As Your Agent, I Will:

· Complete a Price Trend Analysis that will compare your home's value to that of your    neighbors within the past year.

· Compile a comprehensive plan detailing all the efforts I will employ to sell your home, including Internet and local media.

· Present your home to as many qualified buyers as possible getting your home maximum exposure.

· Help you stage your home and generate curb appeal to ensure you get the highest price.

· Assist with obtaining offers and help you in negotiating the best deal as smoothly as possible.

· Help you find your next home and answer all of your questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more.

Getting the Highest Price for Your Home

Curb appeal is KEY and could make a difference whether people stop and take a flyer, or drive right by. Here are a few tips to increase the curb appeal of your home. Staging your home is important. Many buyers will stay in your home longer if it's staged appropriately. I have compiled some ideas to present your home in the most effective manner – See the tab on Staging Your Home.

Closing Cost to Expect

· Title insurance fees depend on the sales price of the home.

· Broker's commission is a full-service fee and will cost anywhere between 5% to 7%.

· Local property transfer tax, country transfer tax, state transfer tax, and state capital gains tax are the charges that you'll pay for the privilege of selling your home. Credit to the buyer of unpaid real estate taxes for the prior or current year are variable and depend on when you close and when your taxes are due.  Use this website to find out what your Real Estate Transfer Fee will be: http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/lpt/rtf.shtml

· FHA fees and costs are all fees are now negotiable between an FHA buyer and seller.

· Home inspections fees are in some circumstances paid for by the seller and include pest, radon, oil tank and other inspections.

· Miscellaneous fees can accrue from correcting problems noticed during the home inspection.

· CO – Certificate of Occupancy (required to close)– depending on the town can cost from $25.00 to $125.00. The usual requirements are:

• Fire extinguishers
• Smoke Detectors
• Auto door closers on Fire Doors in Buildings

 Seller FAQs

“Questions that sellers frequently ask us.”

Q.  Why shouldn’t I price my house a little high, since I can always drop the price later?

A. That’s a strategy that sounds good – but, in fact, is more likely to result in a lower price. Here’s why. The first few weeks a house is on the market is when it will have the most activity. If a house is overpriced, it has to compete with houses at that higher price level, which are almost certainly larger or have newer/more luxurious features.

So the overpriced home is unlikely to attract an offer. Worse yet, those first weeks are when real estate agents preview the house. If it’s overpriced, they may not even bother to show it to their buyers. Eventually, the seller will have to drop the price – and may end up with an even lower price because buyers will wonder why the house has been on the market so long and may factor that into their offer.

Q. What is meant by the term “contingency” in a sales contract?

A. Sales contracts typically contain several “contingency” clauses, or stipulations that the sale is subject to. For example, with a mortgage contingency, if the buyer is unable to obtain financing within the specified timeframe, neither the buyer nor the seller is required to complete the purchase. Among other common provisions in the “subject to” section are termite and other inspection issues and the purchaser’s need to sell a current home first.

Q. What is an escape clause?

A. An escape clause, also known as a kickout or knockout clause, is a provision that allows the party to void the contract. For example, the seller may retain the right to look for a more favorable offer, with the original purchaser retaining the right, if challenged, either to firm up the first sales contract (such as by waiving a contingency) or to void the contract. As another example, sellers might insist upon an escape clause in a contract that hinges on the buyers’ selling their home.

Selling for Top Dollar! Did you know? The best chance for selling your property is within the first seven weeks! Studies show that the longer a property stays on the market, the less financial return the seller will net. There are 5 main factors to achieving your goal of getting top dollar for your property. Factor 1: PRICING It is very important to price your property at a competitive market value right when you list it. The market is so competitive that even over-pricing by a few thousand dollars could mean that your house will not sell. I have found your first offer is usually your best offer. An overpriced home: Minimizes offers Lowers showings Lowers agent response Limits financing Limits qualified buyers When you think about it, 80% of the marketing is done when we decide on what price to list your home. For people unwilling to list a property at current market value, I usually recommend holding off on putting the property on the market for awhile. Factor 2: CLEANING Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of uncleanliness or odor when buying a home. Sellers lose thousands of dollars because they do not adequately clean. If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to sell your home faster and net hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars more. If you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that old junk now so that your house will appear larger? Make more space! Odors must be eliminated, especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers, or if you are a smoker. You may not notice the smell, but the buyers do! Most agents have a difficult time communicating to their sellers about odor. If you employ an agent to get the most amount of money for you, please don't take offense if he/she must confront you about odor problems. Factor 3: ACCESS Top selling agents will not show your home if both the key and access are not readily available. They do not have time to run around town picking up and dropping off keys. They want to sell homes! The greatest way to show a house is to have a key! When your home is being shown, be sure to do the following: Keep all lights on, including exterior “coach” lights by your front door Keep all drapes and shutters open Keep all doors unlocked Leave soft music playing Take a short walk with your children and pets Let the buyer be at ease and let the agents do their job Factor 4: PAINT AND CARPET Paint is your best improvement investment for getting a greater return on your money. Paint makes the whole house smell clean and neat. If your house has chipped paint, exposed wood, or the paint looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet is worn, dirty, outdated, or an unusual color, you may need to seriously consider replacing it. Many houses do not sell because of this problem. Don't think that buyers have more money than you do to replace carpet. They don't. They simply buy elsewhere. Factor 5: CURB APPEAL The first impression a buyer gets of your home is from the curb. Your front yard immediately reflects the inside condition of your house to the buyer. People enjoy their yards. Make certain that the trees and bushes are trimmed so the house can be seen from the street. Have the grass mowed, trimmed and edged. Walkways should be swept. The front door should be freshly painted or freshly stained. Clean away debris. Remove parked cars. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer does not like the outside, they may not stop to see the inside! Well, now you know all of the 5 main factors to getting top dollar for your property: Factor 1: Pricing Factor 2: Cleaning Factor 3: Access Factor 4: Paint and Carpet Factor 5: Curb Appeal If you carefully consider these factors, you will maximize your chances of selling your property within the first seven weeks for top dollar!