Selling Your House For Dummies

Sell your house in any market

Whether you're selling your home yourself or using a realtor, this helpful guide offers all the information you need to make an otherwise-stressful undertaking go smoothly. In Selling Your House For Dummies, you'll find plain-English, easy-to-follow information on the latest mortgage application and approval processes, the hottest websites used in the house-selling process, and revised tax laws that affect the housing and real estate markets.

From the author team behind America's #1 bestselling real estate book, Home Buying Kit For Dummies, this book offers Eric Tyson and Ray Brown's time-tested advice, recommendations, and strategies for selling your house given current market conditions. From staging your home to utilizing technology to sell your house directly to home buyers, this trusted resource is packed with tips and ideas to make your home the most appealing house on the block.

• Prepare your property for the best offer

• Stage and market your house successfully

• Negotiate and successfully close the sale

• Make sense of contracts and forms used in the house-selling process

Get the tried-and-true advice that will help you sell your property!

Autorentext

Eric Tyson, MBA, is the author of Investing For Dummies, Personal Finance For Dummies, and Investing in Your 20s and 30s For Dummies. Ray Brown, a real estate professional for more than 40 years, is the best-selling co-author of Home Buying For Dummies.

Klappentext

• Prepare your property for the best offer
• Stage, market, and set your house apart from the pack

• Negotiate and successfully close the sale Minimize hassle and maximize proceeds for your house If you're like most people, your biggest investment is your house. If you sell wisely, you pocket thousands perhaps even tens of thousands of dollars more than you would otherwise and save yourself loads of time. From the author team behind America's #1-bestselling real estate book, Selling Your House For Dummies empowers you with time-tested strategies and expert advice on selling your house in any market. Inside

• Best way to assemble an all-star real estate team
• Techniques to prepare, price, and market your house
• Useful websites and resources
• Win the negotiation game
• Understand forms used in the house selling process

Zusammenfassung
Sell your house in any market Whether you're selling your home yourself or using a realtor, this helpful guide offers all the information you need to make an otherwise-stressful undertaking go smoothly. In Selling Your House For Dummies, you'll find plain-English, easy-to-follow information on the latest mortgage application and approval processes, the hottest websites used in the house-selling process, and revised tax laws that affect the housing and real estate markets. From the author team behind America's #1 bestselling real estate book, Home Buying Kit For Dummies, this book offers Eric Tyson and Ray Brown's time-tested advice, recommendations, and strategies for selling your house given current market conditions. From staging your home to utilizing technology to sell your house directly to home buyers, this trusted resource is packed with tips and ideas to make your home the most appealing house on the block.

• Prepare your property for the best offer
• Stage and market your house successfully
• Negotiate and successfully close the sale
• Make sense of contracts and forms used in the house-selling process Get the tried-and-true advice that will help you sell your property!

Inhalt
Introduction 1

How This Book Is Different: The Eric Tyson/Ray Brown Difference 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Getting Started with Selling Your House 5

Chapter 1: Deciding to Sell 7

Figuring Out If You Really Need to Sell 9

Good reasons to stay 10

Reasons to consider selling 15

Knowing the Health of Your Housing Market 17

Selling in a depressed housing market 17

Selling during a strong market 21

Chapter 2: Selling and Your Personal Finances 23

Trading Up 23

Examining your housing budget 24

Figuring your expected expenses after trading up 27

Determining the financial impact on your future goals 31

Exploring the other costs of trading up 31

Making Retirement Housing Decisions 32

Trading down 32

Researching reverse mortgages 38

Tax Facts Sellers and Landlords Ought to Know 43

Chapter 3: Exploring the Economics of Selling 45

Estimating Proceeds of Sale 46

Estimated sale price 46

Closing costs 47

Mortgage payoff 48

Moving expenses 50

Putting it all together 51

Assessing the Financial Feasibility of a Move 52

Researching living costs and employment opportunities 52

Avoiding relocation traps 54

Chapter 4: Confronting Financing Issues 57

Financing Decisions When Trading Up 58

Choosing your mortgage 58

Financing improvements 59

The Trials and Tribulations of Seller Financing 61

Asking yourself why you'd ever want to be a lender 62

Deciding if seller financing is for you 63

Finding creditworthy buyers 64

Deciding what to charge 72

Protecting yourself legally 73

Part 2: Tactical Considerations 75

Chapter 5: Timing Is Everything 77

Timing the Sale of Your House 77

First peak season: Spring flowers and For Sale signs bloom 79

First valley: Summer doldrums 79

Second peak season: Autumn leaves and houses of every color 80

Death Valley: Real estate activity hibernates until spring 82

The Seller's Quandary: Timing the Purchase of Your Home 82

Consolidating Your Sale and Purchase 83

Determine your house's current value 83

Check your buying power 84

Familiarize yourself with the market 85

Take action 86

Chapter 6: For Sale By Owner 89

Eyeing the Potential FSBO Advantages 89

You want to save money on commissions 90

You may already have a ready, willing, and able buyer 90

You may know the house and neighborhood well 91

You may be more motivated than an agent 91

You like challenges 92

You want to be in control 93

Your house may sell itself 93

Focusing on Potential FSBO Disadvantages 93

You may not know how to price property 93

You may not know how to prepare your house for sale 94

You may not know how to market your property 94

You may not know how to separate real buyers from fakes 94

You may not have enough experience as a negotiator 95

You may get yourself into legal trouble 95

You may not know how to close the sale 95

Increasing Your Chances of Success 96

Educate yourself 96

Ensure that other team members are especially strong 96

Cooperate with agents 97

Financially qualify prospective buyers 97

Chapter 7: Your Real Estate Team 99

Teaming Up A Winning Concept 99

Landing the Perfect Listing Agent 101 <p&gt...