most used to describe their property is HOME, to the BUYER(S) the term used, more often, is HOUSE”.

If you now have your residential home available for sale or are thinking of placing it onto the market in the future; keep the following information in mind.  You, as the existing owner of the home, see your home as “your castle” . . . you are proud of its attributes and are partial to “your” opinion of what its value may be.  However, BUYERS see your house only as a “product”, which is available on the market for purchase.  They, and their real estate agents, are comparing your home to all the other houses available in a specific price range.  The BUYERS are comparatively shopping your “product” with all the other products (houses) on the market.  They are evaluating the listing prices of all of these “products” with their specific attributes (positive and negative).  In the end, they will choose the best house, with all of the features that are most desirable to them; at a price which is the most reasonable.

The primary goal of any real estate agent is to help you realize the best price obtainable for your home; not to just simply sell it.  And, if you truly desire to sell your home, at its highest attainable price, you will want to discuss this plan with your agent.  He or she should be able to assist you in developing a home enhancement plan for your property that will maximize its potential for successful showings and bring attractive offers to the table.  Many of the “sprucing up” ideas in a home enhancement plan do not cost much to complete, however, will return the investment many times over, in most cases.

Be aware, thought, that a complete kitchen or bathroom remodel will not normally return the investment made for the remodel.  You will not normally get back, at closing, the additional money that you paid for the updating of the room or area.  You should research the items that are worth enhancing and those that are not.  The best place to start your research is with a real estate agent who understands the costs of enhancement verses the return on your investment.

My recommendation is; if you would like to have a home enhancement plan developed for your property, then call your existing REALTOR® or choose one that you feel will best be able to service your needs.

Next week: Outline of a Home Enhancement Plan

Alan M. Croteau

Residential and Commercial REALTOR®

2007 REALTOR® OF THE YEAR (GCBR)