Buyers – If you plan on buying a home then most likely you will have to pay for a professional appraisal before the bank will lend you money. This is to protect the bank. You should get an appraisal of the house before you make an offer. This will protect you and save you money. Most people list a home not knowing the true value of the home. As a buyer if you get a home appraisal estimate online before you make an offer you will be able to make an offer that is reasonable and based on historical data. I recommend making an offer for 3 percent less than the estimated value of the home.

Sellers – The number one reason a home doesn’t sell is because the owners have priced it too high. They normally take a realtor’s advice and sometimes pick a number out of the air. You want to make sure you know how much the home is really worth before picking a price. Getting an online appraisal at one of the free websites is a good idea, and getting the value from an experienced real estate agent is also a good idea. Once you have an estimate then make the price of the property a couple of percent less. This will get you more foot traffic and ultimately the home will sell sooner.

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