Before we get started, the name of this post was a website I found many many moons ago.  The site goes over the do’s and don’ts when hiring contractors and does include some helpful articles to help out homeowners when choosing a contractor for your next remolding or home improvement project.

The reason I’m writting this post is because of repeated frustrating experiences home owners have with contractors.  Dealing with the  unprofessional or unethical (or both) contractors is an absolute nightmare for both the home owner and potential home buyer. 

What many home sellers and buyers don’t realize is that contractors they hire can jeapordize the sale of a home. 

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Over the past couple years home sellers have experienced what we call a seller’s market, which is low inventory compared to demand for housing. However, the 4th quarter sales statistics showed that inventory increased and demand decreased, resulting in a shift in the market. That means the market is shifting from being a seller’s market into a more balanced market, and for the higher priced homes it is already in favor of buyers.

I’m bring this up because quite a few home sellers are starting to question why their homes are sitting on the market. Here are some of the questions and statements made by sellers to agents currently:

1)Why hasn’t my home sold?
2)What market shift?
3)I know what homes in my neighborhood have been selling for
4)My house is better
5)That article wasn’t talking about my town
6)This is just a seasonal thing

I’m going to try to address each of these statements so you can have a better understanding of how to approach selling your home in 2006.

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This story was submitted by a Green Tree, PA Real Estate Agent . Keep this in mind if you plan to hold an open house.

Wow, it was a gorgeous day in April–which is rare in Pittsburgh. I was a new agent with only 4 months under my belt, and I was due to have my first baby in 3 more months. I was holding an Open House for the top agent in my office. I went prepared - the weather was nice and there were lots of other houses open in the area. I put up the signs, the balloons and I opened the front door. The owner was already gone. Just as I walked in, the listing agent called my cell. "Oh, Heather…by the way, their dog is there. Don’t worry. He’s just an old Cocker Spaniel. He usually just sits in the entryway."

OK, fine. And he did sit in the entryway…for a while. People started pouring in the house. We’ll call it controlled chaos. There were 2 couples in the baement, 2 on the 1st floor and 2 upstairs. Then it happened. One couple was coming in the house, another was just leaving. They paused to be polite to each other, and out went the dog.

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You don’t have to be a professional home stager, or higher one, in order to obtain a faster sale and a higher offer. Follow these simple guidelines and you can make your home stand out from it’s competition.

Before Showings Begin - Prepare Your Home

Prep Step 1: Clean!

Before you let a potential buyer step foot in your home, make sure the entire home has been cleaned from top to bottom. Everything in the home should be spotless, including appliances. All windows and skylights should be crystal clear. Be sure to clean vents and mirrors too. If you do not have time to do it yourself, hire a cleaning service.

Prep Step 2: Eliminate Odors

If you have pets or are a smoker, your home could have odors that you do not notice but a potential buyer would. Try to keep pets confined to an area that is not part of the main living areas. If you are a smoker, smoke outdoors and not in the home because the scent lingers. If it is possible that your carpets, furniture and curtains are retaining odors that may be offensive to others, be sure to have professional cleaners handle this as well. Offensive odors can be the cause of homes sitting on the market for a long period of time.

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