Selecting Your Realtor: 
I have several questions that I hope help kick-start the different areas of concern you may have so that you can best match yourself to a great realtor! Take a run through the following list, and get off to a great start in finding a realtor:

• How long has s/he been an active realtor, & is s/he full-time?
• What was the reason s/he joined the realty field?
• What does s/he enjoy about living in the area, & how long has s/he lived here?
• Is there local information s/he will provide?
• Will s/he share with you some common mistakes buyers make?
• What does s/he offer that make him/her different from other realtors?
• Will s/he provide a Comparative Market Analysis of homes you’re interested in?

Selling Your Home:
Lists help you not only accomplish more than just winging it, but they also help you feel organized & less overwhelmed along the way. I’ve put together the following list of items to consider or check off as you prepare to have the most successful home sale possible!

• Prepare Your Home – Really try to look at your home through a stranger’s eyes. Look at your home as you pull up in your car & critique what could be simplified or improved. It may be simple as removing clutter, & it may involve a more major undertaking, but noticing is the first step! Depersonalizing & de-cluttering on the inside is important as well. Step through your front door & take in your “first impression.” Do this walk through with a notebook & jot down everything you see – from dirty floorboards to wall holes that need patching.
  
  
• Find a Listing Agent – It is reassuring to have a professional looking out for your best interests and representing you throughout negotiations. You will also be able to make decision with confidence, knowing you are well-informed.
  
  
• Showing Your Home – If you have pets, it is a good idea to make sure they are kenneled or relocated while guests visit. Ask your realtor for ways to stage your home. A lockbox will be placed on your front door handle, letting your realtor gain access without you home. Consider each showing an opportunity to impact each potential buyer with an outstanding first impression, so keep your home ready. Your agent will be privy to feedback from these showings, so that you can know what people are noticing & appreciating or disliking.
  
  
• The Real Value of Your Home – It’s easy to have stars in your eyes when you’ve invested time & money in your property over the years, but do not make the most common selling mistake: overpricing your home! Allow your realtor to price your home based on current market conditions.
  
  
• Marketing Your Home – Here’s where your realtor will earn your trust & funds the most:  showing off your home to the buying public. S/he will utilize yard signs, internet listings, open houses, & brochures, just to name a few avenues of marketing choices in realty.
  
  
• Offer Negotiation – Buyers will make you an offer. First, your realty agent will ensure the buyer is pre-qualified for the loan needed to purchase your home. Then s/he will share the offer & all its details (closing costs, contingencies, deposit amount) & help you decide if the offer will be a good match for you. If changes need to be made, your agent will help you prepare & deliver & counteroffer.
  
  
• Prior to Closing – Accepting an offer opens the door to a new list of To Do items that need to be addressed to complete the sale. Repairs, inspections, or a handful of other issues will be handled, & the contract will determine how much you are responsible for in regards to carrying out each item &/or funding them. The contract can allow for either party to walk away pending the discovery of problems.
  
  
• Closing – Your realtor will mediate the closing for you, as s/he will be able to address any last minute issues that arise & ensure the legal transfer of your home goes smoothly.

Things To Consider as You Move:

1. Transfer Utilities – Really this just means cancel the ones at the old home & start them at the new home. Electric, gas, water, internet, cable, satellite, phone, trash, & lawn services are several common utilities.
   
   
2. Spread the Word of Your Address Change – Be sure to tell your billers, family, friends, employers, schools, doctors, etc. An easy way to do this is to get return address labels that say “We’ve moved!” & then provide your new address beneath.
   
   
3. Forward Your Mail – usps.com allows for this very quick & convenient step to be accomplished.
   
   
4. Things to Leave Behind – Try to gather appliance user manuals, garage door opener, keys.
   
   
5. Returning Items – Especially if you are moving out of the town or the state, gather borrowed items & get them returned to their owners.
   
   
6. Prescriptions – Many pharmacies have national databanks, but checking before you move to make sure you’ll be able to easily transfer local branches is wise.
   
   
7. Cleaning Service – Once your items are removed, it is a common courtesy to have a professional cleaning service lined up to thoroughly clean your old home.

Staging Your Home for Appeal:
When a potential buyer walks onto your property & into your home, you have approximately one minute to gain a winning first impression.  I have several ideas to help reach that goal.

Outside:

• Keep yard & edges trimmed
• Remove clutter
• Flower beds
• Freshly paint fences
• Tighten & clean door knobs
• Clean windows
  
• Power wash exterior & driveway/sidewalks
• Clean gutters & roof
• Paint front door
• Buy new welcome mat
• Arrange flower at the door
  

Inside:

• Remove furniture that is distracting from the feel of each room (rent storage if necessary)
• Organize cabinets, closets, & shelves
• Clean lights & fans
• Clean carpets & floors
• De-clutter the walls
• Repair plumbing issues
  
• Repairs screens, sticking doors, caulk
• Paint the walls & ceilings
• Replace knobs on cabinets & doors
• Clean & fix grout
• Replace broken tiles & countertops that are worn
• Replace old lamps or lampshades

Before Showings:

• Remove furniture that is distracting from the feel of each room (rent storage if necessary)
• Turn on all lights
• Open all window treatments
• Secure pets
• Put out new towels & new bedding
• Play quiet background music
• Light the fireplace or clean out the ashes & light a candelabrum
• Light a candle, choosing a comforting scent, warm & bakery-themed
• Set the table with fancy dinnerware
• Vacate the property