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Home » Family Articles » Sell Your Own Home

Sell Your Own Home

You can sell your own home, but it can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Usually I would recommend listing with an agent, but in the right market, it may make sense to save the commission and do it yourself. If you try, use the tips here to do it right, and to avoid common mistakes.

1. Understand house values. It's not what you think your house is worth, and it doesn't matter how much you put into it. The value is only what it's worth to potential buyers. See what they've paid for similar homes before you decide on a price.

2. Try to be objective. Get your most honest and open friend to walk through the house with you. He or she will see problems you didn't even know were problems.

3. Make a plan. What will your kids say to those who call? Where will you close? Will your documents be prepared by an attorney? Plan well, and it will all go smoother.

4. Start a list. What needs to be repaired, cleaned, changed, or removed? Always do the most obvious things first.

5. Prepare to sell. List questions a buyer might have, and be ready with answers. Prepare comparison sheets showing other home sales, so buyers can see the value. Make a map showing nearby stores and libraries, etc.

6. Sell the benefits, not the features. Never say "near stores." Instead, say "You can walk to the store in five minutes." Don't just say "garage." Try "No chipping ice off the windshield in the morning."

7. Put all important information in ads. Include the square feet, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, address, telephone number, and price. Leave out the price and some buyers just won't call, plus you'll waste time with others who shouldn't be calling.

8. Listen to buyers. One mistake sellers make talking to buyers is to get defensive about their home. Listen to the criticisms, and resolve them or ask how important the issue is to the buyer. In other words, try to learn a little about selling.

9. Have a clear sales agreement. Be sure it's understood by both sides. What happens, and when? What if the buyer doesn't get financing? What's included with the sale? When will the buyer take possesion? Who pays the closing fee and the transfer tax?

10. Make closing easy. Have documents ready to sign. Prepare answers to likely questions. This may be the largest financial transaction in your buyer's life, so make him comfortable.

There's more than can be covered in ten tips, of course. Use these however, and you'll be doing better than the average seller when you sell your own home.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Life After Bankruptcy

When it comes to life after bankruptcy, there are a few things you can do to improve your credit situation.

The biggest problem that most people have with bankruptcy has nothing to do with the process itself, and in fact, starts when it is all over. After you have gone through bankruptcy proceedings, you'll find that you are left with very little - and that it is very hard to get back on your feet considering your credit rating. This is very different from the general view of bankruptcy, which considers it to be a fresh start for people who were unable to pay off their debts. However, this is not actually the case, and you'll find that your bankruptcy will stay on your record for a long period of time.

The first thing that you should do after bankruptcy is to make sure that you pay off all your debts in the future. This is fairly obvious, but it is also very important. If you pay off all of your debts in the future, then you can make sure that you never have to go bankrupt again. You can also start working on improving your credit rating. By paying off small bills, you slowly improve your credit rating to the point where you can get loans and larger credit purchases in the future.

Another thing that you can do in order to improve your credit is to join a credit union instead of a bank. Generally, these credit unions are more likely to give you a loan after your bankruptcy as long as you are a member of the union. Unlike a bank, credit unions are less interested in making a profit and charging fees as they are in helping out members with their financial problems.

Finally, you should always keep in mind that there are a lot of companies that will try to make money off of your situation. Most of these companies will charge high fees in order to fix your credit rating. However, this is not likely to work, since the only way that your credit rating can be improved is if you work hard to make sure that you stay out of debt and pay off what you owe. You should also pay attention to the laws that surround credit ratings, so that you'll be able to tell if you are getting scammed.