The Three most important criteria for selecting an agent are:

Five Reasons A Property Sells:

YOU CONTROL FOUR OF THESE!

Cooperative Sales:

Over 67% of all property sold in the Multiple Listing Service is a Cooperative sale. For that reason your selection of a company should be based on who will represent your best interests and give you the best service.

Potential Dual Agency

A Seller's agent has the obligation of providing you client level services in a fiduciary relationship that include:

The selling agent, acting as a subagent, has the duty to exercise reasonable skill and care in the performance of the Broker's duties, a duty of honest and fair dealing and a duty to disclose all facts known to the Broker that materially and adversely affect the consideration to be paid for the property.

A dual agency situation can arise if, after your agent has entered into an agency relationship with you, one of the salespersons in their company accepts an agency relationship with a buyer. If that salesperson shows your home, the agents will in effect be representing both parties.

This is a potentially challenging situation because it is difficult to afford both parties full client level services. Dual agency should only be entered into with the written agreement of both buyer and seller.

If this situation develops, you make an election for your agent to go ahead and show the property and pursue an offer. By making this election, you need to understand that part of the duties of disclosure cannot be made because it would violate the confidentiality with the other party.

In representing both the seller and the buyer, the Broker will not, without the express written permission of the respective party, disclose to the other party that the seller will accept a price less than the listing price or that the buyer will pay a price greater than the price offered.

In all circumstances, both seller and buyer should expect diligent exercise of reasonable skill and care in the performance of the Broker's duties.

Agency is a legal relationship and a written agreement should be completed to explain all the duties and responsibilities.

For Sale By Owner Headaches:

Pricing Your Home

Your agent wants you to get the highest price and you want the home SOLD.

Sellers Control Salability -- The seller controls the condition of the property, the terms they will consider and the asking price. Your house will be marketed at the price that will be in YOUR BEST INTEREST.

The Market Controls Value -- Beyond the control of the seller is the value a buyer will assign to a given location and the number of houses for sale. They are not interested in what you paid for the property, what you have spent on redecorating, or how much money you need to purchase your next home. Buyers will always search the market place for the BEST VALUE.

The fact show that as the asking price for your home goes up, there are fewer buyers that are able to afford your home. This will result in a longer marketing time to find the right buyer for your home. Inversely, if you set a lower asking price for your home it will most likely sell faster. It is important to realize this and to figure out if the price you get for your home is more important than how long it takes to sell it. If you print out this page, write in your ideas on price range from "I must sell it now", to "I have plenty of time". Doebler Realty Realtors are experts and will be able to assist you in figuring out how to meet your goals and needs.

Preparing Your Home for Showing

With buyers, first impressions count. A small investment in time and money will give your home an edge over other listings in the area when the time comes to show it to a prospective buyer.

Here are some suggestions, which, over the years, I have found will help to get top market value:

The First Impression

Curb Appeal

The Buying Atmosphere

The Spacious Look

What Happens Next ?....

First Week

Second Week

Third Week

Fourth Week

Fifth through Seventh Weeks

Eighth Week

Ninth through Eleventh Weeks

Twelfth Week

Thirteenth through Fifteenth Weeks

Sixteenth Week