1. Prepare the House
- Gussy up the house! Clean, clean, clean. Sell or store as much "stuff" as you can. Put away all personal photographs and mementos, animal trophies, and religious icons. Secure small valuables and firearms, preferably off-site. The best sales price in the shortest amount of time can be achieved by having the most people look at the house. Don't leave valuables lying around. When the house is ready, I want to take plenty of pictures. These photos will appear on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and many other associated websites. That is how buyers today first engage in home buying. Most potential buyers will not return to a house that has had improvements made since the first time they looked at it. The house needs to be ready from the beginning.
- Alaska law requires homeowners to complete a Residential Real Property Transfer Disclosure. (Alternatively, you and a buyer may mutually agree to waive the disclosure, but there should be a very good reason to do so. An estate sale is a good reason.) The form is several pages long. Be as comprehensive as you can with your answers. The object, from the seller's point of view, is to avoid being sued later by a buyer who discovers a defect which you corrected to the best of your ability, but did not disclose. Disclose everything! I have copies of the form and can send to you as "homework" for our listing meeting. You have to initial and sign it, and then so does the buyer, acknowledging they received it. Important Note: If you decide to purchase a presale home inspection, whatever is revealed in that inspection should be disclosed.