last six months, along with the final sale price. It also includes the specifics of all the houses for sale in your area, including the asking price. These homes are your competition. The real estate professional will also answer any questions and help you price your home realistically. Along with an understanding of how the worth of a home is determined, the current market must be considered. By utilizing a professional real estate agent, you can rely on proven expertise to market your home at the best listing price. I will be happy to provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) at no charge as part of my services to you. Please refer back to the first chapter of this book if you would like more information on how to request a free home valuation.
THE SECOND STEP (SELLING YOUR HOME FOR MORE)
Prior discussion showed that there is no calculable certainty in setting the value of a home. There can be wide differences between the seller’s assessed price, the asking or listing price (market value), and the price at which the home sells (sale price). Let’s turn to what the homeowner/seller can do to elicit offers at, or even above, the listing price in a competitive market. The seller’s time, effort, and investment are the most important parts of the process. The seller’s willingness to adequately prepare the home for presentation — and willingness to live in that pristine state for the time it takes to sell the property — will greatly affect both the sale period as well as the price at which the home sells. A market in which homes normally sell in no more than six months of listing is considered balanced or neutral, which means a good number of homeowners are selling and buyers are
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