Marketing Your Home to Sell Part 1

There is no denying that real estate market conditions have softened and sellling your home is not an easy as it might have been just 6 or 8 months ago. Both buyers and lenders are more cautious, competition amongst home sellers is fierce with a lot of product on the market and there is also an ever-increasing number of new home development to choose from.
If you're thinking of selling your home in the near future, you may think that all that's required is a "for sale" sign strategically placed on your front lawn -- but any real estate professional will tell you there's much more to it than that. While a sign on your lawn is of paramount importance to the sale of your home, a well-thought-out marketing plan is also essential. Your REALTOR®, of course, is another vital component in the process, and one of the first things he/she should discuss with you is a marketing strategy designed to give your home maximum exposure.
Keep in mind that effective marketing of your home requires a lot of communication between you and your REALTOR® and there are several things you can do to make sure your home gets the best possible exposure. First of all, disclose everything you can about your property and the neighbourhood in general. This information will help your REALTOR® a great deal and he/she can choose how and when this information can be related to prospective purchasers. For example, there may be something about your home or the area you live in that you may take for granted, but that characteristic could be a major selling point for your home -- such as its close proximity to local schools and recreation facilities.
It's also wise to be candid about any potential drawbacks as well, so both you and your REALTOR® can be realistic in arriving at a suitable list price. Where possible, your REALTOR® is likely to have some suggestions as to how these problems can be improved upon. As well, your REALTOR® may notice some serious flaws in you home or even some basic elements that are missing. They may not bother you, but could work to your detriment when it comes to selling your home. As a result, your REALTOR® is likely to make helpful, reasonable recommendations that will enable you both market your home successfully. It's important to keep an open mind and follow his/her advice.
In my next posting we will talk about some of the other issues and factors that you need to be aware of in order to attract potential buyers to first view the property home and one that will hopefully follow-up with an acceptable offer. Stay tuned for more...