"DEDICATED SERVICE TO YOU"

Couch & Associates wants to make the Selling of your current residence a positive and easy experience.

We've combined all elements of effective advertising including Real-Time Listings, Realtor.Com, the HER Realtors website(the most used web site on the Real Estate market), newsletters to past clients, and we are always looking for new ways to bring to you extensive marketing for the sale of your home.

Once buyers visit this site to see your home, their visit is recorded. They can browse through the extensive photos of your home so that when they do set their appointment to see your home, they already know how much they like it!! Follow up from their visit to your home is important. To see if there is any further interest and - if not- WHY not?

If you are beginning to gather information about listing your home, please call for your free information on the selling process. Couch & Associates: there to help you when you need it the most!

Sellers ask us all the time what they can do to help move their house faster.

Sellers ask us all the time what they can do to help move their house faster.
We’ve put together this list of items you might want to consider.

Try this- Try seeing your house through the Eyes of the Buyer.

If you were buying a home and saw your house for the first time…what would you think?
Would you feel it was inviting? Would you be critical of something? Here are some ways to make sure these questions have a positive answer- AND REMEMBER - selling a home has NOTHING to do with REAL LIFE. No one I know lives as if Better Homes is coming to take photos every day. However- when we are trying to sell and the competition is so fierce then we to make sure we have the best “product” on the market for the money.

INSIDE:

1. Clear and clean. Take all items you have sitting on furniture throughout the house and pack them away. Leave some decorative objects on the furniture but display them in groups of 1, 3, or 5 items.

2. The kitchen is the heart of the house. Buyers gravitate to it. Give them a clean and clear picture to remember. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. If you don’t use it on a daily basis... put it away. Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, pictures, etc. A clean and open kitchen helps the buyer mentally move their own things into your kitchen.

3. In the bathroom: remove any unnecessary items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Keep only your most needed cosmetics, brushes, perfumes etc., in one small group on the counter. Coordinate towels to one or two colors only. Make sure surfaces are clean and has no soap scum or build up. Clean the mirrors and lights. Have a particular area that is a problem? We may have a solution. Ask us.

4. We may ask or help you rearrange or remove some of the furniture if necessary. Don’t take offence. Many times we have too much furniture in a room or don’t have it placed in the best way to take advantage of the space. When it comes to selling we need to thin out as much as possible to make rooms appear larger.

5. We may suggest that you take down or rearrange certain pictures or objects on walls a well as patching and painting if necessary. Why? These items can help hold an area together or cause people to focus more on the objects than the house.

6. Review the inside of the house room by room, and:
• Paint any room needing paint.
• Clean carpets or drapes that need it.
• Clean the windows and the glass in the doors.
• Clean finger prints off the wood work.

7. If you need room to store extra possessions use the garage or rent a storage unit.

8. During "showings" turn on all the lights and lamps. Please don’t leave candles burning if you are not there to attend them.

9. If possible, have stereo FM on during the day for all viewings.

10. Do not put any perfumed scents into the room. If scents are used, ONLY pumpkin, cinnamon and apples. Natural scents. Other smells can cause an allergic reaction or head ache for people who are sensitive.

OUTSIDE:
1. Go around the perimeter of the house and move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc., into the garage.

2. Check gutters for roof moss and dry rot. Make sure they are swept and cleaned.

3. Look at all plants... prune bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking windows. You can’t sell a house if you can’t see it. Plants are like children -- they grow so fast!!

4. Weed and then mulch all planting areas. Keep lawn freshly cut and fertilized. Remove and dead plants or shrubs.

5. Clear patios or decks of all small items such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys. etc. (Put them in the garage or a storage unit.)

6. Check paint condition of the house -- especially the front door and trim. If necessary paint or replace the mail box at the curb. Put new house numbers up. Clean off the outside lights so they are bright and shiny. "CURB APPEAL REALLY WORKS!"

Any time or money invested on the following will bring back more money in return, and hopefully a faster sale.

"Interview"

Choose a company who has some name recognition.
Why? Because people instantly recognize the sign.
There is no doubt that the property is for sale and not for 'rent' or 'lease'. Larger companies spend big dollars to find out what attracts attention to their signs...take advantage of it.

Choose a Realtor by interviewing them.

What should you ask?

-Where do you advertise?
-How much do you advertise?
-Can I see samples?
-If I call are you (the agent) going to be available?
-Do you track my showings?
-Can you track how many times people have looked
at the photos of my house on the web site?
-Do you advertise on Television? other magazines besides the local paper?

The interview will also tell you how comfortable you are with the process described. Ask for a 'time line' of events.

"Followup"

Once you've chosen your Real Estate Agent,
Follow up with them to make sure they live up to the commitment they have made.

We guarantee our service. If we don't do what we say we will do, you can cancel your agreement with us.

Over Pricing Doesn't you the give Maneuvering Room you may think...; I

Contrary to Seller's expectations that Buyers will simply bid less than what they are asking, most Buyers won't make an offer on a home priced too high for the market.

Instead, Buyers will wait until the price is reduced and thest their options elsewhere in the meantime.

There are other reasons as well, that Sellers don't received offers on houses that are overpriced. Most Buyers I talk with don't want to insult the Seller with a substancially lower offer.

Buyers also spend a great deal of time looking at home in certain areas and tend to know the market better sometimes than the Seller does just because they are out looking at competing homes!

Agents tend to shy away from overpriced homes, too.

The last hurdle a Seller has in overpricing the property is the New Buyer's appraiser. While it is true that a Seller can ask any amount that they want for their home, the truth is, the Lender for the New Buyer will do an appraisal and if it doesn't appraise for the price offered and accepted by the Buyer and Seller...guess what? The Buyer won't be able to get the new loan and the Seller will either have to renegotiate-or-take the chance that the Buyer could ligitimatly walk away from the deal!!
Guest writer: Dian Hymer, Miami Herald

Realtor Speak 101

Home is a nine letter word: COMMODITY
A commodity by which the Seller will get to their next destination.

Your house is a product. Treat it that way. And remember, you won't be the only one on the market…you will have competition.

When a house sells quickly, it means that, the market conditions (loan programs, interest rates) for the Buyer were good, your house was properly prepared (staged-- another article and another time) and your house was priced correctly.
Not much more to talk about.

When interest rates are good but your home doesn't sell quickly..Or when interest rates aren't good and your home doesn't sell… this is the focus of this article.

Whether you've had many showings but no contract or when you've had no showings at all… we must begin to interpret what is really going on and what is being said.

Your job is to listen but DO NOT take the answers personally. If we (you the Seller and me the Agent) can find one area that might change the tide of showings and produce a contract, isn't that worth taking a moment to really hear what people are saying to you?

We ask showing Realtors for feedback after every showing. They don't always give it. But we do try.

Here is some of the feed back I hear ...but what does it realllly mean?

"The Buyer thought the house was too small"
"They like the house but they bought a new one".
I hear this one a lot!"They didn't like the carpet".
"They thought the yard was too small, the street too busy"

Now how do you change something if you don't know what the problem is?

Perhaps you've sold a house before and you remember hearing some of these things.
Lets start with the Agent who gives us this feed back.

Agents usually show more than one house to a Buyer. Sometimes, by the end of the day, they have shown as many as 10-15 houses and they honestly may not remember your home in detail but will remember the one thing that the Buyer said. If an agent does not call me back after a showing even though I have tried many times to contact them, one thing is for certain: Their Buyer is not interested.

Now, let's go back to the comments that Realtors share and see what they REALLY mean:
"The Buyer thought the house was too small."

In Realtor speak this means:
The Buyer found larger homes for the same price.
This could mean that your price might be too high or that the other larger homes are not asking enough for their house.

"They liked the house but bought a new home"
This means:
Their Buyer found other houses that had more for the same money... more amenities or square footage, or basement, but more of something for the same price...again a signal to look at your price.

"They like the house but bought a new home"

Buyers will pay 10 to 15% more for a new house. So, a new build could be a better value? It definitely has had less wear than an existing. It is also a clean slate for the Buyer to add their personal touches instead changing yours.
Plus often Builders offer much lower rates than Lenders.
As your Real Estate Agent, I will have some alternate competitive financing options for potential Buyers to see that might give you an edge..

Also, Prepare to Neutralize and minimize!! Store unused clothes, items to make closets and rooms appear larger. Paint rooms a neutral color.

"They didn't like the carpet"
This is a tough one isn't it? You've had this green shag carpet since 1963 and it still looks good! Buyers look at these items and get a mental picture of how many $$'s it's going to take to change out a room when it might be a very simple and cheap solution.

If your home has had absolutely no showings since it's been listed, have your agent check market condtions if they haven't already, as well as sales in the neighborhood. Somthing is amiss.
How does your price compare to others on the market? How's your curb appeal? How 's the market doing?

I'll help you figure it out!

.

5 Things to Do Before You Sell

1. Get estimates from a reliable repairperson on items that need to be replaced soon, a roof or worn carpeting, for example. In this way, buyers will have a better sense of how much these needed repairs will affect their costs.

2. Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property is not infested.

3. Get a pre-sale home inspection so you'll be able to make repairs before buyers become concerned and cancel a contract.

4. Gather together warranties and guarantees on the furnace, appliances, and other items that will remain with the house.

5. Fill out a disclosure form provided by your sales associate. Take the time to be sure that you don't forget problems, however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.

Tips for Holding a Yard Sale

Use a yard sale to reduce the clutter in your home and get rid of items you don't want to move.

1. Check with your city government to see if you need a permit or license.
2. See if neighbors want to participate and have a "block" sale to attract more visitors.
3. Advertise. Put an ad in free classified papers, put up signs and balloons at major intersections and in stores near your home.
4. Price items ahead and attach prices with removable stickers. Remember, yard sales are supposed to be bargains, so don't try to sell anything of significant value this way.
5. Check items before the sale to be sure you haven't including something you want by mistake.
6. Keep pets away from the sale.
7. Display everything neatly and individually so customers don't have to dig through boxes.
8. Have an electrical outlet so buyers can test appliances.
9. Have plenty of bags and newspaper for wrapping fragile items.
10. Get enough change, and keep a close eye on your cash

HOMEOWNERS-

The 10 Most Frequent House Problems
Recent surveys by U.S. and Canadian home inspectors resulted in a list of the most frequently found problems in the homes they have inspected:

1. Improper Surface Grading/Drainage
This was by far the most frequently found problem, reported by 35.8% of the survey respondents. It is responsible for the most common of household maladies: water penetration of the basement or crawl space.

2. Improper Electrical Wiring
A significant number (19.9%) chose this item as the most common home defect, which includes such situations as insufficient electrical service to the house, inadequate overload protection, and amateur, often dangerous, wiring connections.

3. Roof Damage
Although reported by only 8.5% of the respondents as the most common problem, roof leakage, caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing, was considered by inspectors to be a frequent problem.

4. Heating Systems
Problems in this category include broken or malfunctioning operation controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal.

5. Poor Overall Maintenance
Even the novice home buyer is usually aware of this situation, demonstrated by such signs as cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, and broken fixtures or appliances. See the rest of the problems and notes at (Home Hints eNews)

10 Ways to Make Your House More Saleable

1. Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.

2. Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.

3. Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.

5. Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.

6. Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they'll give buyers the impression that the house isn't well maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Clean your gutters.

10. Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.

5 Ways to Speed Up Your Sale

1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property's realistic price range.

2. Get your house market ready for at least two weeks before you begin showing it.

3. Be flexible about showings. It's often disruptive to have a house ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more often someone can see your home, the sooner you'll find a seller.

4. Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you'll find acceptable.

5. Don't refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, be prepared to lower your asking price.

Color-trend experts (yes, there are such people) remind us that the hues, fabrics and finishes we bring into our homes are, in part, dictated by national and international events. Not surprisingly, the red, white and blue triad always gathers a little steam with Americans during election years, and global athletic competitions usually inspire a sense of unity underneath all that sweat.

For these and other reasons, the 2008 color wheel begins on blue.

Home Inspecitons

Preparing a House to Sell

Many buyers peruse neighborhoods looking at listed properties from the outside before inquiring with the listing agent to show them the inside.

A first impression is hard to shake and if the prospective buyer doesn't like the house from the outside, they probably won't inquire at all.

To get them past the front door, you need to add some curb appeal. Here's a list of items that will definitely add value to your home.
Outside Maintenance

Clear your gutters and downspouts of debris (leaves, sticks, etc.) that may block the flow of water from your roof.

Properly grade the area under your downspouts and around your house, so rainwater flows away from your foundation.

Splash blocks can help rainwater at downspouts flow in the proper direction. If necessary, add extensions to your downspouts.

Plantings should be set away from the foundation to ensure regular watering does not add to soil moisture around the basement.

Lawn sprinklers should not hit the house or the area next to the foundation.

Ensure that landscaping around the foundation(sidewalks, patios, gardens, etc.) starts at 8 inches down from the top of your foundation wall and slopes away from the home.

Failure to do so may cause moisture to build up at or around the foundation and promote the environment for mold growth.

Keep mulch, dirt and other landscaping material away from veneer drainage system weep holes commonly found on, but not limited to masonry and stucco homes.

The veneer drainage system diverts water away from the interior of the exterior wall system and the weep holes allow the water to escape the wall.

If the weep holes are blocked or clogged with debris, mold may form on the interior of the exterior walls. The weep holes are found at the bottom of the finished veneer.

Sidewalks, steps and exterior foundation cracks should be filled or parged to bring up to date.

Caulking around windows, doors, chimney/siding cavity, foundation, and other common leakage points is necessary to prevent any moisture intrusion.

Inside Maintenance

Clean everything in sight. The kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and general living spaces, and clean/test household appliances and equipment.

No matter what physical condition the property is in, it should be clean, tidy and uncluttered.

You want buyers to view your home as their potential home. Therefore put away family photos, sports trophies, collectable items, knick-knacks and souvenirs. Put them in a box or a rented storage area for a few months.

Shampoo rugs and wax floors.

Wash walls and use a broom to clear cobwebs from the corners of rooms and closets.

Wash windows and clean blinds or draperies.

Repair those small things now, like leaky faucets, missing tiles or broken screens.

Replace all burned-out light bulbs.

Properly insulate (12" of blanket or 8" of blown-in insulation) and ventilate the attic of your home.

If you are a smoker, clean, prime and paint any nicotine stained walls and ceilings thoroughly and refrain from smoking in the home.

Basement

Neaten up the basement.

Clean up and correct any water problems in your basement, iincluding upgrading the foundation with a mortar parging at all loose cavities and cracks.

Test sump pump.

The Day of the Showing

Before you leave, turn on all lights, open all curtains and shutters to let in as much light as possible but screen out unappealing views.

Feel free to download this page of tips in a printer-friendly PDF format. You can reproduce it and make it part of your real estate information packet.

TRENDS for 2007 Every year new "trends" go in/ old "trends" go out. What was popular today...watch out....it will be gone tomorrow! AND- who decides these things anyway? Sellers want to know- what should I do if I remodel this? What really works? Will I get my money back IF I spend $$$ what should I spend it on to get the most out of it? How much faith does one put into this list? Definately some. But...it still is largely a matter of taste. Just as we all rushed out to put stainless steel in our kitchens, we will continue to look-at and lust-after the newest, brightest, and different of the trends in the market today. Before you replace those appliances with "Harvest GOLD"- trust me, it will be back...(but not this year) - or with long rakeable shag carpeting- (it's back too but in a much shorter version called "California Shag")take a look and see what you think. Here are the trends as reported in HGTV PRO for 2007. I can't wait to get the list for 2008!!

TRENDS - What's "IN" By Mark Nash In a changing market, there's an inevitable change in buying and selling practices. Here are some trends that real estate professionals are noticing and expecting for the coming year. What's In The housing correction. My prediction in the 2006 "What's In, What's Out" was for a soft decline in home prices in most markets. In 2007, I project a 5-8 percent decline in prices on average between single-family and condominium homes. Homes that are priced right. It isn't the boom market of 2005. Look at only the sold comparables from the last six months. Forget the cocktail party chit-chat when all you heard was record prices in the shortest market times in U.S. real estate history. Online home valuation sites (for example, Zillow.com), especially those that utilize up-to-date and reliable home sale data. Technology is great when it works, but tread carefully with online valuation websites. Ask yourself how long it takes your local recorder of deeds and real-estate transactions to record them? If they're up-to-the-minute, okay; otherwise consider the lead time into the online valuation to get accurate information. Market timing. Many buyers and sellers were on their own timelines in 2006, and they missed opportunities that were created by not recognizing the real estate market's ebb and flow. Spring is high market, the most demand by the largest number of buyers. Summer is a good market, fall is fair, and winter is the remnant market, the left-over buyers and sellers from the high, good and fair markets. Savvy buyers. With interest rates historically low and pent-up demand from a soft year in 2006, the deals and lack of frenzy won't last long. "Deferred demand" from 2006 could ignite a mini-frenzy in some markets. Third places or officetels. Home offices are on the rise, though those who work from one need more than a coffee shop or hotel lobby for business meetings. Look for alternative work spaces that bridge the home office with hourly rentals of conference room-type spaces that offer technology and privacy. Upscale garages. It's no longer the out-of-sight, out-of-mind dumping ground. Today's garage owners want them decked out with cabinet and storage systems, mini-refrigerators, insulation, heating and air conditioning, and durable but residential-looking flooring. Caving. Man caves and Mom caves are coming out of the closet. Personal dedicated space for one person in a household can go and work on projects or "chill" without being disturbed. Two home offices. Rising gas prices and commuting times have created more two-work-at-home families. Size matters; make sure each is at least ten-by-ten feet. Rejuvenation rooms. A one-stop space for exercising, meditation, yoga, sauna and fancy steam showers. Showers are going upscale too. Waterfall fixtures and programmable temperature and water flow are the next trends for "showerers." Heated patios, walkways and driveways. Northern baby boomers are tired of shoveling and are looking for ways to decrease winter maintenance. Plus many have discovered how also heating the patio can add an extra couple of weeks of enjoyment in spring and fall. Snoring rooms. Offered as options in new homes, adjacent second bedrooms to the master offer relief from the "buzz saw" and an alternative to the couch. A godsend for millions of relationships nationwide. Modular housing. Many think of the out-dated double wide as the typical modular, but modular options and quality have exploded in a range from the bread-and-butter, 1,200-square-foot starter home to the top-end 11,000 square foot home with every whistle and bell and complex finishing details. Low-cost, factory-built construction and quick concep-to-foundation times make this the affordable wave of the future. Sustainable design. Sustainable design is based on three areas: energy conservation, indoor air quality and resource conservation. Sustainable design looks at homes holistically and not just as a group of unrelated systems thrown together. Natural forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and geo-thermal, are maximized. Structured wiring. Right up there with all the buzz about green homes is structured wiring, now entering the mainstream must-have for technology-based home buyers. Coaxial TV cable (RG-6), Category 5E voice and data lines, distributed radio and remote-camera security are wired throughout a home into multi-outlet boxes called home network centers. Mixing finishes on kitchen base and wall cabinets. Matchy-matchy is out in kitchen design. The new look is to have stained-wood bases and painted wood upper cabinets. It's the old-Europe look, tailored to fit with today's appliances.

TRENDS - What's OUT!

Out

"As is" in home sale marketing. Anything went in the boom market, but if you're planning to use "as is" in 2007, forget it. The two letter-two word kiss of death, buyers see it as a red flag about the home and you as the seller. You have too much competition to be chasing buyers away.

Buyer incentives. Free cars don't sell houses; realistic pricing does. Gimmicks only confuse and distract buyers. Cut to the chase and deduct the cost of your free-with-purchase from your current price and send the signal to buyers that you're selling real property, not personal property.

Endless open houses. The open house pendulum has swung from "the house sold in the first day" to "we need to have our house open every Sunday." Desperation is when your home is open every Sunday. Buyers know and track it. Plan on every three weeks to have a public open house.

Over-full-price offers. It was a strategy in the boom market to under-price a home and let the market set the selling price. Not today. One thing that won't change in 2007 is that every buyer will want a deal — and walk away if they don't get one.

Bedrooms too small for a bed. In the boom, rehabbers and developers learned the fastest way to profit was to increase the room count of a home of an existing home. Bedrooms shrank to walk-in-closet size when a four-room one-bedroom was gut-rehabbed into a four-room two-bedroom. Or the doorways and windows gobble up too much wall space. Savvy agents kept asking, "Can you fit a queen-size bed in either room?" And the answer was usually, "No."

Loads of glass upper kitchen cabinet doors. Buyers say it looks great, but many who specified and experienced it firsthand don't have the time to keep their kitchen cabinets organized. Plus, if you hate washing the windows, having more glass in a greasy room like a kitchen means high maintenance.

Bowl-shaped above-counter bathroom sinks. The splashing and over-all upkeep have earned these the reputation of nice to look at, but don't want one.

Any shiny metal finish. Brushed nickels and pewters are in, and antiqued and polished brass is out.

Stainless-steel refrigerators and dishwashers are a fading trend. The cold look and higher maintenance of steel is shifting buyers to specify warmer colors in kitchen appliances.

Spiral staircases. Once the rage for mid-70s makeovers, now death to a home seller. The boomers have aged, their kids don't like them, and they're unfriendly to pets and young children. Take yours out and put in a standard staircase (inside or out) before you sell.

What's "On the Way OUT!"

On the way out.

Bamboo floors. The first reviews are in on this popular eco-friendly flooring, and they're not pretty. Easily dented and scratched, and prone to warping from variations in our climate and humidity levels.

Hardwood laminate floors. The word is out that these noisy poor relatives of solid hardwood don't stand up to multiple sandings to change color or to remove stains.

Home sellers who smoke in their home while it is being marketed. Buyers hate second-hand and stale smoke odors. Marketing your home is not the same as living in it. If you have to smoke, go outside.

7 Steps to Preparing for an Open House

1. Hire a cleaning service. A spotlessly clean home is essential; dirt will turn off a prospect faster than anything.

2. Mow your lawn, and be sure toys and yard equipment are put away.

3. Serve cookies, coffee, and soft drinks. It creates a welcoming touch. But be sure the kitchen has been cleaned up; use disposable cups so the sink doesn't fill up.

4. Lock up your valuables, jewelry, and money. Although the real estate salesperson will be on site during the open house, it's impossible to watch everyone all the time.

5. Turn on all the lights. Even in the daytime, incandescent lights add sparkle.

6. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that's not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (a basement or bath), and let the salesperson know where to find them.

7. Leave. It's awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

10 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE IRRESISTABLE FOR AN OPEN HOUSE!

1. Put fresh or silk flowers in principal rooms for a touch of color.

2. Add a new shower curtain, fresh towels, and new guest soaps to every bath.

3. Set out potpourri (CINNAMON AND APPLE ONLY)or fresh baked goods for a homey smell.

4. Set the table with pretty dishes and candles.

5. Buy a fresh doormat with a clever saying.

6. Take one or two major pieces of furniture out of every room to create a sense of spaciousness.

7. Put away kitchen appliances and personal bathroom items to give the illusion of more counter space.

8. Lay a fire in the fireplace. Or put a basket of flowers there if it's not in use.

9. Depersonalize the rooms by putting away family photos, mementos, and distinctive artwork.

10. Turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes to make the lawn sparkle.

7 Terms to Watch for in a Purchase Contract

1. The closing date. See if the date the buyer wants to take title is reasonable for you.

2. Date of possession. See if the date the buyer wants to move in is reasonable for you.

3. The earnest money. Look for the largest earnest money deposit possible; since it is forfeited if the buyer backs out, a large deposit is usually a good indication of a sincere buyer.

4. Fixtures and personal property. Check the list of items that the buyer expects to remain with the property and be sure it's acceptable.

5. Repairs. Determine what the requested repairs will cost and whether you're willing to do the work or would rather lower the price by that amount.

6. Contingencies. See what other factors the buyer wants met before the contract is final—inspections, selling a home, obtaining a mortgage, review of the contract by an attorney. Set time limits on contingencies so that they won't drag on and keep your sale from becoming final.

7. The contract expiration date. See how long you have to make a decision on the offer.

What You'll Net at Closing

To find out how much money you'll net from your house, add up your closing costs and subtract them from the sale price of the house.

Closing Costs for Sellers

-Mortgage payoff and outstanding interest.
-Prorations for real estate taxes.
-Prorations for utility bills, condo dues, and other items paid in arrears.
-Closing fees charged by closing specialist.
-Title policy fees.
-Home inspections (termite inspection & gas line warranty.)
-Attorney's fees.
-Survey charge.
-Transfer tax or other government registration fees.
-Brokerage commission.

Total

Moving Tips for Sellers

1. Give your forwarding address to the post office, usually 2-4 weeks ahead of the move.

2. Notify our charge cards, magazine subscriptions, and bank of the change of address.

3. Develop a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified of the move.

4. Arrange to have utilities disconnected at your old home and connected at your new one.

5. Cancel the newspaper.

6. Check insurance coverage for moved items. Usually movers only cover what they pack.

7. Clean out appliances and prepare them for moving, if applicable.

8. Note the weight of the goods you'll have moved, since long-distance moves are usually billed according to weight. Watch for movers that use excessive padding to add weight.

9. Check with your condo or co-op about restrictions on using the elevator or particular exits.

10. Have a "first open" box with the things you'll need most—toilet paper, soap, trash bags, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, pencils and paper, cups and plates, water, snacks, and toothpaste.

Plus, if you're moving out of town:
1. Get copies of medical and dental records and prescriptions for your family and your pets.

2. Get copies of children's school records for transfer.

3. Ask friends for introductions to anyone they know in your new neighborhood.

4. Consider special car needs for pets when traveling.

5. Let a friend or relative know your route.

6. Carry traveler's checks or an ATM card for ready cash until you can open a bank account.

7. Empty your safety deposit box.

8. Put plants in boxes with holes for air circulation if you're moving in cold weather.

To help calculate your moving costs, visit
http://www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/movecalcin.html?NETSCAPE_LIVEWIRE.src=homestore&dg=pm&gate=realtor

Six Items to Have on Hand for the New Owners:

1. Owner's manuals for items left in the house.
2. Warranties for any items left in the house.
3. A list of local service providers—the best dry cleaner, yard service, etc.
4. Garage door opener.
5. Extra sets of house keys.
6. Code to burglar alarm and phone number of monitoring service if not discontinued.

Understanding Agency

It's important to understand what legal responsibilities your real estate salesperson has to you and to other parties in the transactions. Ask your salesperson to explain what type of agency relationship you have with him or her and with the brokerage company.

1. Seller's representative (also known as a listing agent or seller's agent). A seller's agent is hired by and represents the seller. All fiduciary duties are owed to the seller. The agency relationship usually is created by a listing contract.

2. Subagent. A subagent owes the same fiduciary duties to the agent's principal as the agent does. Subagency usually arises when a cooperating sales associate from another brokerage, who is not representing the buyer as a buyer's representative or operating in a nonagency relationship, shows property to a buyer. In such a case, the subagent works with the buyer as a customer but owes fiduciary duties to the listing broker and the seller. Although a subagent cannot assist the buyer in any way that would be detrimental to the seller, a buyer-customer can expect to be treated honestly by the subagent. It is important that subagents fully explain their duties to buyers.

3. Buyer's representative (also known as a buyer's agent). A real estate licensee who is hired by prospective buyers to represent them in a real estate transaction. The buyer's rep works in the buyer's best interest throughout the transaction and owes fiduciary duties to the buyer. The buyer can pay the licensee directly through a negotiated fee, or the buyer's rep may be paid by the seller or by a commission split with the listing broker.

4. Disclosed dual agent. Dual agency is a relationship in which the brokerage firm represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction. Dual agency relationships do not carry with them all of the traditional fiduciary duties to the clients. Instead, dual agents owe limited fiduciary duties. Because of the potential for conflicts of interest in a dual-agency relationship, it's vital that all parties give their informed consent. In many states, this consent must be in writing. Disclosed dual agency, in which both the buyer and the seller are told that the agent is representing both of them is legal in most states.

5. Designated agent (also called, among other things, appointed agency). This is a brokerage practice that allows the managing broker to designate which licensees in the brokerage will act as an agent of the seller and which will act as an agent of the buyer. Designated agency avoids the problem of creating a dual-agency relationship for licensees at the brokerage. The designated agents give their clients full representation, with all of the attendant fiduciary duties. The broker still has the responsibility of supervising both groups of licensees.

6. Nonagency relationship (called, among other things, a transaction broker or facilitator). Some states permit a real estate licensee to have a type of nonagency relationship with a consumer. These relationships vary considerably from state to state, both as to the duties owed to the consumer and the name used to describe them. Very generally, the duties owed to the consumer in a nonagency relationship are less than the complete, traditional fiduciary duties of an agency relationship.

Don't let tiny closets shut out Buyers!

Experts in home staging and closet organization share their best tips on how to make the most of sparse storage space.

BY KELLY QUIGLEY

Walk-in closets and roomy pantries are a necessity for many of today's homebuyers who have lots of stuff and need a place to store it all. So when your listing is lacking in storage room, you have a big challenge to overcome in order to maximize buyer appeal.

You're most likely to encounter small storage areas in older homes, condominiums, and lofts. In many cases, the problem is compounded by cluttered living areas, as items that would normally be kept out of view become part of the décor.

"We're a consumer society, and we have more stuff than ever before," says professional organizer Barry Izsak, owner of Arranging It All in Austin, Texas. "Twenty or 30 years ago, people lived with less. They didn't have three sets of dishes and 15 pairs of black shoes."

But even tiny closets and other storage problems are surmountable after you get the sellers' cooperation. Start by explaining to your sellers that all of their hard work purging and organizing will give them a head start on packing for the move—and will go a long way in winning over potential buyers, says Izsak, who is president of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

Izsak suggests telling sellers: "If a closet is packed to the gills, it's only going to draw attention to how small it is. The smartest thing you can do is weed through what you have so the closets look ample, not overflowing."

Apply the Two-Thirds Rule

Whether you're facing a jam-packed closet in the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen, you should ask sellers to sift through their belongings and clean out everything that's not used regularly. "A rule of thumb is to have closets no more than two-thirds full," says Terrylynn Fisher, CRS®, GRI, a broker with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek, Calif.

Fisher, who's also a trained staging expert, says prospective buyers should be able to look inside a closet and think: "I have more stuff than this. But there is extra room in the closet, so surely my things will fit."

Bedroom closets, which can make or break a sale, need special attention when they're on the small side. That means removing clothes, shoes, and bulky jackets that are out of season or worn only on formal occasions. "It's a fact that most people wear 20 percent of their clothes 80 percent of the time," Izsak says.

But sometimes it's not just clothes and shoes clogging up a closet. Ramona Creel—a professional organizer in the Washington, D.C., area who has worked with homeowners and real estate practitioners to get homes in shape for sale—says purses, hats, and sports equipment also are commonly misplaced in bedroom closets—making the space seem smaller than it really is.

Box It Up, Move It Out

If the extra items can't be moved to an emptier closet in the home, they should be packed away in labeled storage boxes, which can be neatly stored under the bed, in the garage, or in a basement. But if these options aren't feasible, which often is the case in condos, consider doing what Fisher encourages her sellers to do: rent storage space.

The cost of storage is usually well worth the improved appearance of closets and other cluttered areas of the home, she says.

What if sellers have weeded out clothes they don't wear and closets are still packed? Make sure drawer space, hanger space, and shelving in the bedroom are being used wisely, Izsak says. Jeans and tee-shirts that are hanging in the closet are prime candidates for moving to the drawers—if there's space.

Sellers also can consider buying an inexpensive closet organizer that can double a closet's capacity. Many discount stores and online retailers sell rods for less than $20 that hang from the existing closet rod and create a second level of hanging space.

Declutter Kitchens, Baths, and Beyond

You can encounter closet challenges in virtually any room of a house. In each instance, follow the same advice given for bedroom closets: clear out the items that aren't used often and box them up for storage, either on-site or off-site.

In the kitchen, have sellers pack up their little-used pots, pans, and other cooking utensils that fill up valuable cabinet space. Non-perishables can be donated to a local food bank or stored in boxes in a less conspicuous part of the house. Pot racks are a viable option for some, but not for all. "You have to have nice-looking pots," Fisher says. Otherwise, they can work against you.

For overstuffed bathroom closets and shelves, sellers should remove extra towels and toiletries. If a bathroom lacks a closet or shelf space, you must find innovative ways to make sure sparse storage isn't the first thing a potential buyer notices. Fisher has placed rolled-up towels in iron wine racks, while Iszak relies heavily on decorative baskets to group small items.

"It looks pretty to the eye, but it serves a very functional purpose," Izsak says.

An excess of toys can be a big problem in kids' closets. Under-the-bed trundles can store toys out of sight, as can attractive storage bins and toy chests—which can double as benches or tables in the bedroom or playroom. Parents can work with their kids to cut down on the number of toys in the room by donating them to charity or boxing them up.

Details Make a Great Impression

Your next task is to attend to details that make a storage area go beyond looking ample to truly shine. Experts say it helps to paint the inside of closets a bright, neutral color and to clean the lighting fixtures so the space won't appear dark and dingy.

Creel, who runs the Web site OnlineOrganizing.com, says quality hangers also improve the look. "It's amazing what a difference consistently sized and shaped hangers can make," she says.

Toss out the wire hangers and put those big bulky suit hangers in storage, Creel says. Instead, use plastic tubular hangers, which can be purchased in bulk from almost any discount retailer. Izsak suggests taking it a step further by grouping similar clothing items together and facing the same direction.

If a seller decides to empty out closets entirely before showings, it's smart to add a few decorative touches by hanging a dress and placing a hat box on the top shelf, Fisher says. Just as it's smart to make sure closets are no more than two-thirds full, it's also important that they're not completely barren.

Always Think Creatively

With every home you list, you will face a unique situation that calls for a unique response. You'll find that what works for one closet may not work for another closet. And some sellers surely will be harder to motivate than others.

One thing is certain: it's always better to show off a home's closets in their best light—even if they're small—than it is to act as if the storage space is a downside of a property. As popular as walk-in closets are, some buyers may not be put off by smaller storage spaces.

As is the case in any other room of the house, if a small closet is "too cluttered and too personalized, buyers won't be able to picture their belongings in your space," Fisher says.

But by putting the best face on any small space, you should be on track for a successful home showing.

Want to know more?

Staging Suggestions

Stellar Staging Tips

Clear out their closets and their clutter. Encourage them to hold a yard sale or donate unwanted household goods to charity.

Pack up extra toys, linens, small kitchen appliances, and the like and store them offsite or in the garage.

Be sure the trees are trimmed, the shrubs are pruned, and the lawn is mowed and watered regularly. Turn on the sprinklers for five minutes 30 minutes before the open house. It makes the lawn and driveway sparkle.

Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor (fish, garlic, cabbage) and from introducing any other unappealing odors into the home.

Clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.

Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.

Serve cookies and coffee; people will linger longer. But be sure to clean up any mess after the open house.

Arrange fresh flowers throughout the home and have a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.

Add extra lamps in dark rooms or dark corners, and turn on the lights when you show the home to prospective buyers.

Remove stacks of magazines, ashtrays, sports trophies, family photographs, and other distractions.

—Barb Schwarz, in "How to State Your Listings So They Sell Quickly," The Real Estate Professional, July/August 1998)

Five Ways to Go Green at Home

It's easy being green!
Many people shy away from going green because they think it's too much work or too expensive. However, today, it's never been easier to go green. In fact, doing so may even save you hundreds of dollars a year in utilities! Here are five quick and inexpensive ways to go green in your home:

• Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. Even changing just the five most frequently-used bulbs in your house can save you $100 per year or more!
• Install low-flow shower heads or place a water-displacement bag in your toilet tank to cut down on water waste.
• Set your thermostat to 78° or higher in the summer and 62° or lower in the winter to save $100 or more on your energy bill each year.
• Utilize power strips and cut down on "vampire electricity," which is the electricity used while appliances and electronics are plugged into an outlet, but not in use. By flipping the "off" switch on a power strip, you'll quickly put a stop to this.
• Do full loads when washing clothes or dishes as a way to save gallons of wasted water every week. And use cold water whenever possible.