Interviewing Realtors

El Caliente said
Man, we are obviously not looking around enough. The realtors all laid out the good and the bad with the house, and they all mentioned landscaping and flooring would make an instant impact in appearance, and those are our two biggest weaknesses.

Does anyone in the metro area have a landscaper and a floor guy? We are thinking laminate flooring.

Selling a property is not difficult ... if it is priced right. Unless your house has some unique characteristics that require a unique marketing plan, every Realtor is going to put it on the MLS, and then all that information is spread to every other Real Estate website and that is about all it takes to sell a house.

Use common sense and learn about the process so you will know how to direct the Realtor. Keep the house CLEAN ... not by your standards but by something similar to a a nice hotel CLEAN. Get rid of the clutter in and outside the house ... live minimal. Buyers are not just looking at the house they are also looking at how you live in the house. If you have jerry rigged repairs, extension cords run all over, un-repaired damage, soap scum wall bathrooms, dirty pots and pans in the sink from last week, counters covered with every "as seen on TV" gadget then your going to have a hard time selling.

What does the buyer see when they drive up and walk up to the door? I know a Realtor that will himself trim the trees in the front and put fresh mulch in the beds and around trees. That first impression is MONEY! Next, what does a buyer see when they first walk into the house? Most buyers know at this point if they want this house or not. It is a had sell from here if they do not have the gut feel at this point.

If the realtors are telling you to spend money to sell then I would be leery. What is the cost benefit analysis? Cost of repairs vs sales price AS IS? Remember higher commission paid with higher sales price and vice versa so calculate that as well. What if you put in floors that some buyers do not like and you lost those buyer because of your new floor choices for them?