
    Sell Your California Home For Top Dollar
  Phyllis Harb
    HOW 
              TO SELL YOUR HOME FOR TOP DOLLAR  
               
              1. Make your home look like a model – even 
                if it isn’t. Hire a Realtor that offers the services of 
                a professional decorator who will assist you in preparing your 
                home for sale – using the existing items in your home.
              2. Keep the thermostat set so that buyer’s 
                are comfortable. Imagine buyer’s looking at several homes 
                on a hot summer day, even if your home is perfect, when the buyer’s 
                are uncomfortable when viewing your home, they will not like it.
              3. Lots of light. When you know your home is being 
                shown, turn every light on, even on a sunny day. Open curtains 
                (unless the view is unpleasant). When leaving for work, at a minimum, 
                leave on the lights in the entry and the first several rooms that 
                a buyer will naturally be drawn too. Have your windows professionally 
                cleaned.
              4. Open houses. Talk to your agent about the frequency 
                and advisability of having open houses to the public.
              5. Constant exposure. Your home won’t sell 
                unless buyers and their agents know about it. In order to sell 
                for top dollar, your Realtor must repeatedly and regularly draw 
                attention to your home. Depending on your customized marketing 
                plan, this may include: open houses, broker’s open houses, 
                internet, email and a customized print campaign.
              6. Aggressive Target Marketing. Who is the likely 
                buyer of your home and where are they now? Your Realtor’s 
                customized marketing plan should include a plan on how to find 
                this buyer.
               
              7. 
                Create Urgency. When a buyer feels the asking price is fair, and 
                has a sufficient sense of urgency, he will often pay full price 
                and in a heated seller’s market it is common for homes to 
                sell in a multiple counter offer situation, resulting in a selling 
                price even higher than the asking. There are a variety of ways 
                to create urgency and in some instances the “right marketing 
                plan” can and will result in a full price (or higher) sale.
              Phyllis 
                Harb, a California native is a Realtor/Marketing Specialist at 
                RE/Max Tri City in La Canada, California. RE/MAX Tri-City offers 
                additional offices in La Crescenta, Glendale, Los Feliz and Pasadena. 
                Harb has been assisting Los Angeles County home sellers and buyers 
                since 1989 and additionally offers over 10 years experience in 
                real estate lending. Harb has an award winning web site @ http://www.RealtorHarb.com 
                & may also be contacted at 818 790-7325.