Your house is your castle, even when it"s for sale. Let"s assume it"s in great shape. Let"s say your terms are competitive, your timing is clearly set.

Now,what about your asking price? Without question, price is your most important sales tool. Here"s why:

The period of best opportunity for selling a home at a reasonable price  is the first four weeks after it is put on the market. Buyers who have seen most available listings are waiting for just the right house to come on the market. If your house is priced right from the begining, you are in the best position to attract the maximum number of buyers able to pay the price your home is worth and to sell your home within your timetable.

If your house is underpriced, you may be swamped with lookers and perhaps get many offers. But you could loose thousands on one of your largest investments. If your house is overpriced, lookers are apt to be few and far between, with little chance of any offers to pay your unrealistic price. You may lower your price later, butby that time you will have missed many of the most interested buyers.

Read more below or contact me for more info.

How do you set the right asking price?

  Arriving at an asking price involves up-to-the-minute research and experienced judgement. Besides enlisting my help in checking out the current real estate market conditions and financing trends, the basic steps include:

. Measuring your home against similar neighborhood homes that have recently sold or are currently on the market.

. Determine what features make your house stand out among others currently on the market. After all buyers are comparison shoppers.

.  Weighing the spending of a reasonable amount of money on cosmetic fix-ups that might enhance the marketability of your house and earn the highest possible sale price. The right price is usually within 5% of market value ( a constantly changing factor) and usually results in a fair-dollar sale within a reasonable amount of time. Just remember... price sells!

Why is over pricing risky?

  A price more than 5% over market value may have these results:

. Buyers may resist inspecting your home because they can find better values elsewhere. (Overpriced houses tend to sell the competiton first.)

. Potential buyers who can't afford the price don't bother to look or to make offers.

. A buyer willing to pay an over market price may have difficulty getting financing. Lenders may not approve a loan if the appraisal is lower than the contract price. ( The delay from a failed sale can mean missing out on the crucial first 30-day marketing period.)

. Your unsold home will begin to get "stale" as the marketplace assumes that there is "something wrong" with the house.

. To make up for lost time you might be inclined to lower the price below competing houses in order to sell it.