Selling your home tips Look at your home. Hope it looks better than the picture on this page. That abandoned cotton gin, near Meridian, has its place in history, but it's not a place you want to call home. No one ever buys a house without looking inside, so make sure they want to get out of the car when they first arrive. What's to do? Mow the grass, trim the landscaping. Tree limbs should be a minimum of four feet off the ground. Does your house need to be cleaned? Do all the lights work at night? Does the paint need any touchups? Any spider webs or bird nests where they shouldn't be? Does everything work? If lights don't come on, or exhausts fans don't work, you're losing money. If the pool or spa water isn't sparkling clean, better take care of it right now. Potential buyers see these problems as things they would have to fix if they purchased your home. They're right. How does your house smell? Ask your Realtor for a candid assessment of your home's smell. You can't always count on a good friend for a completely honest answer. Funny how we get used to the smell of dirty diapers, dog hair, cigarette smoke or cat urine. A potential buyer will be put off and a lower offer is assured. Let the agent sell your home. It's not a good idea to give a tour of your home to potential buyers. You probably don't know what they may be looking for. What was one of your favorite features of your home may be the first thing the new buyer would change. Let an agent that has discussed their wants and needs show your home. Know the value of your home. Anyone thinking about selling their home would want an idea of its current market value. A Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) is one way to estimate that. However, there is another important reason to have a CMA of your home. You may be paying unnecessary private mortgage insurance (PMI). When you purchased your home, a down payment of less than 20% of the home's previous CMA meant most lenders would require PMI. A current Competitive Market Analysis may indicate you now have enough equity in your home to discontinue those PMI payments. Your mortgage company will require an appraisal to eliminate that fee, but a CMA will give you a good idea what that appraisal will say. Elimination of your PMI would reduce your monthly payments without any refinancing or closing costs. Free Comparative Market Analysis: For a free, no obligation Comparative Market Analysis (Golden Triangle area only please) fill out the CMA Request form and submit it electronically. In a few days we (Kim, Shelly or Tricia) will be in touch to make an appointment at your convenience. We will ask a few easy questions, look at your home, and do some market research. There's no obligation to sell your home. No one else will be calling and you won't be on any mailing lists unless you ask for additional information. It's also a good time to ask any other questions you might have on a more personal level. Again, this is a free service and there are no hidden motives.