| By :
Mark Etinger
Even though the housing market hasn't yet fully recovered from the Great Recession, you can't wait for the rest of your life to sell your home. Follow these steps to sell your home at a price that won't make you cringe, so you can buy the house that fits your current needs. 1. Make Sure You Want to Go: I know what it's like. Sometimes you just feel that it's been long enough and now it's time to hit the road, figuratively, of course. But remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and a move is a lot of work. 2. Real Estate Agents: Interview around, and talk to neighborhood specialists who have insider information. Choose an agent who you feel you can trust. 3. Certified appraisals: Chances are you want a residential valuation for your home. That way you can determine whether you want to invest the extra money to make repairs before selling. Beware, some resale repairs aren't worth it. Fix what should be fixed due to obvious neglect. Deferred maintenance can be a major deterrent to potential buyers – it signals there's even more wrong with the house than meets the eye. When you choose residential appraisals, you can be sure not to overprice your home, which usually leads to a lower sale than the market price. 4. Lender: Determine how much left you have to pay off. Request a beneficiary statement. Begin comparing rates from your current lender as well as other institutions, and ask for a Good Faith Estimate. A GFE will allow you to see all of the costs associated with your new loan. Asking agents for referrals to mortgage brokers will also help you choose the lowest, most competitive rate. A lower mortgage payment may be a better idea than the maximum mortgage. 5. Sell: Don't start hitting those open houses just yet. Wait until you sell your home to begin seriously looking at new homes. You don't want to have to settle on your selling price after you buy and then be in arrears. 6. Get rid of Stuff: Junk, clutter, and trash can easily buildup and make your home look disorganized, distracting buyers from noticing your home's value. Chances are you want to get rid of stuff by the time you find a new pad, so trash it now. If there are things that you really need, and you have a lot of them, put them in storage until your house sells. 7. Neutralize: Stuff is one thing, family photos, bold designs, and striking paint jobs are another. Buyers want to envision their things in your home, and they have trouble doing so if you have left your mark. If they can't picture the home they're buying as a blank canvas, they'll look elsewhere. 8. Clean: Make sure that the home is spotless. It will show that you've taken good care of the house and that the residential valuation is accurate. Presenting your home the best way you can will make it more appealing, and a likelier sell.
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