Real Estate for sale on Maui

Seller Tips


Mistakes to Avoid When Selling a Home:


Pricing incorrectly
Don't allow emotional ties to influence pricing rather than market conditions. The first 2-4 weeks is when you'll see the most action. If your home is not competitively priced, you could miss an opportunity to sell.

Failing to "showcase" the home
Pet, cigarette odors and cracking paint don't make good first impressions. The fewer problems buyers see, the easier it is for them to picture themselves as the new owners.

How to Polish the Merchandise:


Start with a curb-to-door cleanup. Prune shrubs and tree branches, edge the lawn and keep it mowed and, if the season permits, add a show of color with annual bedding plants. Paint the front door and put out a new welcome mat.

Inside, make your home look as spacious as possible. Eliminate clutter. Organize closets, the attic and basement storage.

Depersonalize your space. Reduce distractions and help would-be buyers visualize making themselves at home. Tuck away family pictures. A home stamped indelibly with your personality and style can be harder to sell.

Remove obvious clues to your political, religious and social sentiments. Store away banners, bumper stickers and biased literature, including magazines.

Use the Interior and Exterior checklists to identify areas of your home that need work before placing it on the market.

Interior


Attic
Check underside of roof for leaks, stains or dampness

Look around chimney for condensation or signs of water

Clean and clear ventilation openings if necessary

Clean out stored junk

Walls and Ceilings
Check condition of paint and wallpaper

Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster or wallboard

Windows and Doors
Check for smooth operation

Replace broken or cracked panes

Repair glazing

Check condition of weather stripping and caulking

Examine paint

Test doorbell or chimes

Test burglar alarms

Wash windows and even woodwork, if necessary

Floors
Inspect for creaking boards, loose or missing tiles, worn areas

Check baseboards and moldings

Test the staircases for loose handrails, posts, treads

Bathrooms
Check tile joints, grouting and caulking

Remove mildew

Repair leaking faucets and shower heads

Check the condition of painted or papered walls

Test operation of toilet

Kitchen

Wash all appliances

Clean ventilator or exhaust fan

Remove accumulation of grease or dust from tiles, walls, floors

Basement
Remove clutter

Check for signs of dampness, cracked walls or damaged floors

Inspect structural beams

Check pipes for leaks

Electrical System

Check exposed wiring and outlets for signs of wear or damage

Repair broken switches and outlets

Label each circuit or fuse

Plumbing System

Check water pressure when taps in bathroom(s) and kitchen are turned on

Look for leaks at faucets and sink traps

Clear slow-running or clogged drains

Bleed air off radiators if needed, and check for leaking valves

Heating and Cooling Systems

Change or clean furnace and air-conditioning filters

Have equipment serviced if needed

Clear and clean area around heating and cooling equipment


Exterior



Roof and Gutters

Repair or replace loose, damaged or blistered shingles

Clean gutters and downspout strainers

Check gutters for leaks and proper alignment

Inspect flashings around roof stacks, vents, skylights and chimneys

Clear obstructions from vents, louvers and chimneys

Check fascias and soffits for decay and peeling paint

Inspect chimney for any loose or missing mortar

Exterior Walls

Re-nail loose siding and check for warping or decay

Paint siding if necessary

Check masonry walls for cracks or any other damage

Replace loose or missing caulking

Driveway

Repair concrete or blacktop if necessary

Foundation

Check walls, steps, retaining walls, walkways and patios for cracks, heaving or crumbling

Yard

Mow lawn, re-seed or sod if necessary

Trim hedges, prune trees and shrubs

Weed and mulch flower beds


Setting the Price


Trust your agent (If you can't trust your agent, get one you can!)

The first couple months your home is on the market is the most important! There is much interest in new listings. If it's not priced right the first time it may not be looked at a second time. Your agent has the best knowledge of the current market.

To set the right price on a home, combine an objective evaluation of your property with a realistic assessment of market conditions.
Your Realtor will provide you with a Competitive Marketing Analysis to show you what other homes in your areas. You are more likely to benefit by determining a fair value and sticking close to it than you are by asking an unrealistic figure.
Under-pricing can deprive you of money that’s rightfully yours. Unless you are in a hurry, aim for full market value.
Don't get emotionally attached, and Don't get your pride on the line.
To you it's your home, but to a buyer it is only a house. Don't be offended by low offers. Buyers may just be testing the negotiating waters.

Study the comparables

You run the risk of either overpricing or under-pricing if you rely on less-than-solid information. Know your competition. Learn the offering and selling prices of similar properties. Find out how long each took to sell.

Compare your home to homes that are close in age, style, size, condition and location. Timing is all-important. If offering your home when demand is high, you should be able to increase the price. Sales prices of homes are published in local or regional sections of newspapers.

Get an Appraisal

Appraisal opinions are subject to honest dispute. Generally, an appraisal prepared by an experienced, licensed professional comes as close to an objective evaluation as you can get.

Consider the Contract

A valid real estate contract must be in writing and be freely offered by the buyer and accepted by the seller. All parties to the contract must be legally competent to do business. Money or other valuable consideration needs to be exchanged for title to the property.
Keep in mind that if things go wrong, the buyer could require you to sell your home to him/her or pay damages. Be familiar with the terms of any contract you give to a would-be purchaser.
Consider the contract as a whole. Is it slanted in favor of the buyer? If so, consult an attorney about making changes. Analyze the document as a series of paragraphs or clauses, each written to benefit one party or the other.