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9781592574407

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Selling Your Own Home

by ; ;
  • ISBN13:

    9781592574407

  • ISBN10:

    1592574408

  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2005-12-06
  • Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

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Supplemental Materials

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Summary

So you ve decided you want to sell your house, but the idea of paying 7% to a broker just seems like money thrown away. Well, as many FSBO s have found, it can get pretty complicated. The Complete Idiot s Guide to Selling Your Own Home provides the most comprehensive coverage for selling your home on your own. Whether you re going to pay a small commission for online help or a flat fee for an MLS listing, or you want to handle every step of the sale on your own, this new Complete Idiot s Guide will help walk readers through the process - providing tons of tips on everything from signs and open houses to appraisals and inspections. And the included CD provides sample contracts, boilerplate forms, and checklists to help readers at every step along the way.

Author Biography

Jeffrey Wuorio is a speaker and author whose articles have appeared in the New York Times, Money Magazine, BusinessWeek, and Consumer Reports. He-'s appeared on CBS, NBC, NPR, and Money Matters. His books include How to Buy and Sell Just About Everything. forsalebyowner.com is the only national residential property network combining both online and offline property listings. Alongside its premier Internet guide, it distributes 1.2 million magazines.

Table of Contents

Part 1: The Nuts and Bolts
1(66)
Why Bother?
3(14)
You or an Agent? (That Is the Question)
4(3)
Show Me the Money!
4(2)
You're the One at the Controls
6(1)
It's a Great Education
6(1)
Why Use an Agent?
7(1)
The Price Is Right
7(1)
You're Paying for Experience
7(1)
Speed and Sales Savvy
8(2)
Who Better Than You?
10(1)
Is It Right for You?
11(3)
First, Know Thyself
11(1)
It's All in Your Mind
11(1)
Remember: It's a House
12(1)
Let's Check You Out!
13(1)
Is the Time Right?
14(1)
Online Resources for the Basics
15(2)
Start Shaping Up!
17(18)
To Improve or Not?
18(2)
Why Appearance Can Kill a Sale
18(1)
Research, Research, Research
19(1)
On the Outside---Improve Curb Appeal
20(2)
The Exterior
21(1)
The Yard
21(1)
More Than a Pretty Face
22(8)
Basic Interior Improvements Worth Your Time
23(1)
Staging Secrets the Pros Use
24(6)
Good to Guarantee?
30(1)
The Ugly Duckling---Making the Most of an Unattractive Home
31(1)
Online Resources to Help Shape Up
32(3)
Team Up!
35(16)
Ready to Lend---Partnering with a Lender
36(3)
Prequalify Potential Buyers
36(2)
Prepare a Financial Breakdown Sheet
38(1)
Help with Your Next Home
39(1)
Lender Checklist
39(1)
Legal Leverage---The Role of an Attorney
39(4)
Checklist of Attorney Questions
41(1)
Online Sources for Real Estate Laws
42(1)
The Title Company---What It Does
43(1)
Home Inspectors
44(2)
What It Involves (And What It Doesn't)
45(1)
What to Look For
45(1)
Others on Your Team
46(2)
The Neighbors (Both Good and Bad)
46(2)
Real Estate Agents---How They Can Help
48(1)
Online Resources for Lenders, Attorneys, and Others
48(3)
The Price Is Right
51(16)
Basic Market Research---First Steps to the Right Price
52(8)
Resources---Online and Elsewhere
52(6)
Strike a Balance
58(2)
Strategic Planning
60(2)
Understand Your Marketplace
60(1)
Taking a FSBO Into Account When Setting Prices
61(1)
Appraising the Appraiser---What They Do, How to Choose
62(1)
Other Pricing Considerations
63(1)
Every Dollar Matters
63(1)
A Sweeter Transaction
64(1)
Other Online Pricing Resources
64(3)
Part 2: Let the Selling Begin!
67(66)
It Pays to Advertise
69(14)
The Killer Newspaper Classified Ad
70(3)
Power Words to Include
70(2)
Words to Avoid
72(1)
Other Sales Tools
73(5)
Signs
73(1)
Talking Ads
74(2)
Flyers
76(1)
The Importance of Professionalism
77(1)
The Information Sheet
78(1)
Become a Marketing Machine
79(2)
Informal Marketing with Friends and Colleagues
79(1)
Don't Forget Real Estate Agents
80(1)
Online Ad Resources
81(2)
Listing Your Home
83(14)
The Multiple Listing Service
84(2)
Alternative Listing Options
86(5)
An Intro to Online FSBO Listings
88(2)
A Primer on Online Alternatives
90(1)
Design a Listing Sheet
91(6)
Important Facts and Figures
92(1)
Why a Photo Is Important
93(1)
Condition
93(1)
Location Advantages
94(1)
Where to Place Them
95(2)
Open Up! Hosting an Open House
97(12)
Prepare Yourself
98(3)
Open House---Yay or Nay?
98(1)
When to Schedule
99(1)
Preparing Your Home
100(1)
When Kids and Pets Should Be Gone
100(1)
Protecting Valuables
101(1)
The Open House Itself
101(4)
Fielding Questions
101(1)
Preparing to Talk with Potential Buyers
102(2)
Handling Recreational Visitors
104(1)
Watch What You Say
104(1)
Tips for an Effective Open House
105(1)
Other Considerations
106(2)
Keep Your Sense of Humor
107(1)
Following Up
107(1)
Hosting, Again
107(1)
Online Open House Resources
108(1)
Other Attractions
109(10)
The Home Tour---When Prospective Buyers Are on the Premises
110(3)
Always Be Prepared
111(1)
How to Handle Unannounced Visitors
112(1)
How to Handle Telephone Inquiries
112(1)
Selling the Setting---How the Neighborhood Helps
113(1)
Attracting Out-of-Town Buyers
114(1)
Working With Agents on a Sale
115(2)
Strategies When You're the ``Amateur''
116(1)
Special Deals You Can Negotiate
116(1)
Online Marketing and Sales Resources
117(2)
Taking Your Sale Online
119(14)
A Wealth of Organizations and Options
120(1)
Choosing the Right Service
120(2)
Going Solo---Building Your Own Sales Website
122(4)
Virtual Home Tours
126(2)
E-mail Campaigns
128(1)
Specific Geographic Internet Sites
129(4)
Part 3: Setting Up the Deal
133(82)
Fielding Offers
135(14)
The Mechanics of an Offer---What to Expect
136(1)
The Essentials of an Offer
136(1)
The Purchase and Sale Agreement
137(6)
Contingencies
143(2)
Prescribing a Remedy (If You Have To)
145(1)
When to Involve Your Attorney
146(1)
Online Resources
147(2)
Negotiating to Win
149(12)
``I'll See Your Offer ...'' Effective Negotiation and Counteroffers
150(3)
Getting What You Want
153(2)
Negotiation Strategies
155(3)
Overcoming Objections
157(1)
Reducing Objections
157(1)
Handling Multiple Offers
158(1)
Online Negotiation Resources
159(2)
More Financial Details
161(14)
Mortgage Basics
162(5)
Knowing a Buyer's Finances
162(3)
The Down Payment
165(2)
Other Types of Loans
167(2)
FHA Loans
168(1)
VA Loans
168(1)
Negotiating Closing Costs
169(4)
Buyer's Costs
169(1)
Seller's Costs
170(3)
Online Financial Details Resources
173(2)
The Path Less Taken--Alternatives
175(14)
Owner Financing
176(6)
Drawbacks to Seller Financing
178(1)
How to Evaluate a Buyer
179(2)
Playing Loan Officer
181(1)
Rent to Own (Lease Option)
182(2)
Equity Sharing
184(1)
Occupy Prior to Closing
185(1)
Go for It! Executing the Agreement
186(1)
Online Resources on Alternatives
186(3)
The Home Stretch
189(14)
The Home Inspection
190(1)
Negotiating After the Inspection
191(2)
Other Inspections
193(4)
Water Tests
194(1)
Radon
195(2)
Lead-Based Paint
197(1)
Duty to Disclose
197(2)
Considering Buyer Extensions
199(2)
Online Resources for the Home Stretch
201(2)
Protect Yourself!
203(12)
Dealing With Misunderstandings
204(1)
Disclosures, Again
204(1)
Should It Stay or Should It Go?
205(1)
The Final Walkthrough---Any Problems?
205(3)
Addressing Walkthrough Issues
208(2)
Dealing With Title Defects
210(2)
Online Resources for Seller Protection
212(3)
Part 4: That Sweet, Sweet Closing and What Comes After
215(24)
The Closing Itself
217(10)
What Happens in What Order and Why
218(4)
More for Your Attorney
219(1)
Where to Hold a Closing and Who Has to Be There
220(1)
Power of Attorney Pluses
221(1)
Grab a Pen! Documents You'll Be Signing and Why
222(2)
The Deed
223(1)
Payoff Information---the Mortgage, Note, Etc.
223(1)
Can You Change Your Mind?
224(1)
Dealing With Snafus
224(1)
Online Closing Resources
225(2)
Now That You're Done-Tax Time!
227(12)
The Tax Impact of a Home Sale
228(3)
Use
229(1)
Ownership
230(1)
Timing
230(1)
Special Circumstances
231(1)
Calculating Your Gain
231(4)
Increases to Your Basis
232(1)
Decreases to Your Basis
233(1)
Doing the Math
234(1)
Should You Take the Exclusion?
235(1)
Partial Exclusion
235(1)
Postponed Gains
236(1)
Other Issues
236(1)
Online Tax Resources
237(2)
Part 5: The Problem House: The Less Than Perfect Buyer and Other Final Details
239(86)
Don't Be Difficult--The House That Just Won't Sell
241(10)
What's the Problem?
242(1)
Things to Do When a House Won't Sell
242(6)
De-Clutter and De-Dirt
242(1)
Get Rid of Odors
243(1)
Eliminate Extra Noise
244(1)
Too Much Personality
245(1)
Uninvited Guests
245(1)
Design Issues
246(1)
Too Many Contingencies
246(1)
Not Affordable
247(1)
Timing Is Everything
248(1)
Drop the Price? How Much? How Often?
248(2)
Online Problem House Resources
250(1)
The Problem Buyer
251(12)
What Next? The Prospective Buyer Who Won't Commit
252(2)
I'm Shy---The Buyer Who Won't Disclose
254(2)
The Nitpicky Buyer---What You Should and Should Not Have to Do
256(2)
Other Headaches, Courtesy of the Buyer
258(1)
Cut Bait! When to Terminate Relations with a Buyer
259(2)
Online Problem Buyer Resources
261(2)
First Sell, Then Buy--Juggling the Two
263(12)
Setting the Timing---How to Juggle a Sale and Purchase Smoothly
264(2)
Staying Put
264(1)
Move in Early
265(1)
Tools for Dealing with Timing Problems
266(1)
Indemnification Agreement
266(1)
Offer to Pay for Temporary Housing
267(1)
The Path of Least Resistance---Options If You Don't Want to Buy Right Away
267(1)
Getting Out of Dodge---Relocation Resources
267(1)
To Move or Be Moved?
268(5)
Self-Service Move
269(1)
Full-Service Move
270(3)
Online Relocation Resources
273(2)
Bailing Out--Opting for an Agent
275(50)
When to Bail---Signs That It Won't Go
276(2)
How to Find the Right Agent
278(2)
Asking for Help, Not a Listing
280(3)
Business As Usual? Agent Agreement Options
283(1)
Helping Your Agent with What You Know
284(1)
Online Resources for Choosing an Agent
285(2)
Appendixes
A. Glossary
287(6)
B. Resources
293(4)
C. Sample Home Inspection Report
297(28)
Index 325

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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