10 FREE Seller Reports

Selling your home is one of the most important things you will ever do in your life. This simple system will provide the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home-selling process.

Know why you are selling and keep it to yourself. The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale. What is more important to you? The money you walk away with, the length of time your property is on the market, or a combination of both? Different goals will dictate different selling strategies. However, it is critical that you do not reveal your reasons to anyone else, because it could come back to haunt you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply explain that your housing needs have changed.

Be sure to do your homework before setting a price. Settling on an offering price should not be done lightly. In a hot seller’s market, should you set your asking price too low, be prepared to receive offers over and above your asking price. However, remember that pricing your house too high is very dangerous. The average homebuyer will view and compare dozens of homes on the Internet at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the price range you have set, your home will sit on the market and prospective buyers will not take you seriously. The longer your home sits on the market, the more likely people will think that there is a problem with it.

Work with your agent to find out what homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past three to six months. Research what current homes on the market are listed at. It’s the same process that buyers will undertake when assessing the value of your home.

Find a good real estate agent that represents your needs. Nearly three quarters of all homeowners claim that they would not use the same real estate agent who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication and lack of feedback, which will ultimately result in lower prices and strained relationships.

Be sure to maximize your home’s sales potential. Each year, corporate America spends billions of dollars on product packaging and design. Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this fact when selling your home.

You may not be able to change your home’s location or floor plan, but you can do a great many things to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your home generates greater emotional response from prospective buyers than any other factor. Before showings, clean like you have never cleaned before. Scrub, scour, and otherwise make everything spotless. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get the best possible reaction from those viewing it. Your home’s condition and how it shows will greatly affect your sales price and time on the market.

Allow buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. The decision to buy a home is based a high level of emotion. Prospective buyers are trying on your home the same way they would try on a new suit before buying it. If you follow them around pointing out improvements or making excuses for a lack of upkeep, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves as the new owners.

Make it simple for prospects to obtain information on your home. You would be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to sell house (such as traditional open houses) are generally not very effective. In fact, only about one percent of homes are sold at an open house.

Prospects calling for information on your home value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent or unwanted sales pitches. Make sure the ads your agent places for your home are attached to a 24-hour information hotline with a specific identification number for your home which gives prospects detailed information at all times. It has been proven that three to five times more buyers call for information on a home when they have access to a free-recorded message rather than talking with an agent directly. Remember, the more buyers you have competing for your home, the better. It will set up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver’s seat.

Ask your agent what he or she can find out about the buyers. In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and direction of the sale. If you know the buyers’ motivations, whether they need to move quickly, and whether or not they have enough money to pay for the home, will give you the upper hand once negotiations begin.

Make sure that the contract is complete. For your part as a seller, you must be certain to disclose everything about the property. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond legal requirements to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing. If the buyer knows of a problem beforehand, they cannot come back to you with a lawsuit later on. Provide a detailed list and have the buyer sign for items that do not stay.

All terms, costs, and responsibilities have to be spelled out in the contract. Do not divert from this contract. For example, if the buyer requests to move in before the agreed upon date, you should say no. Once these terms are all in place, it is dangerous to deviate and could potentially lead to the collapse of the whole sale.

Finally, if you need to move out before you sell your home, steam clean the carpets, paint all the walls, and have a gardener water and maintain your lawn. Make sure that your agent markets it as being vacant, available for a quick close and immediate occupancy.

Choose your agent wisely. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

MOVING UP TO A LARGER HOME

Unlike the experience of buying a home for the first time, when you are looking to move up and already own a home, there are certain factors that you must consider. It’s very important you evaluate these factors before you list your home for sale.

Not only is there the issue of financing to consider, but also the fact that you have to sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid the financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, having no place to live during the gap between closings.

Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving up to a larger home. The problem is that there’s sometimes a discrepancy between our hearts and our bank accounts. You drive by a home that you fall in love with only to find that it has already sold or the asking price is way too high. Most homeowners get caught in this hit or miss strategy of house-hunting when there is a much easier way to go about the process. Your first move is to meet with a competent agent and discuss the sale of your house and necessary improvements to make. How much you will net from your sale will determine what you can purchase. Look at a few homes to get a general idea of availability so when you are ready to buy, you can do so quickly.

If you want to get the best price for the home you are already selling, there are certain things you must do to enhance its salability. The repairs and alterations don’t have to be expensive. Even making minor investments can come back to you ten-fold in the price you are able to realize. Making minor improvements must be done before the house is put on the market in order to attain top dollar for your home.

You should plan to sell before you buy. This way you will not find yourself at a disadvantage when seated at the negotiating table feeling pressure to sell at a below-market price because you have to meet a purchase deadline. If you have already sold your home, you can buy a new one with no strings attached. If you do get a tempting offer on your home but have not made significant headway on finding a new home, you might want to put in a contingency clause that gives you reasonable time to find a home to buy. If the market is slow and you find your home is not selling as quickly as you anticipated, another option could be to rent out your home and put it on the market at a later date. This can be particularly effective if you are selling a smaller start-up home. You’ll have to investigate the tax requirements if you choose this latter option. Better still, find a way to eliminate the situation altogether by getting your agent to guarantee the sale of your present home.

Be sure to get pre-approved for a loan before the process of buying and selling begins. There is never a cost or obligation involved with getting pre-approved for a loan and it will give you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to purchase. A pre-approved buyer will always look better to a seller than one who does not yet have financial backing.

Your biggest decision when buying and selling is deciding which to do first. Look for Guaranteed Trade-Up programs with your real estate agent. This means that if you find a new home before your current home is sold, the agent will buy your home from you in order to make your move hassle free.

With two transactions to coordinate together and with all the people involved in buying and selling homes, the chances of mix-ups and miscommunication increase dramatically. To avoid this be sure to work as closely as possible with your real estate agent.

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

HOW TO EASILY INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME

Whether you just want your house to look better or you are serious about getting your house ready for potential buyers to start viewing your house to purchase,

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

HOW TO SPEED UP THE SALE OF YOUR HOME

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

AVOID THESE COSTLY MISTAKES

Mistake #1: Seeing your property through the eyes of the buyer; forgetting what you would want to see if you were buying the home. Although people are of all backgrounds and personalities, there are some common traits among all home shoppers. One of these traits is the desire to see something they are about to spend a great amount of money on being in perfect condition. This means a thorough cleaning and removing everything not vitally necessary to live with from the home. Buyers will be picky, so you too must be picky in cleaning - don’t miss a spot.

Mistake #2: Poor Marketing. When selling your home, odds are the perfect buyer for your home isn’t going to just casually stroll through the front door by chance. More likely is that you will have to bring the home to the perfect buyer. A highly effective marketing strategy must be in place to ensure your house receiving maximum exposure in the market place. Be sure to work with a REALTOR who provides 24/7 hour-a-day marketing via the Internet and a free information call hotline.

Mistake #3: Taking for granted the exterior of your house (curb appeal). When preparing to sell your home, take the time to consider that first impressions count. It’s very easy for someone about to spend or invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to make a snap decision not to go in when the outside appearance of the property is shabby. Ask your REALTOR for advice in making your home the most attractive for people merely driving by as well as those who come for showings or open houses.

Mistake #4: Ignoring health and safety issues. Be straightforward and tell your REALTOR about any problems with the property. Bear in mind that these problems will likely be discovered down the line, and it’s best to take care of them before they become disputes or lawsuits. Note any potential safety hazards and pay attention to environmental concerns.

Mistake #5: Believing you must be present for every showing of the home. Many buyers feel they must be an active part of every showing, not realizing that this can actually work against them. It’s best to let your professional real estate agent handle bringing potential buyers through the house on their own. Buyers generally feel more comfortable to speak freely about the house when they are working only with their REALTOR, whom they know and trust.

Mistake #6: Not pricing your home correctly. This is an important step in the proper marketing of your property and an aspect that a highly skilled REALTOR should take charge of. Listing the home at too expensive a price can lead to reduced showings. Pricing too low could lose you thousands of dollars.

Mistake #7: Not planning your move early in the process of selling your home. Keep in mind that moving can be overwhelming when not planned properly. Consider renting a storage facility for items not important for everyday living because that will also reduce clutter when showing your home. Take accurate inventories of what you have to move and label things clearly so you don’t waste time in your new home going through box after box. Keep a file with all receipts for expenses occurred during the move, as many of these will be tax deductible. Be sure you have all these steps in place far in advance of the actual move date so you aren’t running around at the last minute while trying to complete the sale of your home.

Mistake #8: Not working with a professional, full-time REALTOR. Want to sell your house quickly and for top dollar? Choose your agent wisely. Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him/her. Ask if they have a 30-DAY MARKETING PLAN to sell your house.

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

STEPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME

The ability to reap additional profits on the sale of your home can be accomplished easily enough if you make the right improvements. Making these changes early on can provide the prospective buyer with an enhanced feeling about your home, more space, more light, more rooms, closet space, privacy, warmth and security. Basic, simple and inexpensive improvements can provide an improved emotional appeal for a potential buyer.

For example, a crack in the wall can be (and should be) repaired with some simple plaster and touch-up paint. Though the feeling may not be conscious, it’s just as important that the buyer feel an overall desire to buy your home. Included in this report are several different ways you can make your home shine and sell for the best possible price.

Decorate with pictures and mirrors to add style to the home. Mirrors can provide a greater sense of space when properly placed. Touch up the frames and then place the mirrors around your home. Be careful not to overdo it with too many mirrors.

One of the biggest complaints heard from potential buyers that there isn’t enough closet space. Purchasing an inexpensive closet organizer and installing it in any or all of your closets can make all the difference. You can also try putting a rod across one corner of a bedroom for hanging clothes. The idea here is to be creative so that the "fake closet" looks as though it were part of the room.

Wallpaper is inexpensive, quick, and simple. The right wallpaper can brighten the room or hallway and bring it back to life. Make sure to choose something with a neutral design or pattern. Remember, you are trying to sell the home and move out.

Buyers are easily turned off by a nasty, dingy floor. Whether you have wax, wooden or tile floors, do whatever you can to make them shine again. For wax floors, either rent a floor machine or call a professional for an estimate and a description of what they will do to restore your floor. If you have carpeted floors, either steam clean them or have carpet samples available and explain to the buyers you will pay x amount for them to install the carpet of their choice.

Having houseplants is not only healthy for you but creates a feeling of warmth around them. Many indoor plants are far less expensive than you might imagine. Attractive ceramic or brass pots can add a designer flair to your home. Hanging plants such as Boston ferns are inexpensive, easy to care for and would go great in your new home when you move.

Give your bathroom a face-lift by adding a coat of fresh paint, some decorative moldings, tile grout, and maybe a new designer faucet and showerhead. Perhaps more important than anywhere else in the house, clean your bathrooms relentlessly.

However, these simple dress-up tips are nice for quick and easy improvements, but there are other factors that will also affect your home’s resale value. These have much more to do with the legality and contracts and inspections that are necessary when selling a home. Each and every one is just as important as the overall appearance of the home.

First of all, you must price your property correctly and at a competitive market value when you list it. The market is so competitive that even overpricing by a few thousand dollars can be the difference on selling or not. The problem with an overpriced home is that it can minimize the number of offers, lower the number of showings, lower agent response, limit financing, limit the number of qualified buyers, and net less money for the seller.

You must make your home available for showings. Top agents will not show homes that they must search high and low for the key and access - they do not have time to rush around town all day chasing down and dropping off house keys. If you will be home during a showing, then put on some soft music and take a walk when the potential buyers come through, letting the buyer be at ease and letting the real estate agent do his or her job. Selling your home quickly can be a benefit if you need to leave immediately, but can cost you thousands of dollars. A buyer sensing the seller is distressed will make a lower offer. This is why pricing correctly is important - you should know all there is to know about the market before listing and work hand in hand with your agent.

Disclosing property flaws is vital in selling your home for the most possible money. Get professional assistance for all levels, from disclosing the flaw to fixing it. If you are unaware of a problem or attempt to cover it you, you risk losing the sale and finding yourself in court.

Perhaps the most important aspect of selling your home is choosing the right REALTOR for you. Just like offers on the house, don’t take the first one through the door. Take the time get to know your real estate agent and make sure they are going to work in your best interests. Ask if they have a 30-DAY MARKETING PLAN they plan to implement to sell your home for the best possible price.

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

HOW A GOOD REALTOR CAN MAXIMIZE PROFITS

Most of us are not aware of the trends and fluctuations of the real estate market. Likewise we don’t know the steps necessary to maximize profits on the sale of our home. We rely heavily on the real estate agent to lead us down the path of profits. Considering your home is typically the most valuable asset you possess, doesn’t it make sense to list with someone who will be able to generate the most money in a sale?

This report was designed to empower you with critical information necessary to evaluate an agent’s qualifications and help you identify the professional that will best serve your needs. The more meticulous you are in your search for an agent, the higher your profits will be.

Start by doing some research. Find out who the most active real estate agents are in your market. Ask friends, relatives and co-workers for referrals, then compile a list and find out how the agent markets his or her listings to sell.

Place a call to each of the agents on your list. Document how quickly they return your call. Remember, they will be returning calls to your prospective homebuyers. Do an initial interview over the phone so when you meet, you will be prepared.

At the meeting, request a step-by-step 30-DAY MARKETING PLAN for your sale including everything from title to escrow so you know exactly what services the agent will provide. Evaluate the team that your potential agent has assembled. Top producers will have established relationships with lenders, title reps, and inspectors. They are there for your benefit. Should any of these people not be prepared to handle any aspect of the sale, then you are not receiving the best possible service.

Request a complete report of your property with ideas for improvements, cosmetic changes or structural repairs that can add value to your property. A small investment up front can pay huge dividends at the time of the sale. Also request detailed information about current market conditions, the competition of other homes for sale and proper pricing. Have your agent educate you on all aspects regarding your sale.

Insist that all potential buyers be pre-qualified to purchase your home. Screen out unwanted prospects before getting to the final stages of negotiating.

Request a complete net sheet, minus commissions and fees, so you know exactly how much money you will profit at the time of the sale.

Insist on a step-by-step marketing plan of how your home is going to be marketed and sold. Look for innovative ways to attract homebuyers. Demand 24-hour advertising, lead accountability, and tracking services. These services do exist and you should make sure they are part of your home’s marketing.

Investigate the agent’s marketing strategy. Do they waste their time cold calling all day or do they have a MARKETING PLAN in place to attract qualified buyer prospects? Do they contact those leads? Also find out what type of direct mail campaign the agent has in place. Is it professional? Does the mailing generate buyer prospects that would be interested in purchasing your house?

What type of advertising will they use? Insist that the advertising be well written and professional in appearance. They should be advertising, at a minimum, in a homes magazine, in the local newspaper and with yard signs. The quality of the advertising will directly affect how well your home will be perceived.

Have a written and well-conceived negotiating strategy. A sound negotiating strategy can make thousands of dollars of difference when the final sale goes through, so your agent must have a plan in place for this aspect.

Finally, have a written closing checklist. You need to know how to conclude the sale of your home in an orderly and legally sound manner.

A strong, qualified agent must meet all the requirements listed in this report if they are truly going to sell your property for TOP DOLLAR.

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

INCREASE YOUR HOMES VALUE FROM ZERO

Unless your home shows at its very best, it can cost you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars during its sale. You may also face the prospect of a prolonged listing period or even an expired listing. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get your home ready for sale. There are things such as plumbing or painting, but there are several things that you can do for no money that will help make your home ready for sale.

INSIDE YOUR HOME:

These simple steps can do wonders to enhance your home in the eyes of buyers and maximize the profit of your home sale.

Choose your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

MISTAKES TO AVOID THAT CAN DELAY YOUR SALE

When potential buyers drive past your home, their first impression will be based on what they see on the outside. If the buyer is disappointed, they probably won’t want to take the time to go inside, no matter how nice the inside may look. Many sales are already closed before the buyer walks inside, based solely on the outside appeal of the house. There are many things you can’t change, such as location or lot size, but you can enhance the appearance of your home with a few minor alterations and some serious cleaning. Ask your REALTOR what can be done to make your home more attractive. A good agent will know what buyers look for.

While no one wants their dinner disturbed by strangers trooping through the house, often the only time buyers can see your home is after work hours or on weekends. Plan ahead. Keep the house orderly and make time away from home. If possible, plan events to take weary children away from home showings. Sure, a last minute showing might be a minor inconvenience, but it also may be the last buyer who sees your house before deciding to buy it.

Be honest with your REALTOR and your potential buyers with regards to the property relating to health, safety, or environment. It’s common today for inspections to be a part of the sales contract, and during the inspections most problems will be discovered anyway, but hiding the truth can kill a sale and land you in court. It’s much better to factor the costs of repairs into the sale rather than face lawsuits after the fact.

In most cases, you will have to advertise your home. Marketing today requires much more than a "for sale" sign on the lawn. Prospective buyers with their busy schedules don’t have the time to simply look through the classified ads. Your home should be marketed 24/7 hours a day with an information hotline and virtual home tour on the Internet. Ask your REALTOR what strategies are in place so that you can be sure your property is generating potential leads 24/7.

Sellers tend to become too comfortable with the clutter that surrounds their home. Buyers may tolerate such mess in their own homes, but the homes they are looking at to buy must be spotless. A repair, no matter how small, is something the buyer will look at as an added expense and inconvenience when purchasing the home, and can thus use it to negotiate a lower price.

Mistake #6: Offering explanations about your home during showings.

Potential buyers usually feel more comfortable when the homeowners are not present. If you do remain home, resist the urge to offer explanations, point out perceived flaws or offer to repair items that the buyer might not have noticed or question your REALTOR about. People differ in preferences. The less said, the better.

Determining the market value of your home is one of the most challenging aspects of the entire selling process. If the list price is too high, you’ll limit showings and offers. Some home sellers believe they have to price the property high so that they can accept a lower offer or have room to negotiate. Potential buyers who may have otherwise liked the home don’t bother to come by because of the high asking price. It’s important to know and understand how the current market works. A buyer is more likely to make a full price offer on a home that is priced right before making a low offer on a home that is priced too high. A top-producing agent will know how to advise you to price your property correctly to generate the most profit.

Many sellers don’t plan their move early enough, then they feel totally overwhelmed when it comes time to vacate the property. Have your move organized before a contract is ever signed. Don’t wait until the last minute to get an estimate from a moving company. When you do things last minute, the price can skyrocket and you don’t have the time to shop around. Be sure to keep a record of your expenses during the move. Many of these expenses can be tax deductible. Take an inventory of everything you own so that you know the proper things arrive at your new home.

Sometimes it is necessary to be flexible when it comes to the sale of your home. If you’re not willing to budge about the date you move out, price, necessary repairs, etc, the buyers can become discouraged or even angry. Agreeing to a repair that might cost a couple of hundred dollars might actually save you much more on interest on your home loan in the long run. While you don’t have to give away hard-earned equity, often sellers must look at the overall savings involved. Again, ask your real estate agent for advice. Choose your listing agent wisely. Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him/her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.

HOW TO PASS THE HOME INSPECTION

Home buyers may be as unique as the homes they are looking to buy, but they all share a common desire to ensure that the home they will call their own is as good beneath the surface as it appears to be. They will have concerns about the roof, the heating system, the floors and the walls and everything that they can’t readily see with the naked eye. In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you’re looking for. Knowing what to look for can help you prevent little problems from growing into major problems.

Defective plumbing can manifest itself in two manners - leaking and clogging. A visual inspection can detect leaking, and an inspector will gauge water pressure by turning on all faucets in the highest bathroom and then flushing the toilet. If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates that the pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when the faucet is first turned on, this is a strong sign that the pipes are rusting. This can result in severe water quality issues.

An inspector will check your walls for a powdery white substance a few inches off the floor, and will look to see if you feel secure enough to store things right on your basement floor. A mildew odor is almost impossible to eliminate, and an inspector will certainly be conscious of it. It can cost you up to a thousand dollars to seal a crack in or around your basement foundation, depending on the severity and location. Adding a sump pump and pit could cost up to a thousand dollars, and complete waterproofing (an average sized 3-bedroom home) can go as high as ten to fifteen thousand dollars. You will have to weigh these figures into the calculation of what you want to net on your home sale.

Inadequate electrical wiring can be dangerous as it can easily lead to fires. Your home should have a minimum of 100 amps of service, and this should be clearly marked. Wire should be copper or aluminum. Home inspectors will look at octopus plugs as indicative of inadequate circuits and a potential fire hazard.

Insufficient insulation and an inadequate or poorly working heating system are the most common causes of poor heating. While a clean furnace, without rust on the heat exchanger, usually has life left in it, an inspector will ask and check to see if your furnace is over its typical life span of fifteen to twenty-five years. For a forced air gas system, a heat exchanger will come under particular scrutiny since one that is cracked can emit deadly carbon monoxide into homes. These heat exchangers cannot be repaired - they must be replaced.

Problems with the roof (water leakage, for example) can occur for many different reasons, such as physical deterioration of the shingles or mechanical damage from a windstorm. When gutters leak and downspouts allow water to run down and through the exterior walls, the external problem becomes a major internal one as well.

Damp attic spaces are a sign of ventilation, insulation and vapor barrier problems that can cause water to pool and form moisture, mold and mildew. This can lead to premature wear on the roof, structure, and building materials. The cost to fix this damage can easily run over two thousand dollars.

Rotting wood can occur in many places, such as doors, window frames, trim, siding, decks and fences. The building inspector will sometimes probe the wood to see if this is present - especially when wood has been freshly painted.

Re-bricking can be costly, but left unattended, these repairs can cause problems with water and moisture penetration into the home which in turn could lead to a chimney being clogged with fallen bricks, or could even lead to a total chimney collapse. These problems are far more dangerous than ignoring this potential hazard.

A fire hazard is created when more amperage is drawn on the circuit than was originally intended. 15 amp circuits are the most common in a typical home, with larger service for large appliances such as stoves and dryers. It can cost several hundred dollars to replace your fuse panel with a circuit panel.

More than a purchased security system, an inspector will look for the basic safety features that will protect your home such as proper locks on windows and patio doors, dead bolts on the front door, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in all the bedrooms and on every level of the home. Even though pricing will vary, these components will add to your costs. Before purchasing or installing, you should check with your local experts.

An inspector will certainly investigate the underlying structure and foundation of your home, as structural integrity is vital to the life of the home.

When you put your home up for sale, it is important that you don’t end up with any major surprises. By taking the time to check thoroughly the items listed in this report, you could save yourself thousands of dollars and the headache of a lawsuit down the road.

Choosing your Agent wisely. Any agent will show enthusiasm and will want to list your house for sale but choose your agent based upon

Working with a full-time professional real estate agent is a must. Choose your agent by asking questions of him or her. Find out how knowledgeable they are about houses currently for sale in your price range and also of houses that have recently sold. Can your agent recommend a good lender that has the reputation of excellent customer service and low rates to assist your new buyer with financing? A good listing agent can get your house sold quickly at TOP DOLLAR and help you find a new home.