HOME SELLING IN TODAY'S MARKET

Whenever I talk with homeowners about selling their homes, one question I get that I think is particularly relevant is – “What can I do to improve the desirability of my home?” Since there are many things that can be done to a home to make it more desirable to a buyer, the important follow-up question is, “Which of these would be the most appropriate for my situation?” Not all “improvements” are created equal. Part of a thorough answer to this question lies in analyzing the needs and circumstances of the seller, and part in analyzing what is important to buyers in your market; then arriving at what will be a wise merging of the two. There really is no answer that is a one size fits all. I could name 10 things that would improve desirability of your home (at least commonly, in general terms) but they might not be appropriate for you and your home for any number of reasons. But now that I have just cautioned you against the “one size fits all” approach to the physical presentation of your home, let me offer at least a couple of ideas that really should help most home sales. The specifics of “how much is done” and “how much is spent” are the variables that will set the stage for the opportunity to make some pretty important decisions right from the beginning of your home-selling experience.

What would happen if you made the house appealing from the outside with some beautiful indigenous shrubbery; presented the walls (interior and exterior) with a nice clean look; and even reduced the “clutter” (what makes a house a home for most of us)? All that personal stuff that can sometimes occupy too much space for a buyer to traverse, and not leave enough room for them to imagine what their own “clutter” would look like in place of yours. How far would that go? Actually, curb appeal and a house that is neat, clean and uncluttered can get the most bang for the buck. Striking landscaping can have an even greater effect on value and perceived value of a home than many other attributes. If at least part of the landscaping for the area is natural to the local environment, it could turn out to be not only an interesting look, given that many other landscapes are designed on a mass production basis with uniformity the goal, it could even turn out to be less costly to maintain. Now wouldn’t that be a pleasant surprise to a new buyer amid today’s rising gas and food prices? How about an energy conservation or “green” inspection of the house? And then implement at least some of the more cost-saving suggestions. Cost savings that can be attained in maintaining a house these days will go a long way in achieving greater desirability, but you have to also make sure the buyer is aware of the improvements that have been made to achieve those savings, and if possible, how much savings they might expect to realize from the improvements. One way to do this is to provide the “before” and “after” costs of ongoing maintenance after having implemented the improvements.

Finally, selling a home without a warranty is do-able, but I believe a more prudent approach is to sell it with a one year warranty on major appliances, etc. If you extend the warranty a bit, you will set yourself apart from other sellers who are selling with the basic warranty. If something happens after you’ve sold the home, you will be glad you sold it with a warranty. The last thing a seller needs is a problem with the sale of a house after it has already been sold. Better that you help the buyer get through that trying moment in their new home with an insurance policy in place than to hear from them after the sale. Insure the home while it is on the market too. That way, if problems arise that are covered by the warranty during the selling process, things will go much more smoothly and the transaction will be lass apt to be disrupted; and it will be less costly to the seller than having to make repairs without insurance. The cost from some companies who provide this type of insurance is nominal, and can even be paid for at closing.

I hope these tips help make your home-selling experience a rewarding one.

Tommy Lee Lovett, Disabled Vet Says, "Doors Wired Shut"

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Tommy Lee Lovett, Real Estate Agent and author of the book, “Doors Wired Shut – The Truth about Discrimination and Disabled Veterans”. He was one of a panel of speakers talking about Fair Housing at a GTAR (Greater Tampa Association of Realtors) symposium. It was obvious after only a few minutes of listening to Mr. Lovett speak that he carried this topic close to his heart. You see, Tommy is a disabled vet himself. So he knows a lot from first-hand experience about hurdles encountered while trying to exercise rights for fair housing.

The book is about events involved in the purchase of a single family home. More than just recounting incidents of the purchase and putting his finger on problems that currently exist, Lovett offers suggestions for change – ideas whose purpose it is to make fair housing a reality for the disabled.

Included in the appendix are the Specially Adapted Housing (Veteran using wheelchair) Construction Guidelines for New and Existing Homes. Also, part of the book is reserved for “Discrimination Studies” by, Ellen Pader and David Winsor with James Palma. This is a detailed piece describing the problem of housing discrimination in Massachusetts. It was included in its entirety because it is such a complete and extensive narration on the subject of housing discrimination.

Besides the transcript of the deposition of Mr. Lovett in the Fair Housing Case described in this book, there is also a section from the US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section, Frequently Asked Questions. This section includes about a dozen commonly asked questions and answers to help readers with questions about the Fair Housing Act, enforcement of the act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and more.

Lastly, the Bibliography includes excellent sources of information for those eager to learn more.

I encourage all readers interested in housing rights of the disabled to pick up a copy of the book, “Doors Wired Shut – The Truth about Discrimination and Disabled Veterans” by, Tommy Lee Lovett.