The first step is to determine what the likely market value is and while you could spend $300+ for an appraisal or ask your neighbor his opinion, the most effective way is to interview three agents and ask each of them to give you a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) and their recommendation. This is not rocket science and you’ll have the necessary information to make a good pricing decision.

One caveat….it’s your home, you love it, but if you are selling it will be to your advantage to put aside your emotions and price it at the market value and not add 30,000 to the price in hopes some fool will agree to it. In the first place, if it’s overpriced it won’t be shown (unless you’re selling it FSBO where buyers have no idea what a fair price is) and even if you did find that fool his mortgage company will base the mortgage on the sales price or appraisal, whichever is lower and the appriaser will be conservative.

FSBO or Agent? FSBO (For Sale by Owner) is attractive because you save the commission by doing the work yourself. You can even hire an agent to do the bits you may be fuzzy on…writing the contract, shepherding it thru home inspections, termite/moisture inspections and handling the glitches that inevitably arise. We frequently work with seller’s and buyer’s who are doing the thing themselves but need a bit of advice to avoid potholes they may not know about.

A major disadvantage for FSBO seller’s is loss of the exposure to buyers who are working with agents for most agents are reluctant to show or sell FSBO’s even if you offer a commission for they know from experience they’re going to have to do most of the work of the missing listing agent to get the thing closed and it’s a hassle.

The advantages of listing with an agent is that you get it listed in the MLS, the number 1 source of buyers along with the agent’s informed expertise on what to do and how to do it. Call me Whether you decide to sell FSBO, list or are just thinking about what to do, call me. I’ll give you my honest opinions but all decisions are yours. If I am your agent and you wish to do something silly, I’ll tell you it’s silly but do it anyway.

My marketing plan – step by step CMA

Prepare a written Comparative Market Analysis showing the comparable propeties, market tendencies, a recommended list price and an accounting of the proceeds and expenses of a sale with the net bottom line you’ll take home.

Presentation After a tour of the house, write comprehensive presentation suggestions room by room. About 15 pages. Nobody ever does it all but selling a house is different from living in it and it helps to have an outsiders view. None of us sees our home the way first time visitors do. MSL Listing List the home in the local Real Estate Information Network MLS where it is available to every agent in Hampton Roads. The listing is also distributed to every major real estate website in the country and to the military’s Automated Housing Referral Network. It is also featured on this website. The local MLS is the number one source of buyers.

Floor Plan I draw a floor plan of your home and include it in the MLS listing and advertising materials so interested parties can see quickly what the layout it and as importantly, refer to it after they’ve visited it and twenty dozen other homes to refresh their memories. I’m the only agent I know who does that.

Listing period The listing period is at your pleasure. You can cancel it at any time for any reason, or no reason. No cost, no questions. If you’re not happy with my efforts, fire me.

Yard sign Yard signs are the second highest source of buyers. I also prepare full color flyers with features, photographs and the floor plan which are availabe to passersby from a brochure box attached to the sign. A perpetual mini-open house.

Lockbox Modern lockboxes allow agents to show the house when no one is home. This amazing device sends me an e-mail everytime it is opened with the time, name and contact information for the agent who showed the house so I can follow up to see if there are any questions or interest. Nevertheless, I always require agents to set appointments before showing so I can check with you first to be sure it is convenient.

Feedback I call every agent who shows to house and relay their feedback to you. Unfortunately, most of it is nonsense, along the lines of “wasn’t what my buyer was looking for.” if the showing agents even return calls. Nevertheless, is good to have for now and again the feedback is useful.

AN OFFER!! Oh happy day…WE HAVE AN OFFER…slow down, it’s likely a fishing expedition with a ridiculous low ball price asking for the moon in extras. I bring you every offer received with a written breakdown of proceeds and expenses and a bottom line you can take to the bank along with a recommendation of counter offer or follow-up.

A DEAL!! Oh happier day!!! And the job is about half done. The fact is, most anyone can get this far for it’s simply a matter of putting up a sign, setting a fair price and negotiating the deal. And after all that you’re only halfway to the finish line for now there is 30+ days of maneuvering thru the labyrinth of getting the thing closed and this is where the 30+ years experience pays off….keeping a done deal done