Thursday, August 20, 2009

Providing a better real estate buying and selling process with our free reports, local listings, and years of experience. Let Tony Serrano take care o

If you are selling your home, you should not be present when an agent brings a potential buyer to view the property. Successful marketing means that buyers need to be able to imagine the house as their future home. Nothing puts a damper on that more than having the current owners hanging around. This is true in Brea California homes for sale. That is one reason why the lockbox is such a key tool for real estate agents. They are used for homes for sale in Brea California.

A lockbox is a hollow metal box that attaches to the front doorknob or some secure place nearby. Inside the hollow area is another matchbox sized box that contains the key to the house. When an agent opens the lockbox, that smaller container slides out.

The lockbox gets its name because it is a locked box. A stranger cannot come by, open the box, get the key and gain entry to the house.

Only agents can do that. This is the case with houses in Brea California. Most modern lockboxes have a tiny microprocessor inside. You need an electronic key to open it and the only way to get a key is to become a member of the local Multiple Listing Service. All of the keys have a unique identifier so when someone opens the box, the microprocessor inside “registers” the agent who opens it. Agents are forbidden to let another agent use their electronic key. Ethics is highly touted in real estate in Brea California.

Since the box is “reset” just before being placed on the door, any agent who opens the box can be identified – as well as the date and time they entered the house. That information can be downloaded at the local MLS Association. This works as a security measure for the homeowner.

But the main purpose of the lockbox is that it facilitates the sale of the home. Without it, selling or buying a home would be much more difficult. Ask for Tony Serrano at www.myfreehomeguide.com He has been in the business for a long time. He can answer your questions and concerns.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

How can I Help My Agent in Brea California?

You want your house to sell and you appreciate the fact that your real estate agent is super busy all the time. He/she is busy taking phone calls and answering pages, showing other couples around to their houses, and he is always doing paper work. How can you help your agent to do a more thorough job in selling your house?

1. Make sure your house is in pristine condition at all times of the day. Now that agents can use the lock box the other agents don’t have to call and make an appointment or have someone let them into your house. Therefore your home must be in impeccable shape at all times. Do this, please, for your Brea California homes for sale agent.

2. Allow agents to show your house at all hours of the day even if it is dinner time or bed time. Go out for supper or go for a drive and spend some quality time with the kids because everyone has a different time table that you do. People work all day and then they look at 5-6 houses in the evening and your house might be last. They might give you half an hour notice so please be flexible

3. Do not hang around the house while agents are showing your home. The prospective buyers have to envision themselves living in your house and they can’t do that if your teenagers are lying all over the family room with the music blaring. There are many agents who are busy with homes for sale in Brea California.

4. Remove any photos or memorabilia of yourself and the family. Remove all fridge magnets and papers. Put all toys into storage and then later pull them out and have Christmas all over again.

5. Tidy up the front entrance and make sure coats and shoes are put away. Arrange for a chair or bench to be put in the foyer to help buyers to take off their shoes.

6. Make sure all animals and their toys and litter boxes are gone from the house. The house must be animal free and vacuumed thoroughly. All signs of pets must be gone.

7. We all love to cook but strong odours of spices, rotten food and garbage must be removed. Clean the kitchen with a lemon and vinegar spray bottle. Thoroughly clean all appliances.

8. Shoes and boots can hold odours so please put a dryer fabric sheet into each shoe and put away into a box and put away for the night.

9. During the summer, make sure the lawn care and gardens are taken care of and weeded. Houses in Brea California are a big ticket item.

10. In-ground pools should be clean and properly taken care of. Air conditioning should be turned on during the summer. Real Estate in Brea California is hot commodity.

11. Take a friend or neighbour through the house and ask them to be brutally honest about the house. Act on their advice!

12. When your agent asks you to fix or remove something or to change something, please do so to better show off your house. Be sure to check with Tony Serrano at www.myfreehomeguide.com when looking for homes for sale in Brea California.