Sell Your Home in 10 Weeks: A Series. Part 1 of 4
"What? Sell my home in 10 weeks? In this market? That can't be right!"
Well, you did read right, and it can be done. This series is designed for home sellers who want to sell a home soon and with as little hassle as possible. With an open mind and the right advice, you can indeed sell your home in 10 weeks - just in time to enjoy the year-end holidays at your next place of residence.
Before we get into the actual steps involved to reach success, let's just consider who this series will benefit. You should follow this series if:
1. You want to attract the best possible buyers for your home.
2. You honestly, truly want to move.
3. You are open to any and all advice by professionals in the real estate industry.
With that said, let's get started.
Part I - Week 1: Preparation
The actions you take in this phase of my plan will have an enormous impact on your success rate. Skip any step and you place yourself in danger of an elongated marketing time for your home. In this phase, you are going to get your house, your paperwork, and yourself ready to place your home on the market.
The first step you must take is to build a team of professionals who will guide you and advise you through the marketing and selling of your home. The team that will cover your back will include a REALTOR, an attorney, a home stager, a home inspector, your current mortgage holder, and an appraiser.
Interview REALTORs: The very first person you should meet with is a REALTOR. In fact, I advise that you meet with three REALTORs and then choose one. You are going to place your utmost trust in this person, and you have the right to interview several of these real estate professionals.
A REALTOR should not only prepare a market analysis of your home, but should also be able to tell you exactly how he or she plans to market your home. Find someone you are comfortable with who also has a variety of marketing techniques, particularly Internet tools. Your REALTOR should also be willing to serve as the coordinator for your home sale transaction - the hub of information among all of your team members, as well as the buyer's team.
At this stage, you are interviewing REALTORs. If you find one who you like during this first week, wonderful. If not, we'll address working with your REALTOR more in-depth in Week 2.
Alert Your Attorney: A great real estate attorney knows the ins and outs of real estate law. If your current attorney does not practice real estate, ask him or her (or your REALTOR) to refer you to a lawyer who regularly practices real estate. A real estate transaction is a legal transaction, and you can not sell a house without legal representation.
Hire a Home Stager: This is a step that many home sellers skip because they view it as an unnecessary cost. If you skimp on this, you putting yourself in the hands of fate instead of taking control of your home sale.
A home stager will come in and give you ideas on how best to present your home to potential buyers. When you interview stagers, ask if they have different levels of service. You may be able to go with a basic level where the stager gives you a list of activities. Or, if your sofa is 20 years old and your rugs are threadbare, you may need a full staging using the home stager's warehouse of furnishings.
By the time your stager is done, your home may look so nice you may not want to move! That's when you know your home is ready for the market.
Employ a Home Inspector: As an agent who has worked with many buyers, I can tell you that the home inspection is often the point that a deal falls apart. The inspector finds a defect, which alarms the buyer. The buyer withdraws the offer. How do you think the seller reacts?
There is a way to reduce the likelihood of your deal falling apart because of inspection issues, and that is to hire your own home inspector. Consider it sales insurance. Your inspector will examine your home for defects. You then make all repairs suggested. Make your inspection report available to any buyer who tours your house, and they have an extra sense that you truly care about the condition of your home. It creates a sense of trust and security, plus it can be compared to the buyer's own home inspection report.
Make Contact with Your Current Mortgage Lender: During this week of preparation, call your mortgage lender. Inform them that you intend to place your home on the market and ask them to send you a list of all documents that you will need to have at the ready. Also, confirm with them the amount that remains on your loan. This way, you avoid unpleasant surprises the day before closing. You want to have an idea where you stand: will you make money on the sale of your home, or will you have to pay the lender some monies at closing? Get your paper work in order this week, before it accidentally gets packed away.
Seek the Services of an Appraiser: The REALTOR who you choose will give you an estimate of the market value of your home. An independent appraiser will give you an opinion as to your home's worth. This is a second opinion of sorts and provides you with extra assurance in the event that the appraisal by the buyer's lender comes in much lower than your own appraisal. We want apples to apples, not apples to lemons, correct?
Other Activities: Building your team should take at most two to three days. What should you do the remaining days of this week? I am so glad you asked.
The remainder of your time is to be spent packing and cleaning. Yes, it is elbow grease time. Pack away any items that are absolutely unnecessary for the next 10 weeks. Rent a storage unit and remove these items from your home. What about storing them in the garage? The buyers will want to picture their car in the garage. What about storing them in the basement? The buyers will want to picture their belongings piled up in the basement. What about storing them in the attic? The buyers will want...you get the idea.
In terms of cleaning, your REALTOR and home stager should both be able to provide you with a detailed honey-do list of ways to make your home sparkle inside and out. But if you want to get started on cleaning, send me an email and I will be happy to send you a list. Just be sure to type "Send House Cleaning List" in the subject line.
Summary
Part I, and Week 1, are all about getting ready to put your home on the market. Think of it as getting a product ready for sale, because that is exactly what you are doing. As you have probably realized, it costs money to sell a home! The money spent will come back to you in time savings and hassles avoided. You're worth it, aren't you?
While you go about these tasks, you will start to feel many emotions: anxiety, excitement, fatigue, crabbiness, doubt. Know that this is normal. You are saying good-bye to a home that holds many of your memories and shows the world who you are. Try to roll with these emotions and focus on the reasons that you wish to move and your hopes for the future. Your team will be there to help you and make it as easy for you as possible.
Next time, we'll take a look at the marketing of your home and some ways to survive the showings. Until then, happy cleaning!
Kathryn Acciari, REALTOR
RE/MAX Professional Associates
49 Main Street
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Cell: (508) 982-0686
Email: kathrynacciari@remax.net
Web: kathrynacciari.remax.com
Blog: kathrynsells
Community: AskMeAboutSturbridge.com
Strengthening the Massachusetts Real Estate Market One Property at a Time!
A Summer's Weekend in Sturbridge - Things To Do Aug. 14-16
The weather is heating up, and it looks to be a beautiful summer weekend in Sturbridge, MA. If you happen to be in town, here is a list of events that are going on. If you participate in any, come back to this site and write a comment!
Weekend Events:
Stageloft Repertory Theater presents
"The Sunshine boys" - A Comedy by Neil Simon
Fri and Sat at 8 PM, Sun at 2 PM
Contact Ed Cornerly (508) 347-9005
Chess Tournament: 39th Continental Chess Open
Sturbridge Host Hotel
Main Street/Route 20
Read more info at: KindredSpirits Blog
Jaguar Festival of New England - you don't want to miss this!
Sturbridge Host Hotel
http://www.jaguarfestival.com/www.JaguarFestival.com/Welcome.html
Friday Events:
Friday Night Summer Dinner Series
at Old Sturbridge Village 5:30-9:00 PM
al Fresco Dining and Live Music on the Patio
Reservations Suggested: (508) 347-0363
Live Music - Admiral TJ Brien's
407 Main Street (Route 20), Sturbridge
(508) 347-2838
Saturday Events:
Hayloft Steppers
Square Dancing
http://www.hayloftsteppers.org/Dances.htm
Sunday Events:
Boston Red Sox 2004 and 2007 World Series championship trophies at Old Sturbridge Village on Aug. 15
11 AM - 3 PM
And if you're just looking for a place to eat, Sturbridge has a great variety of restaurants. Many of them will have live entertainment on this weekend. Check our list of restaurants for more information.
Kathryn Acciari, REALTOR - (508) 982-0686
Giant Fungi Attack Small New England Town - August 2009
STURBRIDGE, MA: The quaint town of Sturbridge, MA, is under siege by mysterious, enormous fungi. Numerous residents have reported that their lawns and gardens are little more than havens for toadstools and never before seen varieties of mushrooms. A summer of heavy rains and overcast skies has taken its toll on this usually drought-ridden area.
"I came home from vacation, and I had to chop down the mushrooms before I could cut the lawn," one victim proclaimed. "The mushrooms were as big as pancakes."
"Usually, by this time of the year our lawns have gone into dormancy from lack of rain," stated another home owner. "But this year even the folks with sprinkler systems have been able to turn them off and just rely on the rains."
But not all residents are taking the appearance of the fungi in stride. "Some of these growths are downright creepy," added one gardener. "I have to wonder if they weren't placed here by aliens or grew from some sort of oceanic upsurge."
While some residents are methodically removing the fungi using manual methods, others have raided the shelves of local nurseries for bottles of anti-fungal solution. Such sprays do appear to have some effect on preventing further growth.
While no unusual beings have come forward to claim credit for the fungi, residents are forewarned to use caution in dealing with the newly-appeared growths. They may be poisonous or cause undesirable skin reactions.
"If I knew whether they were edibile, I might saute them with my steak," one fellow was heard to say. "But I really can't identify these, so I'll just have to stay on top of them with my weed wacker."
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Story written by Kathryn Acciari. While the photographs are of true fungi, the story and quotes are entirely fictitious. No fungus was harmed in the making of this story.
The Plum Room - Mind, Body, Spirit - a New Business in Sturbridge, MA
A great big welcome to The Plum Room, which opened the first weekend of August 2009. Owner Valerie Allard has been hard at work arranging all of the goods she offers to the shop's visitors. The Plum Room provides herbal remedies, aromatherapy products, leaf teas, and a variety of other items to lift one's spirits.
The Plum Room is located at 425 Main Street (Route 20) in historic Sturbridge, MA. The building's 1880's construction suits the business very well, with its hardwood floors and beamed ceilings. Allard has spent quite a bit of time preparing for her opening day, painting the walls in earthtones and creating a welcoming atmosphere.
In addition to the products that Allard provides, she has invited the services of nearby practitioners. Dawn Simpson is an Angelic Life Coach who will be available for angel readings and Reiki healing. Janine Drake will offer tarot card readings. Allard hopes to provide workshops on these topics to her customers at The Plum Room.
During my visit to The Plum Room, I picked up a tea ball (something I'd been wanting to do for years), and Allard ground up an herbal tea mix of her own creation in her big marble mortar and pestle. The mix included ecchinacea, ginseng and several other ingredients. Allard recommended that this would make an energizing iced tea.
The Plum Room is open from 10 AM to 5 PM daily, including weekends. Allard is happy to be available in the evenings for those who need her, so call her directly for extended hours.
The Plum Room
425 Main Street
Sturbridge, MA 01566
(508) 344-0118
10 AM - 5 PM plus extended hours
The Plum Room makes a refreshing addition to the shops of Sturbridge, MA. Do something nice for yourself and stop in to see what The Plum Room offers.
- Kathryn Acciari
REALTOR, Community Networker, and Creator of AskMeAboutSturbridge.com
(508) 982-0686 cell phone
Blog: KathrynSells
Real Estate: RE/MAX Professional Associates
Serving It Up at Sturbridge Coffee House in Sturbridge, MA
Pia Rogers is the Queen Bean. She identified a need in Sturbridge, and has successfully created the only independently-owned coffee house in town.
Sturbridge is overflowing with coffee chains, but Rogers brings to town a place for true coffee-house fanatics to call home. What the national brands can't offer, Rogers does. Sturbridge Coffee House has an inviting setting within a cozy antique building on Route 20, the town's primary commercial leg. Rogers opens at 5 AM on weekdays, serving the regular commuters who stop in before they hit the highways.
The restaurant offers a pleasing variety of coffee brews and flavors that Rogers can modify at whim. For those who want to stay and sip, there are movable tables and chairs, and comfy leather couches for lingering. I spent a recent rainy morning at the coffee house making use of the free wi-fi access and enjoying the banter among the staff and customers.
To complement her coffee, Rogers puts forth a decadent breakfast menu. The display of baked goods at the counter is hard to resist: scones, muffin tops, bagels and a multitude of croissants. Chocolate or spinach/feta? Not an easy choice.
The coffee house serves lunch from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm, and the menu is refreshing. Green salads, all-natural soups (including lobster bisque), and healthy sandwiches. Rogers often offers specials. One adventurous lunch special was the Thanksgiving wrap: A turkey wrap with stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. She frequently offers Facebook Specials too, which are displayed on her Wall.
In addition to a welcome environment, Sturbridge Coffee House plays an important role in connecting the community. Local artists regularly display their work on the walls, and fliers of events around town can be found throughout the shop. Fans look for the special events and entertainment. Rogers bring in a kids' musician twice a week, as well as small bands to perform for the evening crowd. Singles (age 30 and up) can meet at the coffee house's Singles Mingles.
Along with a number of other local merchants, Sturbridge Coffee House has stepped forward to be on hand at the town's Concerts on the Common on Thursday evenings. The photo above captures Pia Rogers in action at her booth.
Sturbridge Coffee House has a strong presence on Facebook, where you'll find up-to-date information on the restaurant. One of their slogans is, "In our House, new visitors become old friends." Stop in for a coffee and leave with a smile.
Sturbridge Coffee House
479 Main Street (Route 20)
Fiskdale, MA 01518
(508) 347-2288
Web: Sturbridge Coffee House
Review submitted by Kathryn Acciari, a Sturbridge REALTOR and developer of AskMeAboutSturbridge, the go-to source for Sturbridge info.
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