Beware of These Home Selling Myths

When you go to sell your home, brace yourself for the onslaught of outside advice you'll hear from friends, family and even strangers! While their advice is well intended, beware of common home selling myths that can end up costing you a pretty penny in the long run. Read the short list of myths below and listen to the show for all the details!

1. Myth: You should only sell your home during the spring and summer.
   This isn't necessarily the case! Selling your home during a non-peak time of year could actually give you an advantage. The bottom line: there isn't really a bad time of year to sell your home. Sell your home when you're ready!
2. Myth: The market is slow right now, so it's better to wait.
   Of course you want to sell your home when the market is hot, but the market can change daily. It's hard to predict what the market will do! If you're ready to sell, then there's no better time to do it then the present!
3. Myth: Don't stage or fix anything up. You're moving out!
   Buyers don't want to fix things! They'll just move on to the next house if your house has too many fix-up items.
4. Myth: You don't need professional photos. iPhone photos look better than ever now!
   You only get one first impression! The first thing people see are photos of your home and you want them to look great! Professional photos are a must.

How Appraisers Determine Your Home's Property Value

Getting your home appraised is just one of the many steps in getting your home sold. Even though almost every home gets appraised during the selling process, you'd be surprised how little people know about appraisals. On today's show, Robert and Dave go over some of the basics. See a short explanation below and listen to the show for more details, especially a call-in from James Pulsipher who explains more about the relationship between mortgage lenders and appraisals.

Appraisers will take a walk around and inside your home, then use either a sales comparison or cost approach to determine your home's value. The sales comparison approach is used for 98% of homes in the valley. The appraiser uses similar, recently sold homes in your neighborhood plus the condition of your home to determine your home's value.

What appraisers look for:

• Materials that were used to build your home
• Condition of your foundation
• Any obvious signs of disrepair
• Overall upkeep of your home
• Your home's amenities that set it apart from other properties
• Major upgrades in your home

Tips for Selling a Home with Pets

Do you have a dog, cat, hamster, hedgehog, or any other pet? Then this show is for you! Robert and Dave talk about how to sell your home if you own a pet. See the short list below and listen to the show for all the details!

Image Credit: Well Pet Coach

Eliminate Pet Odors!

1. Throw open the windows and air your house out

2. Scrub the house down with odor neutralizing products

3. Wash drapes and upholstery--these tend to hold in smells

4. Have professionals clean your carpet and flooring

5. You might need to replace carpet if odors are still present after cleaning

Keep Your House Smelling Great!

1. Light a mild smelling candle before showings

2. Control reoccurring pet odors after you've cleaned--crate your dog or keep pets outdoors if it's warm

3. Make sure pet hair doesn't start accumulating again--vacuum and sweep often