My house is listed, now what???

Okay, so you've decided to sell your home, you've done everything right, interviewed agents, listened to listing presentations, the whole nine yards. Your agent just called to let you know that your house is now in MLS. You've already gone through and fixed all the problems, removed clutter, you have done everything right, just then the phone rings. It's your agent; he/she will be by in an hour with a prospective buyer, have the house ready for showing. Oh, so this is the panic feeling my agent was talking about.

The good news is there are some simple steps that can keep you and your home "show ready" with a minimum amount of work. Remember that agents will be showing prospective buyers your home when you are not there.

First steps: Set the thermostat at a comfortable setting, if its winter be sure the house is warm enough, in summer don't let it become a sweat box. If a prospective buyer can't be comfortable in a house just touring it, they are not going to take the time to "see" the house. They are going to rush through to go and get warm, or cool off.

•Ø Don't let laundry pile up
•Ø Take care of pet odors, and speaking of pets, put food bowls and litter boxes in hidden places
•Ø Process mail as soon as possible, do not leave it on the table etc
•Ø Never, never leave dishes in the sink
•Ø Make beds each and every morning
•Ø Make sure showers, toilets, sinks and ovens are all scrubbed clean
•Ø Clothes belong off the floor, in hampers, hung up in the closet, put away
•Ø Keep frig free of odors and clean both inside and out
•Ø Dust and vacuum every week, more often if you have pets
•Ø If your children have caged pets, such as gerbils, rats, mice, snakes etc send them to friends or family while the house is on the market. Believe me this is a big one.
•Ø Don't let garages become the catch all for your cleaning efforts. Get a storage locker if need be

These helpful hints can be a lifesaver when your home is on the market. How your home shows is a very important and often overlooked factor in whether your home sells or not. The worst thing a seller can do is have the "if it's good enough for me, it's good enough for them" syndrome.

Remember, the look you are trying to achieve is that comfortable lived in feel, while still maintaining that polish of a show house.

Tax rebate time is running out!

If you havent chosen your new home, now is the time to do so to qualify for the first time home buyer federal tax credit!!!!

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/index.html

Don't delay, call me today to help you make your next move!

Welcome to the Southeast Georgia Real Estate Blog

Welcome! I'm glad you've stopped by. We're in some exciting times in real estate right now and there are historical things happening with regards to real estate. Unless you're living under a rock, (and I don't mean that disrespectfully) you are probably aware that for the next 39 days you can still qualify for the first time home buyers' credit of $8000 from the federal government if you haven't owned a primary residence in the past 3 years. And what's even more exciting, in this great state of Georgia, you also qualify for an additional $1800 at the state level! We've never seen anything like this in the history of the real estate market and will not likely see it again, at least in my lifetime! Senator Isakson spoke recently about extending the credit an additional 7 months and allowing ANY buyer who is purchasing a primary residence to qualify for this credit from the federal government in hopes to stimulate the housing market. So if you've thought about purchasing a home, call your senator and encourage them to support that movement so that you too can own a piece of the American Dream!