Expert: liznarr - 1/30/2007

Question
My questions concern how soon should I begin the agent hunting process? I plan on selling our home no sooner than June 07.We are waiting till then because of my daughter will graduate then.Should I interview prospective agents,when should I begin?Will a good agent guide me on which projects are the most important to complete[painting,carpets,and repairs] to get the highest selling price.Thank you for your help.  Dave

Answer
Hi Dave,

If you plan to list around June of this year, it is not too early to begin interviewing agents.  You will want an agent that you can “relate” to, and one that will give you feedback after showings … good, bad or indifferent.  Be sure and ask how the agent plans to market your home:  Advertising, flyers, brochures, open houses (if necessary), web sites.

A good agent should give you guidance on what specific repairs you need to complete before putting your home on the market.

Clean, well-kept homes with curb appeal are generally the quickest to sell.  You will want to have an appealing exterior for starters, to “invite” prospective buyers inside.  Things you can do here are have fresh straw in flower beds, edge driveways and sidewalks, and keep grass cut and leaves raked up.  A colorful array of seasonal flowers at or near the front door is another good idea.

If your carpet needs cleaning, by all means have it cleaned and remove all spots.  Eliminate any clutter that you have inside.

The best advice I can give a Seller is to drive up to your own house and go all through your home with a critical eye, just as if YOU were looking to buy this home.  Any objections you would have, a prospective purchaser would likely also have.

I hope the above is helpful and points you in the right direction.  Good luck to you.

Regards,
Elizabeth