Tips & Tricks for Sellers
– Maximize Your Price. Minimize Your Hassles.(Published on REALTOR.com, 2005)

Step 1: Planning/Preparation
Some 5 million existing homes are sold each year, and while each transaction is different every homeowner wants the same thing - the best possible deal with the least amount of hassle and aggravation.

Unfortunately, home selling has become a more complex business than it used to be. New seller disclosure statements, longer and more mysterious form agreements, and a range of environmental concerns have all emerged in the past decade.

More importantly, the home-selling process has changed. Buyer brokerage - where REALTORS® represent homebuyers - is now common nationwide, and good buyer-brokers want the best for their clients.

The result is that while almost 100,000 existing homes are sold each week, the process is not as easy for sellers as it was five or 10 years ago. Surviving in today's real estate world requires experience and training in such fields as real estate marketing, financing, negotiation and closing - the very expertise available from local REALTORS®.

Are you ready?
The home-selling process typically starts several months before a property is made available for sale. It's necessary to look at a home through the eyes of a prospective buyer and determine what needs to be cleaned, painted, repaired and tossed out.

Ask yourself: If you were buying this home what would you want to see? The goal is to show a home which looks good, maximizes space and attracts as many buyers - and as much demand - as possible. While part of the "getting ready" phase relates to repairs, painting and other home improvements, this is also a good time to ask why you really want to sell.

Selling a home is an important matter and there should be a good reason to sell - perhaps a job change to a new community or the need for more space. Your reason for selling can impact the negotiating process so it's important to discuss your needs and wants in private with the REALTOR® who lists your home.

When should you sell?
The marketplace tends to be more active in the summer because parents want to enroll children in classes at the beginning of the school year (usually August). The summer is also typically when most homes are likely to be available.

Generally speaking, markets tend to have some balance between buyers and sellers year-round. In a given community, for example, there may be fewer buyers in late December, but there are also likely to be fewer homes available for purchase. So, home prices tend to rise or fall because of general demand patterns rather than the time of the year.

Owners are encouraged to sell when the property is ready for sale, there is a need or desire to sell, and the services of a local REALTOR® have been retained.

How can you improve your home's value?
The general rule in real estate is that buyers seek the least expensive home in the best neighborhood they can afford. In terms of improvements, this means you want a home that fits in the neighborhood but is not over-improved. For example, if most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms, two baths and 2,500 sq. ft. of finished space, a property with five bedrooms, more baths and far more space would likely be priced much higher and likely be more difficult to sell.

Improvements should be made so that the property shows well, is consistent with the neighborhood and does not involve capital investments, the cost of which cannot be recovered from the sale. Furthermore, improvements should reflect community preferences.

Cosmetic improvements - paint, wallpaper and landscaping - help a home "show" better and often are good investments. Mechanical repairs - to ensure that all systems and appliances are in good working condition - are required to get a top price.

Ideally, you want to be sure that your property is competitive with other homes available in the community. REALTORS®, who see numerous homes, can provide suggestions that are consistent with your marketplace.

More tips:

• Get the House Ready
• Tips for Making Your Home More Saleable
• Setting the Stage Sells Your Home
  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Sellers:
– How Do I Choose a Real Estate Agent to Help Me Sell My Home?

• Ask friends and family members for referrals.
 
• Pay attention to designations. This is how you will know in what a real estate agent specializes. You may be interested in these designations: ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist), CRP (Certified Relocation Professional), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) and SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist). There are dozens of designations agents pursue for continuing education, so find one that fits your needs.
 
• If you've found the general area in which you'd like to move, do an informal survey by driving through neighborhoods and viewing yard signs. Seeing the same name pop up time after time may indicate that person is a specialist in the area.
 
• Once you have your list narrowed down to about three real estate professionals, schedule interviews. Agents may ask to meet at your home if you are selling. If you are buying, expect to meet the agents at their offices.
 
• If selling, ask the agent how he or she would establish a price. You may request a Comparative Market Analysis, also called a CMA, which shows the actual market value of similar homes in the area.
 
• If selling, ask the agent how he or she would market your property.
 
• Ask the agent how often you should expect to hear from him or her. Know how and when you will communicate to avoid unrealistic expectations. Pay attention to the agent's office hours and whether or not you will be invited to access them via a cell phone, pager or e-mail.
 
• Ask how long the agent has been in real estate. While time is not the most important factor, it may demonstrate the agent's experience.
 
• Pay attention to the agent's listening skills. Does he or she cut you off before you've finished a sentence? There's nothing worse than looking at houses you have no interest in because the agent has not listened carefully to your needs or having your home on the market too long because the wrong buyers are being targeted.
 
• Ask the agent what his or her fee structure is. Do they require a percentage of the sales price, do they work for a flat fee, or will they be paid by the seller (if you're the buyer)?
 
• If you are unsatisfied with the agent's plan or personality, thank the agent for taking the time to meet with you, and repeat the process with another agent. It is time-consuming to meet with multiple agents, but it's worthwhile to find the right one.

Moving Tips

Moving tips:

• Make a note of your shipment registration number found in the upper right-hand corner of your bill of lading and keep it with you in case you need to call your mover with questions.
• Designate one dresser drawer for sheets and towels so you won't have to rummage through boxes for these essentials the first night in your new home.
• If you need to store some of your goods, it is a good idea to tour the warehouse of the mover you're planning to use. Look for cleanliness, organization, security, etc.
• After you have cleaned and dried your refrigerator, put a handful of fresh coffee or baking soda in a sock and place it inside to keep the interior smelling fresh.
• Take your current phone book with you. You may need to make calls to residents or businesses back in your former hometown.
• Prepare an 'Unload Me First' carton with essentials that you'll need immediately at your new home. Include a baggy filled with hardware from disassembled items, such as beds.
• Before the van foreman leaves for your destination residence, give him (and your move coordinator) a phone number where you can be reached. Get the van foreman's cell number too.
• At destination, you might want to consider having the TV and VCR hooked up first to occupy the kids while the rest of the van is being unloaded.
• Keep your children and pets calm and away from all the activity on moving day by arranging for a friend to watch them at their house. Keep your pet's food and leash handy too.
• When moving plants to your new residence in your car, try not to let foliage rest against the windows, as the leaves will scorch.
• Upon arrival at your new home, let your personal computer acclimate itself to room temperature before plugging it in.
• Schedule cleaning and other home services for the day after loading, as things will be hectic on move day and the different service providers will stay out each other's way.
• Have your utilities shut off the day after loading to avoid being “left in the dark” while you’re trying to move out of your house!
• Items that can't be moved with the mover include anything flammable, anything combustible, aerosol cans, hazardous materials, gasoline, plants, paint, ammunition and explosives, jewelry, legal documents (wills, financial papers, insurance documents, etc.).
• Begin by looking at your possessions. What can be sold or donated to charity? What hasn't been used within the last year? Give away those items that you will not be moving.
• Bring everything that you're moving to one location, if possible (items at a friend's house or at the office).
• Make a list of everyone you need to notify about your move: friends, professionals, creditors, subscriptions, etc.
• Obtain a mail subscription to the local paper in your new community to familiarize yourself with local government, social news and activities.
• Contact schools, doctors, lawyers, the vet, etc. to obtain copies of your personal records; ask for referrals. Collect other important documents (DMV records, stocks, wills, etc.).
• Obtain a change-of-address kit from the post office and begin filling out the cards; or, simply click here to go to www.USPS.com and do it online.
• Contact utility companies for service disconnect/connect; remember to keep phone and utilities connected at your current home until the day after moving. Here’s a start: gas, electric, water, telephone, cable TV, trash collection.
• Contact insurance companies (auto, homeowners or renter's, medical, and life) to arrange for coverage in your new home.
• If you're packing yourself, purchase packing boxes from Allied Van Lines or from your local mover. Pack items that you won't need now.
• Arrange to close your accounts in your local bank and open accounts in your new locale.
• Have your car checked and serviced for the trip. Also, make sure that your automobile is prepared for the type of weather conditions you'll be traveling in.
• Drain the gas and oil from power equipment (lawn mowers, snow blowers, cars that are going with the mover, etc.).
  

Packing Tips

Packing tips:

• If you are packing, start packing several cartons each day a few weeks before your move; then the job won't be so overwhelming.
• Pack on a room-by-room basis and do one area of the room at a time. It's best not to mix items from different rooms into one box.
• To prevent small items from being lost or mistakenly thrown out with the packing paper, wrap small items in colored tissue paper.
• On the top and front of each carton, write a general description of the contents and indicate the room it will go in your new home.
• Use colored dot stickers for boxes and in your new home outside the room where the corresponding boxes should be delivered.
• Allow children to pack their favorite toys. This gives them a strong sense of belonging and a feeling that they’re playing a part in the move.
• Use only unprinted newsprint paper to wrap items; regular newspapers are messy and can soil your possessions.
• Use clean cartons designed for moving, as grocery or liquor store boxes are not always clean, sturdy enough, or the right sizes.
• Don’t pack: paint, varnish, gasoline, oil, cans, kerosene, bottled gas, aerosol, polish/remover, ammunition, cleaners, or detergents.
• Pack an “Unload Me First” box including toilet paper, telephone, personal toiletries, snacks, coffee/coffee pot/filters, soap, basic tools, flashlight, can opener, paper plates/cups, utensils, pans, and paper towels.
• Transport the following items yourself: photos, financial documents and policies, legal documents, wills, passports, money, jewelry, collections, medical and family history records.
• Unpack breakables over the box you're taking them out of; if you drop an item, it will land on packing material and reduce breakage risk.
• Place pictures in boxes between sheets and blankets to give them added protection.
• Plates and record albums should be packed vertically on their ends rather than placed flat and stacked.
• Before packing medicine and toiletry items, make sure that caps and lids have been tightly secured.
• Remove light bulbs before packing your lamps.
• In addition to the room and contents, have children write their name and new address on the cartons from their rooms so they can become familiar with their new address before they get to their new home.
• Pack heavy items in small boxes, and light items in larger boxes.
  

Personal Moving Organizer

To effectively organize your move, print this page out and keep it handy. As you complete the items on the list, you can check them off. When the list is complete, you're ready to move!

1. Make the decision on exactly what is to be moved and what is to be given away or sold.
2. Gather all of your belongings to be moved and have them consolidated at one location (or two if necessary); then ensure that all items you've decided to give away are gone.
3. Decide if storage will be necessary at destination and pick the location (Your Allied Van Lines estimator can assist with this).
4. Make a list of everyone you need to notify about your move: friends, professionals, creditors, subscriptions, etc.
5. Obtain a subscription to the local paper in your new community to familiarize yourself with local government, social news and activities. Click here to find a local newspaper.
6. Obtain records from schools, doctors, dentists, lawyers, veterinarians, accountants, and the MVD.
7. Send change of address cards. Click here to go to the US Post Office to get it online.
8. Contact utility and related companies for service disconnect/connect at your old and new addresses. Remember to have utilities turned off at your current home the day after moving day and turned on at your new home the day before move in day to ensure service throughout moving day.
9. Change insurance coverage for your automobile, homeowner's or renter's, medical, and life.
10. Collect important papers to take with you, such as insurance documents, IRS records, automobile registration, deeds, stock certificates, wills, etc.
11. Close your accounts in your local bank.
12. Open a bank account in your new locale.
13. Service your vehicles.
14. Defrost your freezer and refrigerator.
15. Prepare an 'Unload Me First' carton with essentials you'll need immediately at your new home. Include a baggy filled with hardware from disassembled items, such as dresser mirrors and beds. Have this box loaded last or carry it with you in your car.
16. Call your move coordinator to confirm details of your move.
    

Moving Essentials

To help keep essentials (things you may need to utilize upon arrival at your new residence) in one place, pack a box with the following items or types of items. Ask your van foreman to load it on the truck last. That way, it will be one of the first boxes unloaded at your new home.

Here are some items you can include in the box:

• Telephone
• Paper Towels
• Toilet Paper
• Soap
• Light Bulbs
• Flashlight
• Pliers
• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Can Opener
• Paper Plates
• Paper Cups
• Plastic Utensils

Hire Professional Mover vs. Do it Yourself

If you're considering an interstate move, there are a few variables that you should consider when you're calculating the actual cost comparison of moving yourself versus allowing a mover to help you.

Do-It-Yourself Moves include:

Rental Charges: When you're moving from state-to-state, you have to provide exact details to the truck rental agency such as origin, destination, exact dates, etc. Prices can vary depending upon the equipment available. Rental truck rates can vary depending upon the time of year that you're moving (rates are higher between May and September). Rental agencies also run on a supply and demand theory; if you're moving at the beginning or end of the month, you may find that the supply of trucks available to you is sparse. In most cases, you will be charged a rental deposit. There are also charges for additional miles (10% or more) over and above the original estimate. These charges don't include state taxes. All other charges are additional.

The Time and Space Continuum: In most cases, your time is the most valuable thing to you. You'll need one or two days to pack and one or two days to unpack in addition to your drive time. Professional moving services are adept at maximizing the available space in a moving vehicle. When you move yourself, you have to make sure that you optimize the space or you'll end up needing a larger truck.

Automobiles: Are you towing your vehicles behind the truck, or are you going to be driving them to your new destination? Trailer packages from rental agencies can cost an additional $200.00, plus $50.00 or so for insurance. If you drive your own vehicle you have to factor in the variables such as wear and tear, gas, mileage, etc.

Insurance Charges: Insurance charges are an additional possible $10.00 per day on the rental vehicle. Charges include such things as vehicle damage, cargo damage (to a certain dollar value), and medical and life insurance. Cargo damage insurance protects your household goods from damages incurred during a vehicular accident; any other types of damages are not covered! If the truck or vehicle you are renting is stolen, then it is your responsibility. Moving trucks are often targets for thieves.

Pads: In order to protect your belongings, you will need to rent padding at about $10.00 per dozen. A four bedroom home would be about 2 dozen pads, which equates to $20.00.

Dollies: An appliance dolly, utility dolly, or furniture dolly is most often needed to move large boxes, furniture, miscellaneous items, etc. Each dolly you rent may cost you an extra $5.00 - $10.00 apiece.

Your Valuable Time: During a self-move, you and your family are responsible for every detail; some details are more time-consuming than others. The major tasks are packing and unpacking. You also have to factor in who will be driving the rental vehicle, the family vehicle, etc. The best thing to do in this case is to figure your hourly wage and multiply that by the number of hours you estimate your move to be. Make sure you add about 10-12 more hours for incidental last minute details. Figure in packing time, move preparation, picking up the moving vehicle, load time, drive time, hotels, food expense, gas, unloading time, etc.

Packing and Unloading: Most self-moves include the hunt for available boxes. In order to ensure your valuables are protected properly, purchase specialized boxes for your belongings - wardrobe boxes, dish boxes, boxes for artwork, etc. Packing materials such as tape and bubble wrap are also essential elements for securing your belongings. The average cost for new packing materials for a three bedroom home is $900.00. [Source: AMC's Transportation Fact Book]

Mileage Charges: Mileage charges are most often included in your rental agreement. Depending on your agreement, you may get stuck with additional mileage charges. In most cases, additional mileage charges are $.40 per mile for each additional mile driven.

Gasoline Charges: Your rental vehicle will be full of gas when you pick it up. When you return the vehicle, you must refill the gas tank or you will be charged a price that is higher than the normal price of gasoline. An average 26-foot, 5-speed, fully loaded diesel truck will average about 10 miles to the gallon. On a 1200-mile trip, you will consume about 120 gallons of gasoline, at an average price for diesel fuel of $1.35 per gallon. [Source: AMC's Fuel Survey] Your total gasoline costs will be about $150.00 for the trip.

Appliance Charges: Large items such as refrigerators, grandfather clocks, washing machines, and ranges may all require special care before you can move them in the proper way. It is possible that you may need to hire trained specialists to make sure your items are handled properly. These specialists will increase the costs of your move significantly.

Destination Considerations: You'll have to rely on your perfect timing to make sure that your new home is available at the time of your arrival. If it is not, you’ll have to find a safe place to store your belongings until you're ready to occupy your new home. This requires you to unpack all your belongings for storage, then load them and unpack them once again when it's time to move into your new home. Many times, these storage units aren't suitable to protect your belongings properly. There are security issues, no insurance coverage, and no protection from fire or other types of dangers.

Other Considerations: First of all, you must protect yourself. If you have any physical condition, then a self-move is definitely not the way to go. Back injuries, pulled muscles, leg strain, etc. can all happen easily if you don't lift properly. If you have small children, you may incur childcare expenses during the moving process. You may have to call on good friends to help you with your move or your children, and this will certainly cause them inconvenience.

Why choose a professional mover? You decide!