Matt Grohe CRS, GRI, ABR

There's an industry saying "Subject to Sale offers are subject to problems". This has validity because a lot can go wrong. Knowing how these offers operate can be the key to using them effectively.

OFFER COMES IN

You are a seller. You have just received an offer on your property. The offer has a contingency, it is "Subject to Sale" of the buyer's own property. You of course don't want this, you want to sell your home yesterday. The fact is though that many buyers are sellers as well and can be very good prospects becuase of it, here's why.

ATTRACTIVE BENEFITS

Subject to sale offers are likely to net you a higher price. This is because the buyer needs to write an offer decent enough for you to accept it, and for you not to want to "bump them" off at the first chance.

Subject to sale offers are likely to net you better terms. This is for the same reason as above. If they ask for too much off the bat, you're not going to even consider giving what they propose, and accept the Subject to offer.

THE MECHANICS

There are several components of the offer to pay particular attention to. The first is the length of time you will allow the subject offer to exist. Find out what the average time is on market in your MLS area, then go for two thirds or half of that. Your reason is that you want that buyer-seller to know he needs to be agressive in his sale, marketing, conditioning, etc; because you won't, and don't have to wait forever.

The second equally important factor is the notification period. Even if you have a subject to sale offer, your home remains on the market. If you get another offer you want to have the first buyer perform, or get out of the way. When you take a Subject you neogtiate the notification period. Generally, it is from 0 to 72 hours. O notice means you can accept any offer without notice to the buyer with the subject offer. 24 hours notice gives the buyer a day to either getr interim financing or withdraw.

THE FACTS

Here are a few basic facts about subject to sale offers

• You continue to market the property
• You do not need another offer to seek performance
• If you ask a buyer to remove a subject, the offer is not subject to buyer's sale

If have placed and received subject to sale offers. I have been through many scenarios and would be happy to answer any question you may have about them. Contact me anytime.

Matt Grohe RE/MAX REALTOR®3125 Douglas Ave Des Moines, IA 50310 Ph 515-988-3726 Licensed to sell Real Estate in the State of Iowa RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts® Each office Independently owned and operated

Mistake #1 -- Pricing Your Property Too High

Every seller obviously wants to get the most money for his or her product. Ironically, the best way to do this is NOT to list your product at an excessively high price! A high listing price will cause some prospective buyers to lose interest before even seeing your property. Also, it may lead other buyers to expect more than what you have to offer. As a result, overpriced properties tend to take an unusually long time to sell, and they end up being sold at a lower price.

Mistake #2 -- Mistaking Re-finance Appraisals for the Market Value

Unfortunately, a re-finance appraisal may have been stated at an untruthfully high price. Often, lenders estimate the value of your property to be higher than it actually is in order to encourage re-financing. The market value of your home could actually be lower. Your best bet is to ask your Realtor for the most recent information regarding property sales in your community. This will give you an up-to-date and factually accurate estimate of your property value.

Mistake #3 -- Forgetting to "Showcase Your Home"

In spite of how frequently this mistake is addressed and how simple it is to avoid, its prevalence is still widespread. When attempting to sell your home to prospective buyers, do not forget to make your home look as pleasant as possible. Make necessary repairs. Clean. Make sure everything functions and looks presentable. A poorly kept home in need of repairs will surely lower the selling price of your property and will even turn away some buyers.

Mistake #4 -- Trying to "Hard Sell" While Showing

Buying a house is always an emotional and difficult decision. As a result, you should try to allow prospective buyers to comfortably examine your property. Don't try haggling or forcefully selling. Instead, be friendly and hospitable. A good idea would be to point out any subtle amenities and be receptive to questions.

Mistake #5 -- Trying to Sell to "Looky-Loos"

A prospective buyer who shows interest because of a "for sale" sign he saw may not really be interested in your property. Often buyers who do not come through a Realtor are a good 6-9 months away from buying, and they are more interested in seeing what is out there than in actually making a purchase. They may still have to sell their house, or may not be able to afford a house yet. They may still even be unsure as to whether or not they want to relocate.

Your Realtor should be able to distinguish realistic potential buyers from mere lookers. Realtors should usually find out a prospective buyer's savings, credit rating, and purchasing power in general. If your Realtor fails to find out this pertinent information, you should do some investigating and questioning on your own. This will help you avoid wasting valuable time marketing towards the wrong people. If you have to do this work yourself, consider finding a new Realtor.

Mistake #6 -- Not Knowing Your Rights & Responsibilities

It is extremely important that you are well-informed of the details in your real estate contract. Real estate contracts are legally binding documents, and they can often be complex and confusing. Not being aware of the terms in your contract could cost you thousands for repairs and inspections. Know what you are responsible for before signing the contract. Can the property be sold "as is"? How will deed restrictions and local zoning laws will affect your transaction? Not knowing the answers to these kind of questions could end up costing you a considerable amount of money.

Mistake #7 -- Limiting the Marketing and Advertising of the Property

Your Realtor should employ a wide variety of marketing techniques. Your Realtor should also be committed to selling your property; he or she should be available for every phone call from a prospective buyer. Most calls are received, and open houses are scheduled, during business hours, so make sure that your Realtor is working on selling your home during these hours. Chances are that you have a job, too, so you may not be able to get in touch with many potential buyers.

GUIDE TO BUYING CENTRAL IOWA FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES

Foreclosure properties are a segment of the property market in and of themselves. They can provide value for an investor or home owner, though this is not always the case. The mechanics of the transaction are similar to an ordinary resale, but there are quirks to be aware of and anticipated. Banks are straddled with record amounts of property and there are some great deals out there, but as with any purchase you can strategize to take maximum advantage of market forces.

Use this report as a guide only for the central Iowa market. Foreclosures are offered by many companies and agencies, so policies and procedures vary wildly. The most important thing to keep in mind is that buying a foreclosure is not the same as buying a normal resale home, and that approaching the transaction as if it were a normal resale is a recipe for failure. This report is geared towards the investor, but may be employed effectively by any purchaser. Please note also that this report does not apply to HUD homes. Updated 08/13/08

#1 Be preapproved or have validated funds

In the foreclosure world this is a must. It is not necessary to have a formal pre-approval letter, a letter of credit or proof of funds will operate as effectively. You shouldn't even go looking without this.

#2 Move on new properties quickly

Good properties that are priced low sell fast, so be prepared to go looking the first day or two after a property you like becomes available. Expect hot affordable properties to have multiple offers within the first few days of listing. It's important that you make your analysis of the property quickly and submit your best offer for consideration as soon as possible.

#3 Don't always expect fire sale discounts

As noted above, competition is fierce for new value priced listings and offers are handled differently for foreclosure properties. Traditionally, buyers expect sellers to counter low-ball offers, not often so here. Your offer may simply be rejected if it falls out of the acceptable range.

If a property is not a "hot" ticket however and has been on the market for some time, or is priced $75,000 or above, buyers have been known to get substantial discounts. Drastically reduced prices are more likely if the property has been listed with one broker and not sold, then relisted with a different broker, or has been on the market more than three months.

#4 Know what repairs cost

More often than not, these homes need some TLC. If you know the cost of common repairs off the bat, you can evaluate the home quickly. If you need to call an electrician, plumber, carpenter, roofer, etc, every time you look, you're dead in the water. Plus, after a few times of dragging crews through homes you don't buy, you might find your trade pool shrinking drastically.

#5 Property sold "AS IS" Buyer must sign addendum in lieu of a disclosure

On a normal resale the owner occupant fills out a seller's disclosure stating known conditions of the property. On foreclosures, the property may be being sold by an asset manager fronting for a large bank or financial concern, and/or by the government. The seller has never visited the property and therefore has no knowledge of conditions.

What the seller will provide is an addendum. This addendum states the property is being sold "as is" and will spell out any special terms of the sale. Addendums can run up to eighteen pages or more. Provisions will supplant the terms of the purchase agreement, so the addendum should be read carefully. Often a signed addendum and lead hazard page will need to accompany all incoming offers, though this differs.

It is not uncommon for all the utilities to be disconnected, meaning no lights, no heat, no water. Most, if not all, will have the water meter removed and the plumbing system drained. You may not be able to get the utilities turned on to do your inspection of the property. If you are able to get the utilities turned back on, often you do so at your own expense.

#6 Addendums take charge

You must submit a written offer to purchase on any foreclosure you want to buy. You will also be required to sign one or more addendums as part of the purchase as stated above. Understanding the concepts behind addendums will save you a great deal of stress and confusion.

Individual state laws and brokerage operations will affect how the "Boiler Plate" on a purchase agreement will read. In contract terms, "Boiler Plate" is language that is pre-printed on an agreement and does not need to be written in. Since the company selling the foreclosure may operate in many states, they need an instrument that will guide the purchase in a similar fashion whether a property is sold in California or Connecticut and by RE/MAX or Prudential.

The addendums on a foreclosure serve to operate as the real agreement. You will state your terms on the offer, and they will often be restated in the addendums. Addendums will also state per diem charges. These are charges of up to $250 per day or more if the close is delayed AS THE FAULT OF THE BUYER, NOT THE SELLER. Invariably, every first time foreclosure buyer balks at the per diem and fears the worst. Per diem charges only come about if the buyer is not in a position to close on the date agreed upon in the addendum.

#7 Termite Inspection is on the Buyer

In an ordinary resale, the seller will pay for a termite inspection of the property. This report is needed by the lender as part of their due diligence in underwriting the loan, as presence of termites or past infestation may affect the lender's security.

With foreclosures however the buyer is often responsible for the cost of this report which runs around $100.

#8 No subject to sale offers

If you need to sell a home to buy a foreclosure, you cannot make that a contingency in the purchase agreement. This is universal. There are no subject to sale offers with foreclosures. You need to prove you have the buying power or the funds when you submit the offer.

#9 Come out with strong offer

The gold standard is an offer that comes in above, at, or near full price, is cash, does not call for an inspection, is not contingent upon an appraisal, and does not ask for repairs or seller concessions. Your offer need not be framed as the above, but be aware that attractive offers offer the most and ask the least of the seller.

Government offered homes such as those by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD are more likely to allow seller concessions for owner occupants, such as covering a buyer's closing costs, but it is highly unlikely that they will accept an offer requiring repairs of any kind to be made.

It is advisable in submitting an offer on any distressed property to NEVER ASK FOR REPAIRS. Please note also that although your offer may be strengthened by declining an inspection, I strongly suggest that you always perform them.

On homes priced above $75,000 however there is more latitude in what the seller will accept. If your financing is strong, you may be able to negotiate a very lucrative discount if you know the ropes.

#10 Offers may be pooled

On a normal resale offers are often dealt with on the basis of who was first. On foreclosures, companies may wait for new offers to come in, without countering or accepting any of the initial offers. You may have the first offer in, but the ninth offer may receive as much consideration.

Sellers may not respond at all to low offers, or they may notify you that there are multiple offers, and that you should submit your "highest and best" offer. In this situation the listing agent will call all buyer's agents back and ask them if the client would like to change the terms of the offer, i.e, raise price.

You may stand pat, or you may raise your offer. The sellers want the highest maximum return, so they may not suggest a price. It is often up to the buyer to decide how high they want to go. This situation is analogous to an auction.

#11 Expect delays in offers and closing

There are several reasons for this. These properties are often being sold by an asset manager that is representing a large bank or financial concern. The asset manager might be even twice removed from the source. At the actual level of contact, often one representative will handle the offers for the seller. If that person is out of the office the day or week your offer comes in nobody will tell you anything. That representative, if they are in and review the offer, will then probably have to take the offers to a supervisor or committee. That group or person may then have to go up the chain for approval. This can cause delays to develop.

Expect response times on offers to be from mere hours to over three days. You may submit a very good offer that expires if not accepted in one day, but nobody may notice, even if your agent takes great pains to point out how wonderful an offer it is. Equally ineffective is having your agent call and badger the listing agent. It does not matter when you time out the offer, if you and the seller both agree, the offer would be valid even if signed after expiration.

Another factor is title issues. The property may have gone through more than one asset management company or listing broker. It may take some time to get all the records assembled for you to get clear title.

A further complication is the property abstract. Iowa law requires that the property abstract showing a history of the title of the property be updated with every sale. In the foreclosure process this document often gets lost. The owner of record then needs to perform a Root of Title and rebuild the abstract. This can take from three to six weeks, depending on how busy the title company is. One would expect the seller to order a missing abstract at the time of listing, but it does not always happen this way.

#12 Find value

On any given day there are hundreds of people out looking actively for foreclosures. You need strategies to beat out these folks to be successful.

Some great values can be had on higher priced homes, those selling for $75,000 or more. As more and more newer properties succumb to foreclosure, more choices become available to buyers. On higher priced foreclosed properties the difference between settled and listed value can be up to 40àThat is the difference between the first listed price and the final sold value, though the property may have been discounted several times.

Another way to get a good buy is to find value where others can't see it. This would be in homes needing what seem to be major repairs in the form of foundation problems, roof issues, aged mechanicals, rotten windows, and sloping floors. These properties can hold great value as they are often passed up by those looking for the home that simply needs "cosmetics". They are often the properties that sit on the market for longer, and therefore are ripe for bargaining.

Foundations are the scariest for many. Would it surprise you if you knew a twenty foot basement wall could be rebuilt of concrete block, with a footing, from around $4,000 depending on who you use?

Roof work is also intimidating. Roofing can be done inexpensively if you know a small roofing specialist and use them often. Find one you can work with or do it yourself.

Mechanicals, in the form of furnaces and water heaters can be a major cost. If you're calling the company that has the fleet of trucks, you'll pay more than you need to. If you find a smaller contractor, buy a lesser known model of furnace, air unit, or water heater, you can get by for less.

In the Des Moines area there are a lot of foreclosures with window problems. A quick fix is storm windows. Find a source where you can get them for less than retail, such as a lumber yard. Double pane white vinyl windows can also be purchased inexpensively, and add a lot of appeal to a property. Replacing windows can be easier than you might think if you've never done it.

Floors also scare off the timid. While level floors are best, older homes often experience some settling or other issue that will affect the quality of the floor. Sometimes it is simply the case that there were not enough supports in the original design. In this case, floor jacks and blocks can be used to inexpensively remedy the problem if the floor joists themselves are not damaged.

#13 Tactics for getting offers accepted

Should you decide to pursue investing in foreclosures and you actually go out and look at some, you'll realize many are in desperate need of repair. Foreclosures are often referred to as "distressed property". The seller knows this, the listing agent knows this, and that is the reason many are priced below market.

Part of your offer strategy, in my humble opinion, should not be to present a lowball offer on a newly listed foreclosure supported with a laundry list of repairs necessary, all of which you instruct your agent to dutifully report to the listing agent. The agent knows the property is in disrepair. His hands are tied. He or she will only convey the terms of your offer to the seller, not a litany of property defects that justify your lowball offer.

You cannot strong arm your agent or the seller's agent, even if they are one in the same, into getting you a significant discount on a property due to conditions right off the bat. This is as immutable as the grass is green and the sky is blue. A better tactic is to submit a competitive offer with solid financing and clear cut terms.

Many times in the past I have submitted the lowball offer as instructed, pointed out the defects, as instructed, with the result often the same: 1) Your offer was rejected. 2.) A higher offer was accepted. 3.) The seller countered at $100 under the list price. 4.) There are four other offers, please give us your highest and best.

In my experience, and the experience of other agents I work with, buyers that employ this type of strategy end up dropping out of the market, disgruntled, without any accepted offers, thinking they were cheated by the system somehow. The reality is that the listing agent has a duty to the seller to get the best price and the best terms possible. They are prevented by law from even insinuating that the seller will accept any other terms than those listed in the MLS data. Additionally, many offers are submitted initially via an electronic medium, meaning no verbal communication. The likely hood of a listing agent submitting an offer to a seller with a note saying "We should accept this offer because there is mold, the roof is sagging, the toilet is missing, etc", is next to nothing.

There is a better way! Use the lowball on property that has been on the market more than thirty days. Beef up the lowball by offering terms favorable to the seller as mentioned in #8, cash, no inspection, thirty day close, and no closing costs covered. Additionally, you may use the strategy of writing an inspection into the offer, and then going for a discount based on discovery during the inspection.

Consider the seller's position. They don't need the money to close on another home or to move to Las Vegas to pursue a career as a dancer. There is no emotion for them. It's a numbers game. They will sell out at the right rate however. You just need to find what that is. Bank's are not in the property business, they are in the money business. They want the money back so they can make loans but they have to operate within certain limits.

(Lowball offer means more than 5 elow list) Please note also that although your offer may be strengthened by declining an inspection, I strongly suggest that you always perform them.

#14 Financing

A certain TV pitchman assures his audience that anyone can make a fortune in distressed properties with no money down. Testimonials show people holding up checks, saying "I made nine thousand dollars my first month!" I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't seem to work that way around here.

Lenders generally do not give one hundred percent financing on foreclosures because of their condition. Additionally, sellers do not universally give concessions and cover buyers closing costs.

Some lenders are not experienced at lending on foreclosures. Make sure that you are working with a lender that has dealt with foreclosures, so you can be sure there is no hang up with your financing. The addendum that you sign will often state per diem charges that you will pay if you delay closing. Those charges can be from $50 to $250 dollars a day.

There are some programs for investors and home owners that provide additional funds for fixing up a property after purchase. There are also a few borrowing tactics that can allow you to get extra money to finance repairs and avoid Private Mortgage Insurance. If you work with me, I'll be more than happy to fill you in.

If you have further questions about this topic, or have other real estate related questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Matt Grohe RE/MAX REALTOR® 3125 Douglas Ave Des Moines, IA 50310 Ph 515-988-3726 Licensed to sell Real Estate in the State of Iowa RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts® Each office Independently owned and operated

SELL YOUR HOME IN 60 DAYS

At any given time there are many properties for sale both by brokers and homeowners themselves. There is always competition for buyer's of homes, so it's important to try to differentiate your home in the marketplace. The essentials keys to achieving this are price, condition, amenity, terms and positioning.

A prospective seller of property may have several goals; a fast sale, a maximized return, and/or convenient possession and relocation terms. It may not be possible to accomplish all of the goals with perfect precision.

A fast sale may mean accepting less than you could have hoped for if you had six months, or even a year.

A maximized return is possible if pricing is ambitious and you can afford to wait.

You may wish to sell Subject To Home of Choice, or coordinate your closing with your possession of a new property, but a buyer may not accept a Subject clause or may want to close at a date that does not fit perfectly into your plans.

If a seller seeks a fast sale, flexibility and a willingness to consider market conditions is required. In 2007 the average market time of a home in the greater Des Moines area was around 87 days. If you need to sell within sixty days, thirty percent faster than the MLS average, then your home should be better than average. If all things are equal, what I'm proposing is standard protocol for fast selling. There may be extenuating circumstances with your particular property however that might make it either easier or more difficult.

#1 PRICING

Simplistically speaking, a home's value can be broken down into square foot pricing. If you need to sell your home quickly, it must be priced considering market conditions from the start. In most cases you could base your price on sold comparables in the area. Your square footage price should be in the range determined by your valuation. If it is higher than the suggested range, it would need to be justified by additional amenity, unique features, or superb condition.

Your home's worth is always what a willing buyer will pay in the current market, often based on sold comparables in the general vicinity. Price generates interest, interest causes curiosity which then hopefully translates into lookers and a sale.

We all know the truth of the expression, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression". New properties are coming up on the market everyday, and everyday somebody is looking at making a move. When your home comes out on the MLS that is the first impression the market has of it. If you need to sell in 60 days it is important to begin with properly pricing your home. This is so important, I've dedicated a whole other report on it that can be accessed by this link, PRICING TO SELL.

#2 MARKET CONDITIONING

Often people selling their home want to defer maintenance to the buyer. The rationale is that "Hey, We're moving. Why should we fix that"? Deferred maintenance can . Buyers expect maintenance and upkeep, but not necessarily improvements. You may face longer market times if you are deferring your maintenance to the buyer, even if you have adjusted the price lower. Studies by the National Association of Realtors® have shown that $1000-$2000 in conditioning can pay off three fold in offering prices.

Simply put, you may triple your remodel dollar. You may also avoid a buyer asking for money for repairs or updating if it looks like you have put a lot into the home. If a buyer can look around and see the "new" in the home, it may create hesitancy in their minds about asking for more from you, because you've done so much already. A buyer may be willing to accept doing a few things as well if the deal seems fair.

When you condition your home, you should think from the exterior to the interior. Remember, buyers will come from outside the property in, so you need to create a favorable impression from down the street, to the front stoop, to the interior, from the foyer to the basement, and from the basement to the attic. Buyers will pull, poke, push, move, open, and touch almost every fixture in your home in their evaluation process. Make sure everything works if you can.

Next to price, condition is tantamount.

#3 STATE

DE-CLUTTER Your home is your castle, and your storage locker. You should rent a storage space and move; most items from any storage shelf, at least half of what is in every closet, at least one piece of furniture from every room, and most of what is in your garage. You need to clear your home to create the idea of spaciousness in the mind of the buyer. They need to be able to picture their stuff fitting in. They may not be able to do this if you fail to de-clutter. This will also give you a head start on moving.

GIVE IT AWAY Now is the time to start asking, "Do I really need this?" over, and over, and over again. You probably need to begin paring down your possessions. I recommend giving to charity. Call the Salvation Army, Goodwill, DAV, St. Vincent Depaul or whoever, and have them come out with a truck. Two guys or gals or whoever will come and take your stuff and give you a receipt that you can pass on to the IRS to reduce your taxes.

DE-PERSONALIZE Your home is your very personal space. It is a reflection of who you are. Now though, you want buyers to be able to picture themselves in it. Start to take down; family pictures, curios, trophies, collections and the like. Your things are nice but buyers do not want to feel they are entering someone else's space. Make the territory as neutral as possible to allow the buyer to picture themselves in the space with their family pictures, curios, trophies, collections and so on. Additionally, you want buyers to focus on the home, and not be distracted by your things.

DEEP CLEAN Now that everything is out of the way, you can get down to business. Picture a hotel room. Your home should be that clean. Start at the ceilings and move down to the floor. Clean out light fixtures, wash walls, wipe baseboards, move the fridge, Tilex the baths, wax the floors, shampoo the carpets, clean the stove, microwave and all appliances, including the furnace and water heater, and polish metal and furniture. Everything should shine. Make sure that you wash the windows inside and out, including inside the storms. Remove the screens if you can and wash them all out. If you have casements with screens, take them down and store them. Clean windows can make an amazing difference in the feel of the home, making it feel brighter, sunnier, and more inviting.

If your home looks like you are walking into a hotel room or furnished apartment on the first day of rental, congratulations, you are done.

#4 TRY TO AVOID NEGOTIATING SMALL ITEMS ON THE MLS

Fridge negotiable. It is better for you as a seller not to tell people what they can't have before they get there. Don't make it hard for the buyer, include the basics.

Plan on giving the washer and dryer, but consider not mentioning it in the listing information but pricing it into the home. This way if the buyer gets them, they feel like they've really accomplished something, and that's one less thing to be moved. Plus you included them in the price.

#5 ALLOW FOR FAVORABLE BUYER TERMS

CLOSING COSTS An important element is closing costs. This can seal the deal and make the purchase very attractive. Let's say there are two homes, one a little overpriced, fridge negotiable, kind of cluttered, needs a little work, and yours, priced right, fridge included, great condition, and closing costs covered! "Honey let's make an offer!" A good idea is to cap the closing costs. State a percent or certain dollar figure so you don't have to start negotiating this. Some buyers closing costs can be higher than others.

HOME WARRANTY Every home should include a home warranty for the buyer. The cost is around $375. What you are doing is giving the buyers insurance, creating a perception of safety, and eliminating concerns surrounding systems that may not be brand new. People crave certainty and often shy away from risk. A home warranty can go a long way to putting a buyer's fears to rest. Most warranties will also cover your systems while your home is listed as well. Protecting you from repair costs before you move out is probably the warranty's strongest feature.

#5 UNIMPEDED ACCESS

Homes need to have a lockbox with a key in it on the property. You are selling your home, people are going to go through, making it a challenge can affect your sale.

Ideally you want the agent showing remarks to say, "Call first, then lockbox." Realtors love showing vacant houses because they can get in anytime. Compete with a vacant house by communicating to Realtors that it is just as easy to show your home. Additionally, Realtors may have four or five houses lined up to show. The last house may be an owner occupied, and it becomes difficult to predict exactly when the showing will occur. I know I have the best intentions to make my showing times, but it doesn't always work out.

UNDERSTAND SHOWINGS When you want to see a home, what do you want? Chances are it is unfettered and unimpeded access. Please refrain from calling a showing agent to complain if they don't make a showing time, they may have made Hurculean effort but not have been able to swing it. Call your agent to give or get feedback instead.

More restrictions = fewer showings. A simple formula. If you make your showings "Appointment only" or "Three hours notice" please be aware you may have turned away some prospects.

#6 SORRY FIDO AND PUFFY

I love my dogs, and my cats. In home sales however, dogs and cats slow the process. It's just a fact. You can't smell Sophie or Chopper anymore, but a non-pet owning buyer sure can. It may be tough, but try to put the pets up with someone for the duration of the sale. Do this before your big clean. Beyond smell, there is hair. Pet hair is insidious. It gets everywhere. If people are pulling hair off their clothes when they leave your home, say goodbye.

#7 PRE-OFFER INSPECTIONS

Some full service brokers order a termite inspection when listings are taken. This is especially important on older homes. They do this because an unsatisfactory termite report can kill a deal. It is better to find out beforehand, so people can make an educated choice. You then don't have to take the property of the market and hope and pray the report does not turn up evidence of termites, which can cause people to run screaming down the street like their pants are on fire. Order this immediately and consider having it stapled to the property disclosure.

#8 AVOID RESTRICTIVE TERMS

SUBJECT TO HOME OF CHOICE You want to sell your home, but you need to find a home first. So, you write "Subject to Home of Choice" in your listing remarks. You just lost some prospects, guaranteed. Those you lost are those that want to close fast. They're next door looking at the vacant house. If you want to sell, try to not make it hard for anybody. Fast closers could be some of the best prospects and you don't want to alienate them. You can always counter offer any terms with home of choice. Then you have a written offer you are working on.

RESERVED BUYER A seller should think twice before they reserve a buyer. This comes into play when you may have someone interested in buying your home directly, and you are planning on listing it with a broker. It is possible to give the broker that person's name, and if they buy the home, then you don't have to pay the broker a commission. Problem is that this appears in the property listing remarks for agents to see, and some will not show the home until the reserve buyer has been removed. Try this instead, call the potential buyer and say, "Jack, I'm listing my home with Matt Grohe at RE/MAX. Do you want to buy it or not?" If Jack wants it, he'll hurry up and tell you, if not then you know for sure.

#9 LIGHTS UP & CLIMATE CONTROL

Hopefully when your home is listed, buyers will be coming through at all times of the day. Keep the lights on for them. Brightly lit houses show better. View any model home. All the lights are on and many switches are even modified so that they cannot be turned off. Builders have done research on the effect of lighting and purchase decisions, and therefore they leave them on when practical. Be sure to light up the exterior at night if you can, so that buyers driving by then will have a favorable impression as well.

Have you ever seen a model home with the windows open and the air or furnace turned off? Your home is now a model home, so look to the builders for how it should be shown. It can take fifteen minutes to cool a home in the summer. If you have the air off to save money, you may lose a good prospect, delay your sale and get many more days of utilities and expenses. Often agents will not want to touch thermostats to make prospects feel more comfortable, so this fact should be taken into consideration.

#10 LISTEN TO FEEDBACK

Criticism is not always easy to bear. Remember back in your school days? Standing up to a classroom of your peers and having them make all sorts of observations and critical commentary on your project or presentation, or how about your employee review at work? It's not often fun, but you likely take something away from those experiences.

You will get some feedback when your home is listed. Nice comments are good, but negative comments are better at exposing buyer reservations. Do you want to know why a prospect will buy your home, or why they won't? "You want to buy it? Great! Let's write it up!" "You don't want it? Why not?" This feedback might be painful but try to avoid getting defensive.

Sellers are often aggressive with agents to secure buyer feedback, as well they should be. Inevitably, a percentage of those same sellers scoff at, discount, and became hostile when faced with buyer reactions. Those who listen however, and rectify conditions where possible, often speed their sale.

CONCLUSION

If you're trying to sell in 60 days you should try not to fight the prospect or the market. You can't control the market and you should avoid dictating to buyers if you are seeking a fast sale.

It is difficult to let go of a home sometimes. You've made memories there, you raised children, you got married, you put on the addition, and so on. You're transitioning now. A little flexibility and a lot of preparedness will put you ahead of the selling pack. If you follow the advice given, it may not guarantee you the quick sale, but you can rest assured you are doing all you can to get yourself the best terms, and are further toward accomplishing your ultimate goal, settling into you next dream home.

For those of you who you haven't heard of her, Lolo Jones is a 26 year old standout world class track and field competing on the US Team in Beijing in the 2008 Olympics. She's the reigning world champ in the 60m indoor hurdles and is heavily favored to win the 100 meter at this years games. Just signed endorsement deals with Oakley and Asics ensure you'll be seeing a lot more of her in the future. But things weren't always so rosy for Jones

Lolo Jones is also from right here in Des Moines Iowa and graduated from Roosevelt High. For much of her youth Lolo and her brothers were homeless. She was the child of a single mother and moved about quite frequently. Needless to say things not easy and money was scarce.

Our local paper the Des Moines Register picked up a Gannett story published on August 11th detailing Lolo's rise through difficult times and trying circumstances. SEE STORY Many people who grow up in these circumstances are doomed them. Either they never develop their potential or they fall in with the wrong crowds and develop unhealthy and unproductive habits. Habits that drive people into poverty, depression, prison or an early grave.

In the story Lolo talked about one summer she lived in the basement of the Des Moines Salvation Army. She guesses it was when she was in the third grade, but she wasn't sure. She and her brothers would wake up early and head up to the gym upstairs to play. Other kids were coming there for summer camp but the Jones' lived there.

So was it the early experience playing for hours in the gymnasium in her youth that saved Jones from life on the streets and brought her to athletic fame and stardom? Something in her or in her past led her to where she is today. She could have used many obstacles she faced as reasons to give up, to fail, or simply not to try. But she didn't. She worked and struggled and trained and made sacrifices because she had a dream, a dream to be a track star and she followed that dream.

Her story is humbling. How many of us have been born into and in raised in what many would deem to be superior environments, yet will never come close achieving what Jones has, (but could?)? How many us have faced small difficulties and given up, when if we had just stuck it out or followed our intuition, we would have seen our way through? How many of us have been in that church basement or gymnasium and seen it as a hindrance instead of a ticket to freedom?

Opportunities and circumstances present themselves to all of us everyday. Sometimes they don't appear as such however. Sometimes they seem, and are, downright awful.

However as noted motivational author Naploean Hill advises, and stories like Joneses illustrate, "We should view every obstacle as carrying the seeds of an equal or greater equivalent benefit." Losing a job, being homeless and negotiating tough familial landscapes are things that we will face. We just have to make the choice to fashion them to our benefit and not let them hobble our dreams.

Here's to you Lolo Jones for showing us that we can. Thank you.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas A. Edison