Appraisals provide an objective opinion of value, but it’s not an exact science - so appraisals may differ.

For buying and selling purposes, appraisals are usually based on market value — what the property could probably be sold for. Other types of value include insurance value, replacement value, and assessed value for property tax purposes. Appraised value is not a constant number. Changes in market conditions can dramatically alter appraised value. Appraised value doesn’t take into account special considerations, like the need to sell rapidly. 

Lenders usually use either the appraised value or the sale price, whichever is less, to determine the amount of the mortgage they will offer.

Used with permission from Kim Daugherty, Real Estate Checklists and Systems, www.realestatechecklists.com

When you make the decision to sell it, make sure youdo it right!

Make sure you are taking all the right precautions and steps needed to guarantee your house exemplifies its true value to your potential buyers. Because selling a home can be very time consuming, you will want to take advantage of a real estate expert with knowledge of the Sarasota, Florida real estate market, which will help you speed up your home sale process.

Before you put your home on the market, review the selling tips below to ensure you can attain the most return from your investment.

Setting the Asking Price

Price is one of the most important aspects when selling your house. If you set the asking price of your house too low then you may end up losing money on your investment, and if you set the price too high then you may scare away prospects. Have a professional appraiser or us research the local market and competition to determine your home’s value. This is a very important point. You cannot determine the price by your gut feelings anymore. Real Estate has become an open book - the internet provides almost all market data. Real estate was never so transparent.   

Shopping Around

Buyers are shopping around, especially on the web, and they are comparing prices; so, prepare to negotiate. Don't be upset when an "insultingly" low offer comes in. Say "No" and forget about it. Low ball offers will get you nowhere, but unfortunately that is now a part of the game. On the other hand, if you have a set price in mind and are unwilling to look at any other offers then you might be losing out on potential buyers.

Marketing Your House

The more exposure your home gets, the better. We will create a plan to market your property in as many places as possible, ensuring your home is drawing all different types of buyers. Marketing real estate is not advertising in local newspapers and  magazines anymore, or putting up a sale sign on your front lawn. Although, it is still part of the marketing-mix. The Internet is already attracting 90% of the home buyers and the number is still increasing. Only on the Internet buyers can view tons of pictures, videos and maps. Here they can compare prices and look for properties sold within the last months. They can check out the school district, the job situation .... there is basically nothing secret anymore. We will help make sure your house gets the exposure it deserves, and our philosophy is, that exposure does not mean one lousy picture, two lines of text and barely the mandatory description in the MLS.

During the Showing

When  we are showing your house to potential buyers it is always a good idea to leave the residence or stay at least in one room (or outside). The more bodies that are walking from room to room during the showing, the smaller the rooms are going to appear. Furthermore, when the seller is present during this process the buyer tends to get nervous. If you are absent during the showing, buyers are more likely to discuss any concerns they may have with the property. This will allow us to overcome any buyer objections at that time.

Please keep in mind, selling and buying a home is a very emotional experience. There is a lot of money involved, and a wrong decision cannot easily be reversed. It is always a good idea to involve a third, a neutral party like us, in order to eliminate the emotional part as much as possible. Buyers can be very demanding, and you might get upset, but there is really nothing to get upset about.  You want the highest price - the buyer wants the lowest price. That is it. Nothing more.