Thinking of Selling your Home?

Request a FREE CMA (comparable market analysis or an estimated value of your home).  You may also want to invest and hire a licensed appraiser, an expert in their field, to get a pre-listing appraisal to know exactly what your home is worth BUT to save money, a FREE CMA should be enough to list your home.

What is the difference between a CMA and an appraisal report?

A CMA is done by a real estate agent/broker and the appraisal report is done by a licensed real estate appraiser.  A CMA is use to establish a listing price for sellers based on recent sales data of comparable properties.  An appraiser will use similar method to value the property but must adhere to a strict licensing and industry guidelines. 

In a layman's term, CMA is the real estate agent/broker's attempt to establish an opinion of value in order to sell your home and an appraisal report is a licensed appraiser's unbiased opinion of the fair market value of your home.  Lenders will use the appraisal value in order to approve the buyer's purchase price of a home. 

PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR SALE

CURVE APPEAL – When potential buyers pull up to your house, they are asking themselves, “Is this place worth getting out of the car to look at?”  Do a spring cleaning outside, wash or paint the siding, trim, prune bushes and trees, and add colorful flowering plants.

FRESH PAINT – Buyers love to see homes that are freshly painted with warm, neutral-color.

DO A THOROUGH CLEANING –A clean house makes a strong first impression that your home has been well cared for.  Wash windows, clean the carpet, floors, stove, and refrigerator.

MAKE MINOR REPAIRS - Fix as many small problems like torn screens, cracked or dirty caulking, dripping faucets, etc. 

CLEAR THE CLUTTER - Put at least one-third or half of your furniture in storage.  Pack up family photos and wall hangings to depersonalize your home.  Store the items offsite or in boxes neatly arranged in your garage or basement.

Most important, you should not be present during showings so that prospective buyers can explore your home freely.

You may also choose to sell your home as-is and offer an incentive to attract buyers.