When selling your home there are no guarantees that a buyer will simply walk through the front door. In many cases you may have to bring your home to the buyer. Effective marketing will help ensure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer.

The appearance of your home, a buyer's first impressions, and other considerations can also affect the sale of your home. When you work with me and Century 21 Discovery, you can count on a specialist who can answer your questions, apply my in-depth knowledge of current market conditions, and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your home.

Let me create a customized, comprehensive marketing plan for selling your home. The Century 21 Discovery team has assisted thousands of consumers in North Orange County in selling their houses by offering marketing and technology services second to none. It is our goal to earn a customer for life with each client we serve… wherever life leads you!

If you owe more on your house then it is worth there are a number of options available from a loan modification to a short sale - read about them here. Otherwise the first step would be getting a competitive market analysis here to see what your house is worth based on the recent homes that sold in your neighborhood.

Pre-Listing Checklist

1. Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan

Market conditions change rapidly and you do not want to get caught off guard with any unexpected issues involving your credit, so be sure to get pre-approved before you get into the home buying process if you are looking for a new place to move to. Find a lender you trust and research the housing market in the area where you wish to live so that you have a good idea how much it will take to buy a replacement. I can show you any property (regardless who the listing agent is) and you can use my website to search to search the entire MLS and find any property in the area!

2. Check Your Mortgage Payoff

Call your lender to find out the payoff for your current home mortgage. You'll need the figure to complete Step 6.

3. Determine How Much the House Is Worth

Determine your home's fair market value. I can help you by doing an initial Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) report to see what recent home sales have been in your area.

4. Estimate Your Costs to Sell Your Existing Home

As your real estate agent, I deal with transactions every day and can give you a very close estimate of seller closing costs including the following factors:

Real estate commission if you use an agency to sell.
Prorated costs for your share of annual expenses, such as property taxes and home owner association fees.
Any other fees typically paid by the seller in your area (termite inspection, etc).

5. Determine Your Costs to Acquire a New Home

Total all expenses related to buying a new home including:

Moving expenses, loan costs, down payment, home inspections, title work and policy, new hazard insurance policy, etc. Your lender should give you a disclosure of estimated costs when you apply for pre-approval.

6. Calculate Your Estimated Proceeds

Will your closing proceeds cover your costs to acquire a new home? Will you have cash or other funding to make up the difference?

Calculate your proceeds by:

Deduct your mortgage payoff from your home's fair market value and deduct your costs to sell from the remainder to get an estimate of the proceeds you will be paid at closing.

7. Make Necessary Repairs

Make all major priority repairs unless you want the house to be regarded as a fixer-upper. I'm not referring to cosmetic updates, but to items in need of repair. Anything that's out of line, gives potential buyers a reason to submit a lower offer.

8. Get the House Ready to Show

Most houses need at least a little spiffing up before they are shown to potential buyers. Great curb appeal, fresh paint indoors (and sometimes out), organized closets and cabinets, clean windows and appliances, and a clutter-free atmosphere are essential if you want the house to appeal to buyers.

9. Make Your Home Accessible and Comfortable

That means it's always ready to show. Many agents won't bother showing a house that takes 24 hours to get into. Don’t crowd home buyers when they are viewing your home and make every effort possible to make them feel comfortable while in your home.

10. How to Find a Real Estate Listing Agent

Basically, there are many agents who all adhere to the same professional standards or code of ethics established by the National Association of Realtors, but here are some reasons of what you should look for in an agent and why you should do business with me

Find an agent that you feel comfortable with in their personality, professionalism and ability to serve or assist you in your home buying/selling process
Find an agent who will offer you prompt professional service
Find an agent who is knowledgeable and will help guide you through the real estate process
Make an appointment and interview me, ask me about my experience, marketing tactics, placement in MLS, services offered, commission rate, etc.