In the lawsuit happy society we live in many of the new laws and state and federally mandated forms were intended to relieve the number of suits coming from buyers against a seller they recently bought a home from who felt that the seller had not fully disclosed all the defects in the property. The most important of these to a seller is the state mandated Sellers Disclosure Statement. Make sure you contact one of our agents to get a sellers package which will include most of these forms so that you can do your homework without feeling rushed or pressured at a critical moment during your real estate transaction.

Examples of Sellers Package contents:

• Sellers Disclosure Statement (State Mandated)
• Agency Disclosure Statement (State Mandated)
• For unplatted homes or land Notice to Assessor regarding future rights to division of property.
• Lead Based Paint Disclosure (Federally Mandated forms & booklet)
• Purchase agreements, addendum's etc. for your review.

Before the yard sign goes up, your sales associate and you must do some homework—and it makes all the difference. With the Home Marketing System, we'll combine your knowledge of your home with the expertise of your sales associate to make sure we attract the best buyer.

Buyers want to know details; having the answers is a powerful sales tool. Your sales associate will use the information you provide to answer questions, create an advantageous listing and create an exciting marketing campaign that targets the right kind of buyer.

Help your sales associate by collecting or providing the following information:

• The legal description of the property.
• The number of rooms and their sizes.
• A list of things not attached to the house that you're offering for sale, such as window treatments, carpet, fixtures, swing sets, etc.
• Past utility bills, property taxes and insurance.
• Information about your mortgage assumability.
• Any liens against the property.
• If you live in a condominium or a development with an association, include a copy of the association's declaration, bylaws, and financial statement, monthly fees and special assessments.
• Special items or improvements about the house. (Point out things that may not be apparent on a walk-through.)

Before you set an asking price for your home, you and your sales associate will complete a Comparative Market Analysis. Using this process, we will establish a realistic which will ambitious listing price and increase the percentage of qualified buyers who look at your property. When setting a realistic fair market value of your home, you'll want to consider a few points.

• Don't base your asking price simply on what you paid for the home or how much you want out of the home. You may be asking too little or too much.
• Determine how much time you have in which to sell your home. If you must sell quickly, your sales associate may suggest a more competitive price; if you have some flexibility, you may choose a slightly higher price.
• Ask your sales associate for information on recent sales of comparable homes in your area.
• Consider hiring an appraiser to give you his or her opinion of the market value.
• Don't price your home too high as a means of making more profit. You will lose a large pool of eligible buyer who won't even look at your home because they can't afford the price. Likewise, you'll disappoint those buyers who can find more house for their money elsewhere.
• The value of your home is based on the buyer's perception of that value, rather than the amount you originally paid for the house.

As you prepare your home to be shown to prospective buyer's you must look at your home through a buyer's eyes. Ask your sales associate for brochures about how to merchandise your home. Here's a sample:

• Unclutter all areas of your home to create an impression of spaciousness.
• Clean everything thoroughly. Ask a friend to help you assess your efforts – especially in sensitive areas such as odor removal.
• Neutralize your home by making any improvements in neutral colors that appeal to any decorating scheme. Your sales associate has helpful decoration information available in the written form or on video tape---ask for tips from him or her.

• Keep the lawn well-trimmed and edged. Keep shrubs and trees trimmed.
• Put away lawn equipment, toys and other outdoor items. Stack firewood neatly.
• Repair and paint or stain fences.
• Check exterior surfaces. Make repairs, clean or paint as needed.
• Clean, paint and repair or realign gutters.
• Fix broken windows and screens, then wash.
• Wash down the exterior of the house, driveways and sidewalks. Fix holes in pavement.
• Check the roof and repair loose shingles or flashing.
• Make sure the entry light and doorbell work. Replace house numbers and welcome mat as needed. Paint, stain or clean the door if needed.
• Brighten your landscaping with moveable, potted flowers.

• Discard all unused items to reduce clutter.
• Arrange clothes neatly in closets. Store a limited amount of items on the floor and overhead shelves.
• Leave kitchen countertops as clear as possible. Clean and organize cupboard interiors.
• Check walls for smudges, chipped paint and torn or loose wallpaper. Make repairs and paint surfaces in neutral colors.
• Clean and organize the basement, attic and garage.
• Launder window treatments and carpets. Replace worn, stained or smelly carpeting.
• loose doorknobs, switch plates, cabinets, drawer pulls and the like.
• Fix sticking doors and windows, and squeaking floors and steps.
• Fix leaky faucets, and remove water stains.
• Repair or clean caulking on tubs and sinks.
• Replace all lights with higher wattage bulbs and open all drapes.
• Arrange furniture to give an impression of spaciousness in each room.

Your sales associate will try to give you as much advance notice as possible for a showing, but always be ready to show your home.

• Ask your sales associate if you should have an Open House, usually scheduled for a weekend afternoon.
• Consider hanging a lockbox on your door to allow licensed sales associates to show your home when you're not there.
• Take the name and number of all drop-in buyers and refer them to your sales associate.

• Turn on all your lights, including the outside entrance, even during the daytime.
• Turn off the TV.
• Ask a friend to keep pets, especially during your Open House.
• Put out fresh flowers, your best towels, a nice tablecloth and other accessories.

Try to leave when the sales associate brings a buyer over, so the buyer feels free to ask questions or to linger. If you stay, be polite but let the sales associate handle the questions.