Pricing Your Home
I will help you determine the market value of your home by generating a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) Report, which will show you a range of prices being paid for homes in your area. Some factors that affect the value of your home are location, square footage of your home and lot, buyer demand for your class of home, interest rates, the condition of your property and amenities. As your agent, I will work to develop a pricing strategy in conjunction with a customized marketing plan. By designing the whole strategy to work in harmony together, we can be sure to optimize the value of your home.

Getting An Appraisal
An appraisal is a professional estimate of a property's market value, based on recent sales of comparable properties. Appraisals consider many factors, including location, square footage and construction quality. This service varies in cost depending on the price of the home. If you choose to get an appraisal I will recommend a professional who is expert in your area.

Preparing Your Home
An inspection of your home conducted by a licensed inspector will enable you to disclose important information to buyers and help determine the value of your home. I can refer you to the right inspector for your needs. The American Society of Home Inspectors offers a description of their standards of practice for a home inspection and can also refer you to an inspector in your area.

Making Your Home Look Its Best
The next step is to envision your home through a buyer’s eyes, which means making necessary repairs, clearing the clutter, and cleaning. There are often many minor expenses that can pay major dividends in an improved sales price. These can include painting the interior and exterior, landscaping, cleaning carpets and drapes, and repairing or replacing appliances. In many cases, a home's appeal can be improved by staging unfurnished rooms to showcase the house's usability and suitability. I will assist you in determining what to do and how to make it cost effective. In addition, I can recommend professionals to assist you along the way. One site that is helpful in providing information about contractors is ImproveNet.

Marketing Your Home
I will use every means possible to make sure that all potential buyers gain immediate access to information about your home. For each home, I develop a customized marketing plan that uniquely positions your home in the marketplace, and creates differentiated messaging for your property. The marketing plan will also describe exactly how the word will get out about your sale. For instance, I will advertise your home in many publications, newspapers and on the Internet. I will create a brochure with pictures of your property and distribute it to potential buyers and other realtors. Buyers will learn about your home through the multiple listing service, weekend and broker open houses, referrals, and driving by and seeing the Coldwell Banker sign. Finally, I will be available at all times to answer questions regarding your property.

Escrow
An escrow is an arrangement in which a disinterested third party, called an escrow holder, holds legal documents and funds on behalf of a buyer and seller, and distributes them according to the buyer's and seller's instructions. This is an essential part of nearly all home closings. Useful sites that contain additional information on escrow services include: Real Estate ABC and First American.

Tax Considerations
As a home owner, you should carefully consider the tax consequences of selling your home. Seldom can one event have a greater potential impact on your tax situation. You should definitely consult a tax advisor prior to going through the process. The following sites are helpful in educating you on the tax consequences of selling a home and keeping the bills from your accountant in check! Intuit, the makers of Quicken, have an excellent site for TurboTax filled with tax calculators. Also, Yahoo has developed a useful capital gains calculator on their Real Estate site.

Looking to Buy Another Home?
Most owners who are selling their homes are also looking to buy a new home. Whether your goal is trading up, moving to another location, or simplifying your life, I can help out. Start with my Buyer's Guide, and please be sure and contact me! I'm here to help.