So You Want to Sell Your Home - Part 9 - Write a Book

Really, writing a book will help you sell your home! It doesn't have to be a long book, or even have much of a plot. You don't even need to write a lot of original content.

When I list a home, I work with the sellers putting together a marketing book. This is a book that is prominently displayed in the home and that buyers and buyers agents have easy access to. They may even carry it with them as a reference as they tour the home and property.

So, what should this book include? Let's start with the cover. The cover should be a nice quality binder with a very appealing picture of your home, at it's best. It should also show the address, to help imprint your home in the potential buyers mind. I use a quality binder because, unlike paper folders, the binder is less likely to "walk off".

So much for the outside, what should you include on the inside:

• A letter from you, the home owner. This should be the very first item in the book, and, one of only pages that will be truly original thought. This should be a short letter, one or two paragraphs, of what you love about your home, perhaps why you bought it, what memories it provides.
• A description of your home clearly pointing out all of the highlights. Describe the granite countertops, the master bath, the hardwood floors, all of the features that you feel are the selling points.
• Pictures of the property - especially the outside, during the different seasons.
• A plat of the property. If you don't have one, you can usually get one at the courthouse.
• A floor plan of the home and any other structures. If you have one available, it is a great tool to help a buyer get a feel for how the home flows.
• Square-footage of key rooms, which include but aren't limited to:

Kitchen
Dining Room
Living Room
Family Room
Master Bedroom
Other Bedrooms
Bonus Room
Basement

• Area information:

dining
hospitals
parks
entertainment
etc

• Commute times to schools, shopping, etc.
• What improvements have you made or had made.
• Copies of your last utility bills, up to 12 months if possible
• A property tax page detailing how much your property taxes are.
• Area schools, just the addresses types. Do no evaluate the schools.

That's it, a simple book but it can make the difference in selling your home or not. So, whether listing with an agent, or selling on your own, write a book.