My Personalized Marketing Services

I can bring you the latest in technological innovations with bleeding edge resources like personalized web stages and professionally designed brochures showcasing the selling points of your home to potential buyers.Professional service and personal attention, thats the Century 21 Advantage Gold difference.

I pledge to monitor all the details and to coordinate all the marketing activities for the sale of your home, to show your property to qualified buyers, present all written offers, and facilitate the closing.

Let me tell you about the personalized marketing services I have
available to help you. Together, we will create an unparalleled opportunity to distinguish your home in this competitive marketplace.

Email me today for your free, no obligation CMA!

Top 10 Philadelphia Seller's Tips

We all know what is said about first impressions. Well, many Philadelphia and Suburban home buyers are sold in the first minutes of a home tour. They have done their homework with their agent and know the house specs fit their needs. Now they enter and imagine themselves living in the home. If it grabs them from the beginning they are likely hooked. However, the process to close a home is long and there are opportunities for the deal to fall apart. Having attention grabbing curb appeal is a great start but there are other things to keep in mind.

1. Use a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
   According to the NAR, in many markets it is likely that 80% of homes sold "For Sale By Owner" will not make it to the close of escrow. Owners are not trained in real estate negotiations and are unaware of the extensive processes that take place to get a home sold with the proper contracts and protection. It is likely that a homeowner will become discouraged and scrap the sale altogether. A well trained, successful real estate agent is worth their commission. Commissions are based on many factors. Brokers have the options to charge what they want. It will vary by area and by services offered. The best way to find out is to ask around and find out who others are using. Interview the agent and determine what he/she will do for you even before you talk of commission. The advice, services, marketing, and protection you will receive by using the right agent will save you in the long run.

2. Set the Correct Asking Price
   The price of a home determines many things regarding the sale of a home. A house will sit on the market or sell immediately depending on how it is priced with the rest of the competition in the area and market. Buyers will demand houses priced according to the market with adjustments given for condition and features. Your agent can help you determine the correct price. Take his/her advice seriously and do not let greed crave more than the market will pay. If you need a quick sale, price below the market. If you don't care about time and want the most for your home then test the market by pricing 2-3% above what other homes in the area have sold for. If an offer comes in and is reasonable be sure to consider it and give a counter if needed. Don't pass up a great opportunity thinking that something better will come in. Look at all offers that come in in a realistic manner.

3. Declutter
   Once the house is listed and priced then prep the house for sale. When a buyer comes to the house to preview it they immediately begin to imagine themselves in it. They mentally place their furniture and paint the walls. They want to do the least amount of work possible to move in. If you have clutter throughout the house it looks smaller and it looks like a lot of work to clean up. Make the home seem as though there is a lot of space and would be easy to move into.

4. Lighten Up
   Houses sell well that seem spacey, airy, and bright. When a house is presented open the windows and the window treatments (i.e. blinds and curtains). Turn on the lights. Light a few candles. The house will seem more pleasant and give a more open feeling.

5. Use Your Green Thumb
   Plants soften the feel of a home. Houses have lines and corners. Plants give an organic shape and feel. On the exterior plant shrubs, bushes, and other greenery that will show the house is well maintained. Plant seasonal flowers that will bloom at alternating times so that there is always something in bloom (obviously depending on where you live). On the inside, pot well trimmed house plants and keep them healthy. Keep the lawn trimmed as well.

6. Sell a Functional Home
   Repair broken parts of the home that should function. If something drips hire the plumber. If an appliance doesn't work get it fixed, replace, or get rid of it. If you don't have everything in working order you will pay for it at the time of inspection or you will discount it in your home price. It is best to have everything working so that it appears that little work is needed for the buyer to be comfortable.

7. Repair the Cosmetics
   A fresh coat of paint goes along way in a home appearance. Paint in neutral or white colors so buyers can imagine their own pallet to work with. Clean everything visible. Make sure an open door will reveal organized, clean feeling. Make the beds. Fold the clothes. Carpet stains affect the feel of a home. Dirty carpet suggests dirty home. Consider placing tile instead of carpet in main walk ways and near doors. Clean the garage. Clutter is a killer. People want to feel the house is ready to move into and the garage is where many people unload their belongings when moving in. Place nice pictures in the home and use them sparingly. Again, people want to imagine themselves in the house. If they see too many pictures, especially ones of someone else's kids and family, then it is hard to picture as their home. Use pictures that don't suggest race, religion, status, etc.

8. Smells
   Have you ever entered a house and thought, "how could you possibly live here with this smell?" or "what IS that?" Use neutral candles and air fresheners to give a great scent to the home. If it smells fresh it must be clean, right?

9. Kitchens and Bathrooms
   People tend to gather in kitchens and are particular about bathrooms. Clean, well organized, functional kitchens and bathrooms are very important. Make sure grout is in good repair. Be diligent in cleaning and sanitizing the rooms. Be sure appliances and faucets all work without leaks. Smells are key in selling the room as clean. Make sure toilets, sinks, washers, and stoves all work property. Refrigerators, microwaves and stoves need to be immaculate regardless of their age.

10. Be Willing to Negotiate
    Once you have determined the value of your home. Calculate what you will need to get to pay your realtor and your other seller's fees. Then, prepare the home for presentation and keep it maintained. Once you receive an offer be willing to work out the terms and price so that you get what you need while giving the buyer what he/she needs. If you can't come to terms then maybe you are not a match. However, you may need to sacrifice something to get something in return. Be sure to be open minded yet shrewd regarding your requirements.
    
    If you are asked for a home warranty consider it an investment. If something goes wrong with the house the new buyers will call the warranty company instead of you and lawsuits are less likely.

Selling a home can be a crazy adventure and there is most often a deal of work to be done to prep the home. There are many other tips and suggestions you may use. Just ask me for more information on how I can help you to sell your home!

Of course, that leads to the obvious question...How to make the open house successful??

Some tips for an Open House:

1. Open the blinds, drapes and curtains and let the sunlight in! Turn lights on! Buyers want a home that is bright and appealing.

2. Make sure your home smells good, especially if you have pets or someone in your home smokes.  Prior to your open house, open the windows, light some candles, or even bake cookies! 

3. Simply ... get rid of the CLUTTER! You want potential buyers to envision "THEIR STUFF" in those empty spaces and you want to make sure they see there is plenty of room for "THEIR STUFF."

4. Make sure everything is spotless, pay particular attention to bathrooms and kitchens! Put dishes away, mop the floors and make those rooms sparkle!

5. Check the temp! Make sure your home is at a comfortable temperature for your potential buyers, depending on the season!  You want them to stay and look around. You don't want them running to their car for heat or air condition!

6. Remove pets from the home, if possible -- or keep them outside during the showing.

7. Have a fact sheet available for your home where a buyer can easily find it or pick one up as they exit or enter your property. The dining room table or near the front door is always a great spot.

8. While hosting an open house, you should try not to be there.  Should someone make negative comment regarding your home, it may be hard for you to remain neutral and focused on the goal at hand.  Your agent is a neutral third party and always has YOUR BEST INTEREST in their hands!

9. Finally, using an amazing REALTOR will help to insure that the complex steps and legal paperwork involved with the transfer of property will go as smoothly as possible!

You can also exercise some tips that help that potential buyer move just a litte quicker!

• Down-payment help: As home prices hold steady and credit tightens, more buyers are hard-pressed to put money down on a home. A little help with the down payment can help them over this hurdle.

• Mortgage buy-down: Are your buyers nervous about their prospective monthly house payments or the interest rate on their loan? You can lower both by buying down their mortgage; each point you pay equals 1 percent of the loan amount. First-time buyers or young families can often use the help to free up cash to furnish their new home.

• Homeowner/condo association dues: Welcome your buyers to the neighborhood by springing for their first year of association dues.

• Maintenance fees: If the buyers will be contracting for lawn maintenance anyway, or if they will be required to do so in your community, paying a year of their maintenance fees is money in the bank for them. The same applies to a year of pool service.

• Home warranty: As the cost of service calls increases, a year of home warranty coverage is becoming a commonplace incentive to attract buyers. Typical policies cover service to the home's interior plumbing, HVAC, appliances and fixtures such as lights and fans. Typically excluded are pools, hot tubs, sprinkler systems and attic fans. Their only expense: a per-call fee, usually around $60.

• Closing costs: What buyer wouldn't welcome some help with those teeth-gritting closing costs (legal, title, filing fees, etc.) that, according to a Freddy Mac estimate, typically run between 2 percent to 7 percent of the loan amount?

• Landscaping: Springing for a few shrubs, new turf or other landscaping features can help a buyer feel right at home.

• Leave a treasure behind: Some home furnishings, especially those custom-made to fit a part of your house, can be profitably sacrificed if they help close the deal. After all, you likely know where and how to get another one. If the buyers are smitten with it, they may be more inclined to meet your terms if you agree to leave that prized puzzle piece in place.

All in all, when you're looking to sell your home, count on the services of Chris Wajda. A professional REALTOR with the flair to help your home sell.

Email me today for your free, no obligation CMA!

CENTURY 21 Advantage Gold • 494 Second Street Pike, Southampton, PA 18966
Phone 215.322.7050 Fax 215.322.0158 Mobile 215-208-6051 Email: Chris

Member of
The National Association of Realtors
The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors
The Bucks County Association of Realtors
TrendMLS

Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission Lic# RS307445

CENTURY 21 Advantage Gold • 494 Second Street Pike, Southampton, PA 18966
Phone 215.322.7050 • Fax 215.322.0158 • Mobile 215-208-6051 • Email: Chris.Wajda@c21ag.com

http://chriswajda.blogspot.com/

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