The Basic Six

Why does one house sell quickly for a stellar price while another has a "For Sale" sign in the yard for months? Is it luck? Probably not. The sales price and length of marketing time are determined by six basic factors. And you, as the seller, control four of them.

Location - Your neighborhood and your home's location within the subdivision are important. Does your lot border a golf course or a busy street?

Condition of Property - Is your home updated and well-maintained or does it need redecorating and repair? Is it "staged" to show at its best?

Terms - Can you carry a second mortgage? Is your loan assumable? Can you be flexible with closing and occupancy dates?

Market Conditions - How does the number of available homes (new and resale) compare with the number of buyers? Interest rates always affect the number of qualified, motivated buyers.

Price - Is your property priced correctly? A new listing receives the most activity during the first 3-4 weeks, so be sure to price your home correctly right from the beginning. Price is a very important factor that can offset other deficiencies.

Your real estate professional - The agent you select will make a difference. As an experienced, knowledgeable real estate professional, I will price your home correctly, market it extensively, and negotiate effectively on your behalf. If you're thinking of selling, please call me.

About Ernest Money


In medieval days, a father would send an entire herd of cattle as a not-too-subtle hint that his daughter be married into a certain family. Nowadays, when you've decided a particular home is "the one" for you, you can, thankfully, leave the cattle at home. You are asked, however, to deposit a small percentage of the sales price of the home you want to purchase--it's called "earnest money."

Your earnest money is a good faith deposit that accompanies your offer. It is usually a personal check, but a short-term promissory note is sometimes acceptable. A sizeable earnest money deposit indicates financial strength and assures the seller of your commitment to purchase the property.

Once your offer is accepted, your earnest money check is cashed and deposited with the title company, attorney or with the listing broker. Your funds are held in a separate trust account reserved only for earnest money deposits. In most cases, everything proceeds smoothly to the closing day when the total amount of your earnest money is credited to you as a portion of your down payment.

Your earnest money is totally refundable if the offer is not accepted or if some condition in the contract is not satisfied. For example, your earnest money is refundable if financing is not approved with the terms specified in the contract.

If you're thinking of buying a home, give me a call. It would be a pleasure to assist you in finding "the one" that you'd like to call "home." My knowledge of today's real estate market will assist you in making wise decisions in every step of your transaction.

If you would like to find out which properties sold in the area and for how much, I will be happy to send you the previous month's closings. Just send an e-mail to: Irene@isellvermontrealestate.com

Welcome to my Real Estate Blog for the Okemo Mountain Region. I will be posting different articles that pertain to Real Estate and also specific information that pertain to our region. Please feel free to visit my website for listings or post comments or questions on this blog.
I will also be adding closed and pending sales once a month, so please come, say hello and add your thoughts or comments.

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