Chris Weitzel & Associates RE/MAX Whatcom County, Inc. Direct: (360) 312-5151 www.ChrisWeitzel.com

Thinking of Selling?

Before Listing Your Home…

Prepare Your Home for the Market A “well-polished” home will appeal to more buyers and sell faster at a higher price. So, before putting your home on the market, it’s best to take time maximizing its exterior and interior appeal.

Maximize Curb Appeal Keep lawn & hedges weeded & pruned

Check foundation, steps, walkways, walls, & patios for cracks & crumbling

Put fresh paint on your front door

Clean & align gutters & chimneys

Repair/replace loose roof shingles

Keep driveways clean

Add potted annuals near your front door

Keep your garage door closed

Maximize Interior Appeal Give every room a thorough cleaning

Remove any clutter

Keep items off of counter tops

Repaint dingy & strong colored walls

Repair cracks, holes, or damage to walls & tiles

Replace cracked windowpanes, molding, & other woodwork

Repair dripping faucets

Stage bathrooms with nice towels

Consider Renovation Costs There’s a big difference between making minor and inexpensive “polishes”, such as putting new knobs on cabinets, and doing extensive and costly renovations like installing a new kitchen. Keep in mind that while a buyer will be impressed by a big renovation, they aren’t likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. So, spend as little money as possible when preparing your home for sale.

Find a Good Real Estate Agent Selling a home can seem like an overwhelming task. For-tunately, the right Realtor can make the process easier

Chris Weitzel & Associates | RE/MAX Whatcom County, Inc. | (360)

and more profitable. Find a real estate agent who has experience and is knowledgeable about your area and price range. Ask questions about their qualifications, marketing plan, and how many homes they have sold this year. Make sure they specialize in your type of real estate and that they are a right fit for the sale of your home.

Your Home’s on the Market, Now what?

Avoid Common Seller Mistakes

Poor Curb Appeal Many homebuyers drive off before stepping foot inside a house that looks unappealing from the street. (Tip: Get your yard in tip-top shape and follow our earlier suggestions on maximizing curb appeal.)

Offensive Odors Odors from cigarette smoke, pets, and mildew are sure to turn off a buyer. (Tip: Ask someone who doesn’t live with you to take a sniff. Then, get rid of all odors.)

Pet Control Dogs and other animals frighten some people, and keeping them in a closed off area such as a bedroom or garage can be a bad idea. Think about it. Would you buy a house you couldn’t inspect fully? (Tip: Remove pets during showings whenever possible.)

Home Owner at the Showing Homebuyers like to open closets and cabinets but it can be awkward and uncomfortable if a seller is lingering at the house. (Tip: Remove yourself from the house when there is a showing and if you’re planning on selling by owner, give them some space.)

Keep Up-to-date on the Local Market With a constantly changing market, it’s crucial to stay on top of anything that can affect your home. Be on the lookout for what homes are selling for in your neighborhood and get updated CMAs (Comparable Market Analysis) from your agent. Talk to your Realtor if your home has been on the market for some time. Maybe consider making a price reduction and see if there is anything else you can do.

312-5151 | www.Chris Weitzel.com

Tips for the Listing Interview Most sellers don’t realize that they pay the same amount for a Realtor whether they are good, bad, new or a veteran. Therefore, it’s of the upmost impor-tance for those considering a Realtor to choose one with experience and success. Below are a few tips on what to ask when interviewing a real estate agent.

Knowledge How many years of experience does your realtor have? Do they specialize in a certain type of real estate (ex: residential, land, commercial, etc.)? Do they spe-cialize in listing homes or showing homes? Are they knowledgeable about your area in particular? Do these specializations match your needs?

Qualifications Does your Realtor have any special designations that will help with the sale of your home? Do they partici-pate in any continued education classes? And if you need to sell your home as a short sale, does your agent have the right education and experience to do so? Also, make sure your agent is a member in good standing with the National Association of Realtors.

Exposure Where does your agent advertise? Do they have their own website? Many buyers look both online and in print before finding their home. Make sure your agent exposes your home through an integrated mar-keting plan that includes print, web, MLS, and more.

Service How will your agent handle the sale of your home? Do they have a support staff of experts to help with the process (such as buyers’ agents, marketing coordina-tor, transaction coordinator, etc.)? Do they all commu-nicate well with you and do you feel they will serve your best interest?

Results Does your agent have proven results instead of prom-ises? What about testimonials? Are they posted for everyone to see?

Chris Weitzel, Realtor with RE/MAX, heads one of Whatcom County’s top selling real estate teams, Weitzel & Associates, and specializes in the listing and marketing of residential property.

Experience & Knowledge 35 years experience as a real estate agent in

Whatcom County, WA

Managing Broker

Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE)

Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

Top Producing Results Average of 78 transactions per year, not including

buyer referrals which account for another 20 transactions per year (NWMLS 2005-2009)

Average home sellers 98% list to sold price (NWMLS 2009)

Regional Accomplishments #1 Realtor of all Whatcom County Offices

(NWMLS Ranking Report 2009)

#1 RE/MAX Agent in Whatcom County (RE/MAX International 2002-2009)

In the Top 3 Agents throughout all Whatcom County Since 2005 (NWMLS Ranking Report)

#5 Top Individual Producer for the Pacific NW Region (RE/MAX International 2009)

#4 Top Individual Producer for the State of WA (RE/MAX International 2009)

Lifetime Achievement Award (RE/MAX 2007)

Hall of Fame (RE/MAX International 2003)

Other Recognitions Realtor.com Online Marketing Award (2010)

Quick Facts on Chris Weitzel

More info. available at www.Chris Weitzel.com

Why Hire Weitzel & Associates?

An Expert at Your Side Chris Weitzel has over 35 years of experience as a Whatcom County real estate agent and has earned both the prestigious CRS and CDPE Designations for his continued education. With access to online, on-demand training in every facet of real estate, we are up to date on emerging trends and issues. Weitzel & Associates are committed to you and possess the knowledge and experience it takes to help navigate the sale of your home in today’s complex real estate market.

Marketing for Maximum Exposure Recently awarded with Realtor.com’s “Online Marketing Award of Excellence” our multi-media marketing plan helps your home stand out. The integrated plan puts your property on over 100 real estate websites, including “Showcase” placement on Realtor.com (the #1 real estate website in the world), and includes print advertising, social media, video, our nation wide referral network, and much more.

We Have Buyers On average during 2010, Weitzel & Associates has sold a home every 31/2 days. Nationally, agents sell only one property every 52 days which means we encounter more buyers everyday than most agents experience in months! When we list your home, it is immediately sent out to our database of over 4,000 names.

The Team Advantage A well running & trained, Real Estate Team is truly a time and money saving benefit. Weitzel & Associates has over 65 years of combined experience with a top listing agent, multiple Buyers Agents, a Licensed Assistant, Transaction Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, and Office Adminis-trator who are available 7 days a week.

(360) 312-5151 FREE Property

Evaluation or In-Home Listing

Presentation

Chris Weitzel & Associates | RE/MAX Whatcom County, Inc. Direct: (360) 312-5151 | www.Chris Weitzel.com

If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard this offer.