IN Millcreek Summer 2017 | Page 55

7. SELLING: Ignore the housing market. Don’t waste your time watching the housing market for the best time to sell. According to Investopedia, “it doesn’t matter what your home is worth at any given moment except the moment when you sell it. Being able to choose when you sell your home, rather than being forced to sell it due to job relocation or financial distress, will be the biggest determinant of whether you will see a solid profit from your investment.” 8. SELLING: Will renovating always increase my resale value? Make conscious decisions when renovating your home. While newer will entice potential buyers, be cognizant of what rooms you update and how you do it. An updated kitchen will increase the value of your home, but be sure to appeal to a wide range of tastes. A good place to start is with the appliances. Realtor.com states that homes with stainless steel appliances sell 15 percent faster than those without. Updated bathrooms are easier to satisfy a wider range of buyers’ desires for luxury, but be sure to keep the colors neutral. 9. SELLING: Don’t spend earnest money! Many sellers make the mistake of depositing and spending earnest money before closing day. If the transaction doesn’t go through or the buyer pulls out due to repair issues, it is up to the seller to return the cash. It is recommended to have a real estate agent or broker hold the deposit. Most buyers’ earnest money will be held in an escrow account until the closing day, allowing the money to remain untouched by either party. 10. SELLING: Consider names and numbers. Just when you think you’ve checked all the boxes for an easy sell of your house, take a second look at your address. According to Zillow, street names and house numbers matter! If you happen to live at 666 Fanny Hands Lane, you may be out of luck (however that particular street is in the United Kingdom, so you should be safe). Innuendo-laden street names tend to not sell as quickly as something like Thunder Road, for example. American numerology says that 666 is bad luck and could decrease the value of your home by 2 to 3 percent. Also, steer clear of the number 4, considered unlucky in Chinese culture. Stick to the number 8, or include the lucky digits 316 in your asking price! n WE GET YOU NOTICED. Get your business noticed in all the best locations... YOUR CUSTOMER’S HOME! We can guarantee you the best placement available — right in your customer’s home. Find out how any of our 34 direct-mailed, community-sponsored, quarterly magazines can grow your business. Contact us at 724.942.0940 Continued on next page ➢ Millcreek | Summer 2017 | icmags.com 53