South West Missouri Real Estate and More!

1. Define the reasons why you are selling your home in Springfield MO, and keep those reasons private.
Telling a prospective buyer that you are selling your house because you can no longer afford the payments, or because you need to move quickly, puts them at a bargaining advantage. Once you have decided that it is the right time to sell your home, keep the reasons why to yourself. Those reasons will dictate most of your other selling decisions, such as how much you want to invest in fixing up your home before you sell, how to set your asking price, how long you are willing to keep your house on the market to get the price you want, and how much money you want to walk away with after all is said and done. Keeping this information to yourself will put you at an advantage during the negotiation process.
2. Know how to properly set a price for your home.
It’s important to do your homework before coming up with the right selling price. Compare your home to other similar homes that have recently sold in your area over the last 6 to 12 months. Generally, most prospective buyers will compare your home to 15 or 20 similar homes, so they will already have a good feel for what your home is worth. If you set your price too high, you will obviously attract very little interest from prospective buyers or real estate agents. If you set your price too low, however, you will have people wondering what is wrong with your home, and you may scare away those very same prospective buyers and agents.
3. Pick the right real estate agent for you.
Statistics show that three out of four homeowners wouldn’t use the same real estate agent they used to sell their last home. Choosing an agent should be no different than interviewing someone for a job...after all, the agent is working for you! Find an agent who makes you feel comfortable, and who is able to effectively communicate with you at all times.
4. Increase the sales potential of your house.
Never underestimate the importance of curb appeal. For most people, buying a home is an emotional choice, and they need to feel a connection to a home before they buy. You can increase the likelihood of this happening by performing all minor cosmetic repairs in your home, planting fresh flowers and shrubs outside, and by adding a fresh coat of paint wherever it is needed. Before you show your house to a prospective buyer, you should clean every inch of your home. Many buyers can be turned off by a minor detail, such as a dusty ceiling fan or a loose moulding, so fix everything you can. They’re trying to imagine themselves at home in their new house, and it’s your job to help them accomplish that.
5. Make sure all of the information on your house is readily available to prospective buyers and agents.
One sure way to discourage buyers and agents from seriously considering your home is to waste their time by not readily answering all their questions about your home. Sales pitches, misleading information, and playing phone tag with agents and buyers is a sure way to eliminate serious offers. Have your agent place an ad with a phone number that will lead to a 24-hour, prerecorded hot line with all the pertinent information on your home. Studies have shown that three times as many buyers respond to such a system, and getting the information about your house to as many potential buyers as possibly will obviously increase the chances of a sale.
6. Understand your buyer.
While it is important to protect your reasons for selling your home, finding out what motivates a potential buyer will definitely put you at an advantage during the negotiation. Knowing if the buyer needs to move in quickly, or if they are able to get financing easily will dictate how far you can push them to get your asking price.
7. Ensure that all the paperwork is complete at all times.
Eliminate the possibility of unseen delays by disclosing everything you can about your house, preferably in writing. Make sure that all responsibilities and costs are clearly spelled out in the sales contract, and that neither you nor the buyer veers away from these agreements. Resist the temptation to make a change at the last minute just to make the buyer happy... this can increase the possibility of the deal falling through.
8. Live in your house in Springfield MO until it is sold.
It is easier for a potential buyer to see themselves living comfortably in your home if you are already doing so. An empty house can easily look lonely or unwanted. Even resist the urge to tell prospective buyers that you have already found a new home, since this will give them the impression that you are eager to sell.

7 Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home In Springfield Missouri

Top Questions You Need To Ask Your Springfield Missouri Real Estate Agent Before Hiring Them

 

 

 

 

TeamKnowles, Spouses Selling Houses!

 

2925 E Battlefield Rd
Springfield, MO 65804                   

phone or text: (417) 631-7234          

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We serve sellers and buyers looking for Springfield Missouri Homes For Sale, Ozark Missouri Homes For Sale, and Nixa Missouri Homes For Sale. Ask us about our comprehensive marketing plan to sell your home or click our website to search all properties for sale in the area including foreclosures. Springfield Missouri Real Estate Market Report. We're here to help!

Let’s stop Missouri politicians from penalizing homeowners and buyers  

Missouri is one of 13 states that does not levy a transfer tax on home sales, and a coalition of property owners, businesses and the Missouri Association of REALTORS™ want to keep it that way.

The group sees transfer taxes as double taxation because Missourians already pay property taxes on real estate. A petition drive and a website have been created to help homeowners and potential buyers reach lawmakers who have the power to levy such a tax.

To place a state constitutional amendment on the November 2010 ballot to prohibit Missouri lawmakers from passing the tax initiative, the group needs more than 157,000 valid signatures. To make voters more aware of this issue, a new website, www.YesToSaveHomes.com is now online to help consumers learn more about the tax, calculate the tax based on the home’s sale price, and get involved.

Here’s the simple and straightforward proposal:  “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to prevent the state, counties and other political subdivisions from imposing any new tax, including a sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or any other real estate?”

As an example, here’s a calculation on a St. Charles County home sale. The home sold for $150,000 and at the St. Charles County taxation rate of 7.0750%, the amount would be an additional $10,612.50.* Jane Mendenhall, president-elect of the Missouri Association of Realtors, believes the transfer tax places undue stress on low-income Missourians who typically spend a larger percentage of income on their home.

Add the mix of Missourians who have lost their jobs, had pay cuts and have been forced to sell their homes or experienced a drop in property values, and the transfer tax just isn’t good for the recovering Missouri economy.

Legislators are looking around to fine new sources of revenue. The transfer tax is one of those sources politicians are eyeing. With the help of voters and homebuyers, the transfer tax will not be an additional burden on Missouri residents.

* This number is based on area percentages.

Written by Myra Vandersall