News and Advertising for New Homes • Realtors • Developers • Commercial Properties • and more
August 2013
A L P H A R E T TA • C U M M I N G • C H E R O K E E • D U L U T H • F O R S Y T H • G W I N N E T T • J O H N S C R E E K • M I LT O N • R O S W E L L • S U WA N N E E
Jump Start Your Home Sale By Eve Jones – Harry Norman A little known fact: the first three weeks are the most critical when selling your home. Why is that? Because new list-
ings initially generate a lot of excitement among agents and buyers. There are many buyers out there waiting for the right home to magically appear on the market. And, agents are checking the
multiple listing service “hot sheets” (new listings) every day. With all this attention, you had better be ready! There’s a saying in our business, “real estate is a beauty contest”. I’d like to add
to that, “and, beauty is only skin deep”. Yes, your home should be clean, clutter-free and hopefully, updated but, beneath the surface are some of the most important features of a home; mechanical/HVAC systems, roof, structural integrity, siding and trim condition, hot water heaters, windows etc. This is the non-sexy stuff that, if left to chance, can kill a deal. Many of the homes in North Fulton are advancing to 20+ years in age and require maintenance and systems replacements. Some sellers mistake replacing an 18 year old HVAC unit or replacing/painting wood rot for an “upgrade”. These are not upgrades.
They are simply maintenance (and, the joys of homeownership!). Buyers do not want to fix your problems that should have been addressed long ago. Here’s where a fullservice Realtor can really earn his/her commission on the front-end of a sale by finding an inspector who can help you identify issues before you get all those agents and buyers excited about your home! And, that agent will have reliable contractors to do the repairs. This is the “putting the horse before the cart” approach to selling and the thing that may keep the buyer “in-love” with your home all the way to the closing table.