the general standards of the surrounding area and what price ranges people are looking for. The agent will also be familiar with which improvements bring the best ROI and which styles are currently trending, and will have suggestions on how to accomplish them quickly, including recommendations for reputable, qualified contractors. While you might have been thinking about going full bore and putting in granite countertops and all-new kitchen cabinets — a renovation that would cost thousands — your real estate agent might talk you down to fresh laminate for the countertop and a new coat of paint for the cabinets to brighten up the room. Your remodel cost just went down from several thousand dollars and a week or two of to a little more than one thousand dollars and a day or two of time and paying laborers. An agent will also go beyond your neighborhood, looking at how your home compares with similar homes in the larger area. This is important, as your real competition extends beyond what you can see out your front window. Unless your neighborhood has a unique setting, or is exceptionally close to parks, beaches, or a vibrant downtown area, there will generally be no reason for a person to buy a house on your street over one in another neighborhood on the other side of town. Your real estate agent will be able to do side-by-side comparisons of your home with others that are similar, ensuring you are able to compete effectively across a wide area. Take the general condition of the outside of the home into account as well. Where the surrounding yards are patchy and overgrown, it isn’t worth putting a ton of money into flower beds and trellises. People driving by might mistake it for a bed and breakfast stopover or a fine place for their wedding reception.
However, prospective buyers will also seek out new homes by
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