When it’s time to sell, you must be confident that every element of negotiating the best terms and the highest price has been set before your home is even listed.

Start with the resources I’ve provided. There is no charge for this information. These will help get you started in terms of assessing your real estate situation and planning for a stress-free and successful sale.

The real estate market in Pensacola is volatile, especially lately, and it takes an experienced professional to move your house quickly, professionally, and profitably.

When you’ve decided to sell, I will be your advocate, your guide, and your fierce negotiator. I will work hard to make yours a great sale.

I look forward to it.

Sincerely,
Pamela

First Impressions

Remember what first attracted you to your house when you bought it? What excited you about its most appealing features? Now that you're selling your home, you'll need to look at it as if you were buying it all over again.

A spruced up house makes a great first impression on potential buyers. An attractive property grabs their attention and makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Because buyers know they’ll encounter fewer problems if they buy it, your house becomes more appealing and stands out from the competition. So if you prepare your home correctly, you’ll save time selling it when it’s on the market.

A good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. It’s not just the way your house looks to potential buyers, but how it feels and smells to them, how their friends and family will react, how they imagine it would be to live there.

With simple improvements throughout your house, you can grab the attention of potential buyers and help them see why your house is right for them.

Download the full report below which includes checklists to keep you on track to get your home in tip-top shape to sell!

First impressions make a significant impact on a buyer's decision-making process! 

Once your home goes on the market, it becomes a product. Home Styling or Staging simply allows you to highlight the best of your home and de-emphasize its flaws. It's not about decorating, but actually turning your home into a model, to appeal to the broadest range of prospective buyers. The goal is to make people feel like they could live there, and the best way to do this is to "neutralize" the surroundings.

Try out these helpful styling tips taken from Setting the Stage - REALTOR® Magazine Online. They've compiled the best tips from stagers and real estate pros—things you can do for little or no expense—to put a home in prime showing shape.

• Clear out closets and clutter—sellers can give away or pack up toys, linens, and small kitchen appliances to store offsite. Buyers are also forgiving of storage boxes neatly tucked away in a garage or basement.
• Focus most on the most visible areas—the foyer, kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and family room.
• De-personalize the home by removing photos, mementos, and dated items.
• Use plants in colorful pots or inexpensive wicker baskets to fill in empty spaces.
• Look to home catalogs for little details on beautifying the home. For instance, group books, pictures, and objets d’art appealingly on bookcases.
• Try angling one or two pieces of furniture slightly and move furniture 4 inches to 6 inches from the wall to create more interesting room spaces.
• Put away large collections— porcelains, plates, and so on.
• Remove valuables, prescription medicine, collectibles, and breakables.
• Trim trees, prune shrubs, and make sure the lawn is mowed and watered regularly.
• In summer, turn on the sprinklers for five minutes, 30 minutes before the open house. It makes the lawn and driveway sparkle.
• Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor, such as fish, garlic, or cabbage.
• Hire a professional service to clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.
• Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.
• Arrange fresh or silk flowers throughout the home.
• Light a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.
• A mirror in a pretty frame can make a small room feel more open.
• Use as much natural light as possible. Add extra lamps in dark rooms or corners.
• Make functional repairs—fix dripping faucets, sticking doors, and broken fences.
• Bring in another pair of eyes—even if it’s not a professional stylist. The person may see problems you and have missed.

Common Selling Mistakes

Mistake #1 -- Placing the Wrong Price on Your Property
Every seller obviously wants to get the most money for his or her product. Ironically, the best way to do this is NOT to list your product at an excessively high price! A high listing price will cause some prospective buyers to lose interest before even seeing your property. Also, it may lead other buyers to expect more than what you have to offer. As a result, overpriced properties tend to take an unusually long time to sell, and they end up being sold at a lower price.

Mistake #2 -- Mistaking Re-finance Appraisals for the Market Value
Unfortunately, a re-finance appraisal may have been stated at an untruthfully high price. Often, lenders estimate the value of your property to be higher than it actually is in order to encourage re-financing. The market value of your home could actually be lower. Your best bet is to ask your realtor for the most recent information regarding property sales in your community. This will give you an up-to-date and factually accurate estimate of your property value.

Check out our free reports for more common selling mistakes!