8 Tips to selling your home in a down market.

Selling In a down Market Tip #1
Choosing the right real estate professional can make or break the sale of your home. Not all realtors are created equal, experience is an essential component to success in the real estate business, unfortunately, there are many sellers that become the training ground for many realtors. A seasoned professional has developed skills in negotiating deals that only years of experience can bring, and getting hooked up with an inexperienced realtor can be like throwing money away.

Before signing a listing agreement be sure that the realtor you're considering to hire, works full time in the real estate business, is competent, capable and ready to work hard to get your home sold.  Ask how long they have been in the real estate business!

Real Estate Designations:  Know the difference!

   Broker of Record :  Broker/Owner or Broker Manager of Brokerage
                   Broker:   Has completed additional courses required for broker designation
                Manager:   Has at least 2 years real estate experience and has been designated a
                               manager of the Brokerage, does not have to be a Broker.
Sales Representative:  Has completed the mandatory licensing course, may have additional 
                               courses to take if licensed less than 2 years and must be directly
                               supervised by a Broker of Record or Manager.

Selling In a down Market Tip #2
First impressions really count to buyers. Take a look at your home from the street and try to use an unbiased eye. Does it stand out from the neighbors in a good way? A few hours of yard cleanup may be all your home needs to impress buyers that are just 'driving by'.

Selling In a down Market Tip #3
Once buyers are inside what will they think? The staging of the interior of your home is vital. While you may be used to living with all of your personal possessions, buyers may see it as cluttered with 'stuff' and be turned off. Give some consideration to hiring a professional staging company.

Selling In a down Market Tip #4
Does your home suffer from deferred maintenance? That list of to-do items you have been putting off needs to get done! Dripping faucets, broken tiles, scuffed and scraped paint all are red flags to buyers. These and many more serious maintenance items may need to be addressed if your home is to be sold for top dollar.

Selling In a down Market Tip #5
Will major changes to your home bring it up to date and make it more marketable? If you have an older home it may not be able to compete against newer homes that feature amenities that most buyers are looking for such as master bedrooms with their own baths. There are also the issues of having too many or too few bedrooms for your area. While major remodeling is out of the question for some sellers, it is a way to make your home more competitive and possibly bring in extra money when it sells. Many times small things such as a carpet and paint can make a huge visual difference and will usually gain you more in value than they cost.

Selling In a down Market Tip #6
Effective marketing will make or break the sale! Part of what your real estate professional should be doing is guiding you on the marketing of your home. This includes things such as making it available for showings as well as price and terms. In a down market it is essential that buyers have easy access to your home, and that it is priced competitively with similar homes in your area. With a large number of listings on the market, buyers have the option of just going on to the next property.

Selling In a down Market Tip #7
Don't be afraid to tell everyone you know your home is for sale! While your real estate professional should be marketing your home on their own, don't forget that every person on average has a sphere of influence of about 200 people who in turn each have a sphere of influence of about 200 people. This means that in just two 'steps' you are in contact with up to 40,000 people, one of which may just be in the market for a new home, namely yours!

Selling In a down Market Tip #8
Be prepared for what awaits you at closing. It is not uncommon in the current market for sellers in tough spots to come out of closing the sale and their property with little or no money in their pocket. In fact it is increasingly more common for sellers and particularly hard-hit areas to actually owe money at closing. This is something you should be talking with your agent about throughout the process and when negotiating a contract on your home.

While selling a home right now is not always a pleasant experience utilizing these tips for selling a home in a down market will help ease the pain. These tips on selling are all designed to maximize the money coming to you when you're home sells, and to alert you to the realities of selling a home in today's buyers market.