David Hamilton’s Tips to Getting Any House in Farragut, TN to Sell Quickly

Houses sometimes fly off the market in just weeks. Other times they sit there for months. What is it that makes the difference? In this article, I’ll reveal several tips to help you sell your house quickly, based on years of experience in the Farragut, TN area.

Tip #1 – Have a Price in Mind

To sell a house in Farragut, TN quickly, sometimes you may have to accept a lower offer. The time vs price dilemma is an old one indeed.

How willing are you to sacrifice a high buy price for a fast sale? Before you embark on selling your house, you should have a good idea of what price you will and won’t accept.

Tip #2 – Get a Home Inspection

Most buyers will request a home inspection anyway. If you’re going for the fast sale, it’ll speed things up quite a bit to have a home inspection in hand already.

Tip #3 – Have great staging

Staging is the process of making your house look as appealing as possible. This includes steam cleaning all the carpets, wiping down the floors, scraping the tiles and so on.

When the buyer walks in, their first impression should be that your house is sparkling clean. If a house is clean, you’re presenting the house as something that’s worth a lot of money. If the house is dirty, you’re presenting the house as something that can be bargained for.

Tip #4 – Good Marketing

It’s important to get as many potential buyers into your house as possible. This means you must have great marketing.

A good real estate agent will know how to market a home in Farragut, TN because they’ve done it many times before. Your agent should be utilizing a range of effective tactics to ensure your house gets sold as quickly as possible.

There is a lot of free information available to you about selling your house in the Farragut, TN market. For complete information about the Farragut, TN real estate including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything Farragut, TN real estate. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions.

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
8085 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919

865-224-6631 Cell
865-690-1300 Office
800-747-0713 Toll-Free

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There are a few things you can do that will make an incredible difference to your Knoxville home when it comes time to show it. Let’s take a look at the potential buyer’s viewpoint as they first enter your home in the Knoxville area. What are the first things they are going to notice according to their senses?

Smell - A buyer’s sense of smell will be stimulated by any strong odors and this can turn them off the home in Knoxville completely. Remember to change the kitty litter if you are a cat owner, and don’t cook any foods with a strong odor before a showing. Of course, there are some baking smells that are very pleasant, such as bread or cinnamon rolls, and that is the kind of odor that can add to the overall appeal of the home.

Sight - Take a look at the first things that your potential buyers will see as they walk in the front door. Usually it will be the front hallway, but depending on the layout of the house their eyes may be diverted quickly to another room. Pay special attention to these noticeable things and make sure they are clean and neat. If, for example, you believe the front hallway floor is an initial focal point, then make sure it is spotless for their arrival.

Hearing - When your guests first walk in you should make sure that there is no loud music playing. You can put on some low music that you feel adds to the atmosphere of the home, or drowns out the sound of the neighbor’s dog barking, but usually the sound of quiet is preferred. This allows open communication between the buyer and real estate agent. It is communication, above all else, that is the most important part of selling and buying a Knoxville home.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Knoxville real estate. For complete information about the Knoxville real estate market including current Knoxville TN homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything Knoxville real estate at www.davidhamilton.com. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions. Call me on my cell at 865-224-6631 or send me an email.

Selling your condo in Knoxville is probably one of the biggest financial transactions you’ll ever make. Of course you want to do it right. You also want to walk away at the end of the day with the most money possible. Should you hire a real estate agent that markets Knoxville condos for a living, or should you sell privately and go FSBO? Let’s look at both sides of coin.

On one hand, by not working with an agent you save yourself the commission that real estate agents collect. You have complete control over the process. You get to meet all the buyers and negotiate for yourself. You decide everything for yourself.

The two most common reasons people opt for a FSBO sale is that they want to be in control and they don’t want to pay commissions. That sounds great; but let’s look at the other side of the coin.

Real estate agents have spent hundreds of hours learning how to negotiate, how to market and how to sell condos in Knoxville. If you’re working with a good agent, chances are they have a lot of experience selling homes just like yours.

When it comes down to it, the statistics tell the real story.  The reality is, 88% of FSBOs will not sell and end up listed with a real estate agent anyway. Furthermore, sellers that work with real estate agents generally get at least 6% more on their bottom line, which includes paying out commissions.

The reality is, most sellers working with a real estate agent will result in a faster, more profitable sell. That said, working with an agent may not be for everyone. If you truly believe you can sell the home faster and more profitably or if you must be in control of the process yourself, then perhaps a FSBO sale really is for you.

On the other hand, if you want to get the most money for your condo in the fastest possible time frame, your best bet is probably to work with an experienced real estate agent.

Visit the Knoxville condos website for more information about buying or selling Knoxville condominiums. Please feel free to contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions.

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-310-0636 Cell
865-690-1300 Office

A new twist exists to selling your house as a For Sale by Owner and it’s no surprise either… the Internet. Just as intriguing though; is the plethora of FSBO websites that have popped up all over the Internet.

Enterprising individuals have created Internet websites that offer a FSBO the opportunity to look totally professional when selling their home. The popularity of such sites is in response to the costs of housing, and the associated marketing costs and commissions incurred when selling a house.

It’s the new wave of house selling without the benefit of a Knoxville real estate agent; however, there are unexpected costs and associated risks when attempting to sell your house as a FSBO.

Thanks to the Internet, people that are wanting to sell their homes no longer have to settle for sticking a homemade sign in their front yard, and just running a local ad in a newspaper. For a fee, mass marketing for sale by owner sites provide Internet advertising to for sale by owners and a semi instructional guide for the steps necessary to sell their homes.

There are many services that you can garner from using an online website to sell your house, but remember that as the seller, you must be aware of the risk of taking advice from FSBO Internet websites. Often times there are other issues that you might not be aware of when ordering their services; such as the unexpected costs associated with the listing of your house, or even different levels of membership packages. Here is a typical outline that many websites promote for their online services; however, sellers need to do their homework.

• Payment For Services – Different types of packages are available, and costs vary. Remember to read the fine print. Payment is usually accepted via a credit card.
• Picture Submittal Service – Limitations exist on the amount of pictures that you will be able to submit. Additional fees are required if you feel that more pictures are required to show off your home to its fullest potential.
• Yard Sign Service – In many packages a professional looking yard sign is available, but for an extra fee. Understand too that any unintentional damage to the sign will cost you for replacement. If ordering more than one sign to place at other areas to advertise your home there is extra cost associated with it too.
• Paper Advertisements of Flyers Service – Basic print advertisements in a pre-designed format is an additional cost. You will need to be able to print quality advertisements from home on high grade stock or glossy paper, or incur the cost of having them professionally printed.
• Print Purchase and Counter Offer Form Service – These forms are available for you to print with an additional fee.
• Disclosure Property Forms – Usually there are no additional fees, but the standard disclosure form, and the federally mandated lead disclosure form are released only when services are paid for in advance. This does not include other attorney’s fees for the review of the forms to ensure compliance to the federal, state and local requirements.
• Information tubes – For an additional fee an information box or tube to attach to your yard sign. Again, any damage to the individual sign or tube will be your financial responsibility.

As you can see a careful evaluation is needed when considering using an Internet website when selling privately. Without the use of a Knoxville real estate agent that is a trained professional, you loose out on their insight and experience when trying to sell your home privately. Remember to read the fine print and carefully weigh your options. Hidden costs can quickly eat up profits!

More free help is available to you when selling your house privately in Knoxville TN. To receive a free for sale by owner service packet with all the needed paperwork, disclosures, contracts, flyer templates, staging tips, developing a safety plan to protect your family and more, send me a blank email or visit the Knoxville TN houses website @ www.davidhamilton.com.

Here’s a short video about selling your house in Knoxville TN on your own:

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-310-0636 Cell
865-690-1300 Office
800-747-0713 Toll-Free

Tips for staging your house for sale in Knoxville TN

Staging a house for sale is a detailed process. You’re going through the process of making your house as nice as possible to get the highest price possible in the quickest amount of time. When it comes to staging your house for sale there are many things to consider.

Scent… Scent plays a big part in staging a house. Remember that a home purchase is an emotional decision. The sense of smell plays a big part in influencing one’s emotions.

Odors, stale air, mustiness or strange smells will kill your chances of making the sale. It’s absolutely critical that your house smell at least neutral, if not good.

There are many ways to change the scent of your house. You could burn incense an hour before showing the house. You could install some air fresheners. You could even use essential oils that are used in aromatherapy to truly create a luxurious feel.

Lighting… Lighting is another very important factor that many sellers overlook. The lighting in the house literally colors everything else. A house that appears bright will feel vibrant, happy and alive to the buyer. A house that’s dim will feel gloomy, dark and dead.

Natural lighting is the optimal source of lighting, however, if you can’t get natural lighting to work or to be well lit enough, then get some artistic indoor lighting. Avoid hard lights and fluorescent lights.

Furnishing… It’s very common for agents to show an empty house. While this does create a clean and open look, the reality is that most people don’t have a very strong ability to imagine what a house will look like with their furnishings.

It’s important to have good furnishing in the house when you’re staging it so that the buyer can really get a feel for what the house will feel like when it’s furnished. Pick just a few key pieces to help the buyer do that.

Here’s a short video about staging Knoxville TN Houses:

More information about the local real estate market including the current inventory of Knoxville TN houses for sale is available by visiting the Knoxville TN houses website @ www.davidhamilton.com. Feel free to contact me with any of your real estate related questions and I will be more than glad to answer your questions. David Hamilton may be reached by cell at 865-310-0636.

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-690-1300 Office
800-747-0713 Toll-Free

We all need help at times. The problem is, not all help will get you the freedom you need if you are facing the fact that your home won’t sell.

You have to consider that it might be the help you’ve enlisted so far, and perhaps it’s time you get a second opinion.

Buyer perception of your home can make or break a sale. Often times, it kills even a potential offer from being written. A fresh push to sell your home by the right folks often leads to your home being SOLD! Find out today if you’re guilty of the Top 10 Things That Make Your Knoxville Real Estate Too Ugly To Sell by grabbing your free report today.

More information about buying and selling Knoxville TN houses including Knoxville TN homes for sale and more is available 24-7 by visiting the Knoxville TN Homes website @ www.davidhamilton.com

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-310-0636 Cell
865-690-1300 Office

Repairs can be a big question mark for sellers. On one hand, you’ve probably heard that you should make repairs before you sell your home. On the other hand, it may be unclear which repairs you need to make and which ones you shouldn’t make. Which repairs will give a positive ROI and which ones won’t? To learn what repairs you should make and what repairs you shouldn’t, read on.

The most important repairs are water repairs, heating repairs and electrical repairs. Not making these repairs will prevent your home from selling, period. If the water doesn’t run, if the electrical system isn’t safe or if the heating system is about to break, most buyers will simply stay away.

What other repairs should you make on your Knoxville home?

First off, cosmetic repairs are cheap and have a big impact on the perceived value of your home. For example, is there a small hole in the wall? It’s easy to fill and repaint. Do the hinges in your cabinet squeak? It’s easy to spray a little bit of WD-40. Is there a gash in the window screen? It’s cheap to replace the screen and can have a big impact on your sale price.

Making cosmetic repairs arguably has the biggest impact on your bottom line.

One area you should pay special attention to is your front yard and your doorway. This is your buyer’s first impression of your house and should definitely be in good shape.

Before selling your home in Knoxville, it’s best to avoid large renovation projects. Renovating your kitchen completely may or may not be a profitable investment. More likely than not, you’ll end up spending thousands of dollars without much return on your investment.

If you focus on repairing the essentials and the cosmetics, you’ll be well on your way to a very profitable sale.

Here’s a short video about pricing Knoxville TN houses:

For complete information about the Knoxville area market including current Knoxville TN houses for sale and more, visit the Knoxville home website at www.davidhamilton.com. David Hamilton may be reached by cell at 865-310-0636.

Have a great day,

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-690-1300 Office
800-747-0713 Toll-Free

If you’re thinking of selling your Knoxville Real Estate, how you stage it can mean the difference between getting a fast top dollar sale, and having it sit on the market for months on end.

Here are a few quick pointers…

First impressions are lasting. Look at your home as if you were driving up to it for the first time. What does the general appearance of the home look like? How does the driveway, the lawn and the landscaping look? What do the roof and gutters look like? Pay particular attention to the entryway and the front door.

Inside the home – get rid of any odors. They’re a big turn-off. Smoking and pets are the most likely cause. Have carpets cleaned and the home deodorized before showing it.

A coat of paint in critical areas like the kitchen, master bedroom and baths can do wonders to change the appearance and make the home look more valuable.

Get rid of clutter! The way you LIVE in a home, and the way you SELL a home are two different things. You have to move anyway, so pack up all your clutter and get it out of the way. An uncluttered home looks bigger and more appealing. Make your home look like a model home.

If you’re thinking of selling your Knoxville home soon, send a blank email and I’ll forward a copy of a free eBook entitled, “44 Money-Making Tips For Preparing Your Home To Sell.” Call with any Knoxville Real Estate Question At: 865-310-0636.

More Knoxville home selling information including Knoxville homes for sale is available by visiting the Knoxville Real Estate Web site @ www.davidhamilton.com.

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
865-310-0636 Cell
865-690-1300 Office
800-747-0713 Toll-Free

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If so, then its time to do some spring cleaning!  Here’s a link to post free classified ads for all your excess stuff and earn some extra cash to make some of those repairs you’ve been putting off.

Knoxville Classifieds

More free info about the Knoxville real estate market is available by visiting the Knoxville Homes Web site.

Well, most people don’t, but you probably have a bunch of cash stashed in your home and not even know it. It’s surprising how many people don’t realize how much equity and how much cash they have access to.

What to do with all that money?

Actually, you can use the equity to your advantage in several ways. Many people are taking equity loans to make home improvements. You can effectively put equity back into your home by remodeling and updating certain features. Remodeled rooms, especially kitchens and bathrooms add the most value, and cosmetic touches will improve the salability of your home.

Borrowing equity has one great advantage; the interest is tax deductible. However, keep in mind, if you have an equity loan, when you sell your home you need to gross enough to pay off both the first mortgage and the outstanding equity debt. Always check with your tax advisor or CPA about the tax advantages of your individual situation.

Before you decide to make a major decision about any home improvement using your equity, consult with a REALTOR to see what features are hot with today’s home buyers. A real estate professional can help you determine if you will be able to re-coup that money when you decide to sell.

If you don’t have any desire to make home improvements and you want to know how much cash is really stashed in your Knoxville home, just give us a call for a free market analysis. In today’s market you may be able to move-up to a larger or newer home for the same or a little more than you’re currently paying.

More information is available about the Knoxville Real Estate market as well as current Knoxville Homes for sale by visiting my Knoxville Homes Web site.

David Hamilton
Ferguson Realtors
Cell 865-310-0636
Office 865-690-1300