Metro Detroit Home Selling Tip

One of the most important things to do when you sell your house is to let the light in.  This is free and easy to do.

Here is a quick list of how to make your house look brighter and cheerful. Open all drapes and curtains for showings

1. Get rid of heavy drapes and curtains.  Put sheer curtains up.
2. Wash the windows
3. Make sure all the lights in the house work and have a light bulb in them
4. Put in a higher wattage light bulb
5. Wash the fixtures so the light shines through
6. Trim outside bushes down
7. Trim trees up.

Out of these pictures which look more inviting?  Which Metro Detroit Home would you buy?  It doesn't matter if it is a Livonia Home for sale or Novi Home for sale you want to make the best showing possible in the first few minutes the buyer walks through the door.

 Buyers do not like dark and gloomy houses!!!

Don't be cheap turn on all the lights.  The money you spend on electricity will save you by selling your Metro Detroit home quicker and for more money.

My quote of the day:

It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.

Elizabeth Taylor

Timing of the sale of your Metro Detroit home.

1.  Plan ahead. And start before you think you need to.

It´s a good idea to place your home on the market as far in advance as possible of purchasing a new one. The average time on the market for homes for sale in Metro Detroit in 2007 ( a buyers market) was over 6 months.  The 2008 Metro Detroit real estate market is not any better.  Some homes have been on the market over a year and a half.  Don't think that just because your home is nice that you will be the exception and sell yours quickly. 

If you find a new home first and then try to sell your present home, you may wind up with two mortgages. I do not recommend to do this at all right now. Too many people are ending up with two homes and two mortgages.  Put your Metro Detroit home up for sale first and sell it before you buy another home.  If this does happen, ask your local Wayne County mortgage loan officer or banker about a bridge loan to help you make the double payments. Lenders use the same criteria for offering bridge loans as they use for mortgages. Should you choose to accept a bridge loan, beware of the expense; during the term of the loan you must continue to pay both mortgages. Shop around for the best terms.

Keep in mind that when people move, sell and buy, there usually is a domino effect. Closing and moving dates have to be coordinated, and the more firmly everyone commits to a window of dates and sticks to them, the better for all involved.  Though many times closings are delayed for one reason or another.  If you absolutely have to be moved by a certain date, put all agreements about dates in writing, and protect yourself by negotiating financial penalties for failure to comply.  Specify a certain dollar amount for failure to close, or failure to move out by a certain date.  Be sure the money is escrowed by the title company so you do not have to chase somebody for the money.

Also after closing give yourself a day or two before scheduling movers.  You would be surprised at how many people are stressed out when a closing is delayed or rescheduled.  Things happen, banks, mortgage companies, title companies, inspections sometimes get behind and closings have to be delayed.  Safe yourself the aggravation and schedule move in a few days later.  You will be less stressed when moving into your Wayne County home,  Oakland County home, or whatever Michigan home you buy.

For more Metro Detroit Home sellers tips or Michigan home buyers tips check out the categories on the side of this page.

My Quote of the day:

The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is to love and be loved in return.
~ From "Unforgettable with Love" by Natalie Cole

Metro Detroit Real Estate selling tips

-Remove any and all wallpaper.  Wallpaper means work to a buyer and is usually just one persons dream.  Most likely the wallpaper that you love is the buyers nightmare.  Remove it.  Pay somebody to remove it.  If you don't want to remove it think of how may potential buyers do not want to remove it. 

-Put higher wattage light bulbs everywhere. The added light can make a difference.   The brighter and cheery your house is, the better it will show.  I can not tell you how many times I hear that the house is "gloomy" or "too dark".  There is no reason any home should be dark. There is no reason for there to be a burned out bulb.  Clean the fixtures too!  Open all curtains, drapes, blinds, etc. during the day.

-Tighten all door knobs, oil all squeaky doors.

-Clean and remove any stains on the carpeting.  Hire a professional if necessary.  This will help to remove any odors also.  This is a simple and inexpensive thing to do if it is an estate sale.  This help to get rid of the old person's smell.

-Fix & Repaint your walls in a neutral color.  A freshly painted neutral home sells quicker.-Moldings should be varnished in natural wood colors or white.  Off colors should be repainted.

Sure you love the red, but you are appealing to the greatest number of buyers.  Some people may hate it or may not want to paint.

-Clean and repair all cracked windows.

-Repair any leaking taps and toilets. Nobody likes to hear or see a dripping faucet.
 
-Odors - Find the source of the odor and fix or remove the problem.  Mildew odor - find the leak or water problem and fix it.  Then use a deodorizer to eliminate the smell.  Then air it out and use a fan.  Remove the stains on the wall and floor after you fix the problem. 

If you have pets, there will be an odor.  Smokers there is an odor.  Consider repainting the home and cleaning the carpet.  Then smoke outside.

For more great Metro Detroit real estate sellers tips go to the sellers category on the side.  Feel free to contact me to do a walk through of your Metro Detroit home.  email me at info@russRavary.com

Quote of the day:

There's nothing wrong with having your goals really high and trying to achieve them. That's the fun part. You may come up short. I've come up short on a lot on my goals, but it's always fun to try and achieve them.

                                            Tiger Woods
 

That is what somebody asked me today.  No way not in this market!  What I can say is that I will help you prepare your Metro Detroit home for sale.  I will walk through your home telling you what you need to do to make your Metro Detroit real estate one of the best.  Your home needs to be "move in" ready  and priced right in order to sell.

Anybody that guarantees to sell your house has not told the truth or is wanting to list your house at a very low price.  Right now the Metro Detroit real estate market is tough.  There are buyers out there.  Homes are selling.  Many of those homes that are selling are foreclosures. Banks are pricing them fairly inexpensively at this moment.  If you are looking to sell your home then you will be competing with those foreclosures. 

 Having a nicely updated, clean, and ready to move in house will give you a leg up on all the Metro Detroit foreclosures. By listening to your realtor whether it me or somebody else will help you sell your home.

 What I can guarantee you is that I will work hard to help you sell your Metro Detroit area home.  I will hold open houses for you if you would like.  I will put flyers out front.  I will put your home on every website possible.  I will get you maximum exposure on the internet.  Most people are searching the internet at one time or another during their home search.  Go with an agent that blogs, that has websites, that is internet savvy.

 Call me on my cell at (313) 310-9855 or email me at info@RussRavary.com

My quote of the day:

Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind it doesn't matter.

                                                                                                         Mark Twain

How much do you think a dollar $1 makes when pricing your Metro Detroit home?  Do you thing it makes a difference when pricing your $600,000 Northville home or your $200,000 Livonia home?

It does tremendously!.

When Michigan home buyers search, they search by increments.  Under $200,000 or under $600,000.  When the Michigan Realtor put in the search criteria, or you search on certain sites 199,999 looks a lot better than $200,000.  If you were going to price your Northville home at $605,000 it would be better to price it at $599,999.  There are going to be Michigan home buyers that limit their Northville home search to $600,000.  Your house will never come up in their Northville home search.

It is a psychological factor.  Just like a 99 cent burger doesn't register as a dollar.  So when you reduce your price or set the list price of your Northville home keep in mind the price points.

Stay under $100,000  $125,000   $150,000   $175,000   $200,000  $225,000 etc, etc....

Be smart and show up in Michigan home for sale searchs  Price your home right after looking at the latest sold comparables and an up to date CMA.

My quote of the day:

In making a living today, many no longer leave room for life.

Joseph R. Sizoo