If you are considering selling your house in Arizona you should already know that putting your home up for sale in the highly competitive Phoenix Real Estate market is quite a different thing than going down to the auto dealer and trading in your old vehicle for a new one.

Selling your home requires going through many steps. Using the services of a real estate agent in Phoenix Arizona is essential if you wish to get the most for your home. A good realtor will often mean the difference when it comes to selling your house for the price you want versus making too many trade-offs because you are desperate.

Home Selling Tips for Arizona Homeowners

• Dump Your Junk

  It is wise to make your home look bigger, roomier and cleaner when you are preparing it for sale, so get rid of your clutter. Sorting your items into piles, such as a discard pile, charity and hand-me-downs, will help with this task. Seriously take into account the “maybe” pile and contemplate how long it’s been since you’ve used the item before deciding to keep it.

  Donate or recycle anything that is still of use – some second-hand stores will give you cash for unwanted but still useful items – but discard anything that is useless. You may be able to get some extra tax write offs for your donations so keep records of what you donate, get a receipt and consult with your tax preparer.

• Price your home right

  A home that has an asking price well above market value or above similar houses will not sell quickly, or maybe at all. Work with your real estate agent to set the price of your house properly the first time.

• Find the best

  In a competitive market, having a good real estate agent or broker can make an enormous difference. If you want an ally on your side, look for an realtor who knows marketing and advertising (especially online Internet marketing), with good know-how and great connections. Interview agents and ask for recommendations. Ask your friends and family – just about everyone knows a good real estate agent. Keep in mind that your friends and family would not give a referral to the real estate agent if he or she were incompetent.

• Require a home selling marketing plan

  When you choose a realtor, make sure that he or she develops a specialized selling plan that fits you and your house. Every property will not fit the standard method. An online presence is essential for an agent in the current market, so make sure he or she has at least a basic website – or that they can be found online.

• Get Pre-Approved yourself

  If the reason you are selling your current home is to purchase a new one, then selling your old home before you know if you can buy the new one would not be such a smart move. Failing to remember this step is an error that a lot of people make. Mortgage loans are much harder to qualify for now since the mortgage market has altered significantly since 2008. Just because you have a mortgage does not mean that you will be able to get one in today’s market. Be sure that you can get qualified for another mortgage by talking with a loan officer before selling your present home.

• Change the deal

  Instead of lowering the price if you find that your home isn’t selling within a decent period of time, think about coming up with a new deal. One way to do this is to offer a 2 percent “seller contribution” to assist with closing costs instead of lowering your asking price. This option is a very good idea in the Phoenix market as it matches up well with the home buyers out there – first time home buyers will little money for their down payment. Also, providing home buyer assistance could lead to a bigger tax write off for you on your next tax return (make sure you speak to your tax preparer).

• Fix it

  Buyers will request a home inspection. By repairing flaws and getting a a preliminary home inspection before putting your house up for sale, you will save time. However, if a potential buyer requests a repair, it may be less expensive to fulfill the request than seeking a new buyer. Additionally, having a home full of problems will hurt your chances of selling your home for the top dollar you seek.

• Ask for feedback

  Get an idea of what possible buyers thought after a showing or open house. Constructive criticism, or even negative feedback, can help you make your next showing or open house better. Have your realtor seek exit comments from home viewers to get an evaluation of your property.

• Ignore inconvenience

  If 7:30 Saturday morning is when a potential buyer wants to see your house, then you will have to go along. Being flexible is part of the process. Beware of turning away possible buyers by being inconvenienced or inflexible.