Selling Your House in a Tough Market : 10 Strategies That Work

by Schroeder, Alayna

• ISBN13: 9781413310351
• ISBN10: 1413310354
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-24
• Publisher: Nolo

Summary

Thousands of houses sell every day - here's how yours can be one of them

Author Biography

Ilona Bray is an author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in real estate, immigration law, and nonprofit fundraising. She is co-author of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home and also edits a number of Nolo's small business books. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alayna Schroeder specializes in employment law and real estate and is co-author of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home. She resides in Yolo County.

Table of Contents

Your Home-Selling Companion
Know Your Market and Price It Right	p. 3
Is the Market Hot or Cold?	p. 5
It Pays to Start With the Right Sales Price	p. 9
Is the Price Right?	p. 12
Can You Afford to Sell?	p. 18
Can't Stomach the Low Price? When to Wait Before Selling	p. 21
Get It in Shape: Preinspections and Repairs	p. 23
Root It Out: Inspect It Yourself	p. 27
Hire A Professional Home Inspector	p. 28
To Fix or Note to Fix?	p. 31
Keeping You Honest: Disclosure Laws	p. 35
Skipping All Repairs: Selling "As Is"	p. 36
Dress Your House for Success: Staging	p. 39
Staging Fundamentals	p. 42
Should You Hire a Professional Stager?	p. 46
DIY Staging Outside: Maximizing Curb Appeal	p. 50
DIY Staging Inside: First, the Basics	p. 52
Staging, Room by Room	p. 56
Home Improvements: Are They Worth It?	p. 63
Ta Da! Finishing Touches Before a Showing	p. 64
Get the Best of the Best: Hiring a Real Estate Professional	p. 67
Why Hire an Agent?	p. 71
Finding and Choosing a Top-Notch Agent	p. 73
Making It Official	p. 82
Save on Commissions: Sell It Yourself	p. 89
FSBO-The Way to Go?	p. 92
A Cooperating Commission for the Buyer's Agent?	p. 95
Doing Your Own Marketing and Advertising	p. 96
Receiving an Offer and Negotiating a FSBO Deal	p. 105
Almost FSBO: Discount Agents and Other Alternatives	p. 107
Making It Better Than the Rest: Buyer Incentives	p. 109
Helping the Buyer With the Loan: Seller Financing	p. 112
Other Ways You Can Help With Financing	p. 119
Keeping Cash in the Buyer's Pocket: Cost Incentives	p. 120
More for the Money: Home Value Incentives	p. 125
A Deal for Later: Lease Options	p. 128
Get the Agents on Board: Agent Incentives	p. 131
Market Like a Madman	p. 133
Get Online	p. 135
How to Get the World Out	p. 141
Hit Your Target	p. 147
Adjust Your Strategy If You Need To	p. 151
Dropping Your Price	p. 153
Figuring Out What Else Might Be Wrong	p. 159
Taking Your House Off the Market Temporarily	p. 163
Keeping the Cash Flowing	p. 164
Don't Sell Yet; Rent It Out	p. 169
How Much Rent Your House Will Bring In	p. 173
Congratulations, You're a Landlord	p. 181
How to Find Good Tenants	p. 183
How Renting Out Your House Affects Capital Gains Taxes	p. 186
Seal the Deal: Negotiating a Successful Sale	p. 187
What the Buyer's Offer Will Look Like	p. 190
Back and Forth: From Offer to Contract	p. 192
Serious Buyer or Lowballer? Evaluating the Financial Parts of the Offer	p. 196
Big-Deal Details: Other Important Contract Terms	p. 203
Between Signing and Closing: Escrow	p. 206
The Big Day: Your House Closing	p. 211
Index	p. 215
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