To sell your home for every dollar it's worth, talk to a real estate professional, a licensed REALTOR. While you may enjoy researching real estate values on your own, much of the information you'll find is either outdated or just plain incorrect.
Plus, all your research won't take into account one important factor: not all homes are created equal. Your home's unique personality, used in the right way, can increase it's appeal to potential buyers.
To find out what your home is worth, a licensed REALTOR will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) which shows the prices of comparable recently sold homes and homes currently on the market. If you would like us to create a market analysis on your home with no commitment on your part, please click <A HREF="http://www.nhsynergy.com/content/articles/FREE_Comparative_Market_Analysis/423/">here</A>. Remember, a CMA is the REALTOR's opinion of your home's value based on current market values, NOT based on what they personally think about the beauty of your home.
Here are 5 other strategies to help understand what your home is worth:
Abandon your personal point of view.
Buyers care more about how they see using the home than about how much you paid for it or how many memorable moments your family shared there. It's sad, but true.
Do your own market research
You may talk to your neighbors and to learn more about homes selling in your neighborhood. When you compare yours, consider location, size, style, amenities and condition. BUT you should ALWAYS talk to a PRO!!
Consider RECENT upgrades
Upgrades are an important consideration-but only if they are recent. Major improvements can also benefit you, especially if they are in the bathroom and kitchen, but be realistic about the present condition of the improvements. A 10 year old kitchen is not a new kitchen. Make a list of all improvements you've undertaken since buying your home and include the number of years that have passed since the work was complete. Include such things as:
New roof
New windows (especially if energy efficient)
New flooring
Major kitchen and bathroom improvements
New furnace
New hot water heater
Alterations/additions
Consider market conditions
Are homes in your area selling quickly or languishing on the market? Are interest rates attractive? Is the economy strong? Is it a buyer's market or a seller's market? Is the local job market healthy or are employees facing layoffs?
Sweeten the deal