| The FSBO's Home Preparation Checklist | p. 1 |
| Selling Your House: The Difference Between Success and Failure | p. 3 |
| Introduction | p. 3 |
| The FSBO's Goals and Objectives | p. 7 |
| The FSBO Self-Assessment Checklist | p. 7 |
| Exterior Home Preparation: How to Make Low Cost, High Impact Improvements That Will Sell Your Home Fast | p. 12 |
| Visibility Adds Value | p. 13 |
| The Berges Yikes-Appeal Scale | p. 14 |
| Is the Outside of Your House Bright and Cheery, or Dark and Dreary? | p. 15 |
| Lawn Condition | p. 15 |
| Landscaping: An Easy Way to Dress Your House for Success | p. 16 |
| Fencing Repairs | p. 17 |
| A Junky Yard Can Make Your House Look Junky | p. 18 |
| Freshen Up Your House with a Fresh Coat of Paint | p. 19 |
| Check the Condition of Siding and Repair or Replace as Necessary | p. 20 |
| Don't Forget the Gutters and Down Spouts | p. 21 |
| Roof Repair and Replacement | p. 21 |
| Deck Condition: Restore and Refinish as Necessary | p. 22 |
| Additional Outdoor Structures | p. 23 |
| Organize Your Garage to Make it Appear Larger | p. 23 |
| Dress Your House to Impress with a Beautiful Wooden Door | p. 24 |
| Interior Home Preparation: How to Make Low Cost, High Impact Improvements That Will Sell Your Home Fast | p. 26 |
| Is the Inside of Your House Bright and Cheery, or Dark and Dreary? | p. 27 |
| Clean or Cluttered? | p. 28 |
| Flooring: A Low Cost, High Impact Improvement | p. 28 |
| Dress Up the Inside with a Fresh Coat of Paint | p. 30 |
| Give Your Kitchen a Facelift | p. 31 |
| Give Your Bathroom a Complete Makeover | p. 32 |
| Light the Way with New Fixtures | p. 33 |
| Clean Out Those Cluttered Closets | p. 34 |
| Home Valuation: How to Price Your House to Sell for Maximum Value in Minimum Time | p. 36 |
| Understanding the Proper Value of Your House is Essential | p. 36 |
| The Comparative Market Analysis | p. 37 |
| How to Get a Free CMA | p. 38 |
| The Appraisal Process: Why You Don't Need One-Yet | p. 39 |
| Compare Your House to Others in the Area | p. 41 |
| How to Sell Your House at the Right Price for Maximum Profit | p. 41 |
| Know Your Bottom Line Before You Begin to Sell | p. 42 |
| Terms and Seller Concessions | p. 43 |
| Average Days on Market | p. 44 |
| Time Is Money | p. 45 |
| Third-Party Reports and Legal Forms: How to Protect Yourself by Using These Essential Forms | p. 46 |
| Professional Legal Services | p. 47 |
| Ten Essential Real Estate Forms | p. 48 |
| Residential Sales Contract | p. 49 |
| Property Condition Disclosure | p. 50 |
| Lead-Based Paint Disclosure | p. 51 |
| Third-Party Financing Addendum | p. 52 |
| Loan Assumption Addendum | p. 52 |
| Seller Financing Addendum | p. 53 |
| Promissory Note | p. 55 |
| Notice of Termination | p. 56 |
| Warranty Deed | p. 56 |
| Quit Claim Deed | p. 57 |
| The FSBO's Marketing and Sales Checklist | p. 59 |
| Strategic Marketing: Seven Smart Ways to Sell Your House | p. 61 |
| Prepare a Generous Marketing Budget to Sell Your House | p. 62 |
| How to Use Newspapers and Classified Ads to Sell Your House | p. 63 |
| Keep Your Ads Crisp and Concise | p. 65 |
| How to Use Real Estate Magazines to Sell Your House | p. 66 |
| How to Use the Internet to Market and Sell Your House | p. 66 |
| How to Use a Yard Sign to Sell Your House | p. 67 |
| Information Boxes Are for Everyone (Including Your Nosy Neighbors) | p. 68 |
| How to Use an Open House to Sell Your House | p. 69 |
| How to Use Networking to Help Sell Your House | p. 70 |
| How to Use Flyers to Help Sell Your House | p. 71 |
| Discount Brokerage Services: How to Co-op with Agents and Have the Buyer Pay the Commission | p. 73 |
| Discount Brokerage Services and Fee-for-Service Agents | p. 74 |
| How to Sell Your House Faster Using This Important Services | p. 77 |
| How to Get the Buyer to Help Pay for These Services | p. 79 |
| Perceived Costs versus Real Costs | p. 80 |
| Home Presentation: How to Show Your Home to Qualified Buyers | p. 82 |
| Safety First | p. 82 |
| Show Your House by Appointment Only | p. 85 |
| Home Preparation Checklist | p. 86 |
| Sight | p. 87 |
| Smell | p. 87 |
| Sound | p. 88 |
| Touch | p. 89 |
| Taste | p. 90 |
| Time to Show and Sell | p. 90 |
| Give the Buyer Space | p. 91 |
| Features and Benefits | p. 91 |
| Accentuate the Positive | p. 91 |
| Make it Fun! | p. 92 |
| Negotiating Strategies: How to Get What You Want without Giving Away the Farm | p. 94 |
| How to Use Verbal and Nonverbal Clues to Know if a Buyer Is Hot or Cold | p. 95 |
| How to Use Trial Closing Questions to Gauge a Buyer's Readiness | p. 97 |
| How to Use the Buyer's "Trial Balloon" to Close the Sale | p. 98 |
| What to Do If a Buyer Offers Less Than Full Asking Price | p. 100 |
| How to Make a Counteroffer | p. 101 |
| Contingencies and Subject to Clauses | p. 102 |
| Earnest Money Deposits | p. 105 |
| What to do When a Mutual Agreement Is Reached | p. 106 |
| Formalizing the Sale: How to Use Sales Contracts and Purchase Agreements to Protect Your Legal Interests | p. 108 |
| Parties | p. 109 |
| Property | p. 109 |
| Sales Price | p. 110 |
| Financing | p. 111 |
| Earnest Money | p. 111 |
| Title Policy and Survey | p. 112 |
| Property Condition | p. 113 |
| Broker's Fees | p. 114 |
| Closing | p. 114 |
| Possession | p. 114 |
| Special Provisions | p. 116 |
| Settlement and Other Expenses | p. 116 |
| Prorations | p. 116 |
| Casualty Loss | p. 117 |
| Default | p. 117 |
| Dispute Resolution | p. 117 |
| Attorney's Fees | p. 118 |
| Escrow | p. 118 |
| Representations | p. 118 |
| Federal Tax Requirement | p. 119 |
| Agreement of Parties | p. 119 |
| Consult Your Attorney | p. 119 |
| The FSBO's Closing Checklist | p. 121 |
| Title Insurance: How to Select the Best Title Company and Have the Buyer Pay for It | p. 123 |
| The Necessity of Title Services | p. 124 |
| All Title Companies Are Not Created Equally | p. 125 |
| How to Find a Superior Title Company in Your Area | p. 125 |
| How to Get the Buyer to Pay for Title Insurance | p. 126 |
| Title Company Fees | p. 127 |
| When to Order Your Title Work | p. 128 |
| Title Searches: How Long Do They Take? | p. 129 |
| Home Inspections: How to Comply with the Home Inspection Process | p. 131 |
| The Buyer's Right to Inspect | p. 131 |
| How to Minimize the Time Frame Allowed for the Inspection | p. 132 |
| Three Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself from Being Sued | p. 133 |
| What to Expect During the Inspection | p. 134 |
| How to Minimize Your Out-of-Pocket Expenses | p. 135 |
| How to Understand and Comply with Appraisal Requirements | p. 137 |
| Understanding Appraisals | p. 138 |
| Appraisal Requirements | p. 141 |
| Appraisals, CMAs, and BPOs | p. 142 |
| How to Get the Buyer to Pay for the Appraisal | p. 142 |
| Scheduling and Preparing for the Appraisal | p. 143 |
| Closing the Sale: How to Make Sure Your Closing Goes as Smoothly as Possible | p. 145 |
| Scheduling the Appropriate Parties | p. 146 |
| Current Tax Information | p. 148 |
| Clear to Close | p. 149 |
| Utility and Services Transfers | p. 149 |
| Understanding the Settlement Statement | p. 150 |
| Review and Verify the Accuracy of Prorated Items | p. 153 |
| Final Walk-Through Inspection | p. 156 |
| Closing Day | p. 156 |
| Moving Preparations: How to Plan Your Move without Getting Ahead of Yourself | p. 158 |
| Careful Planning Must Be Balanced with Awareness | p. 158 |
| Timing Your Move | p. 160 |
| Professional Moving Services | p. 161 |
| Container Services | p. 161 |
| Truck Rental Services | p. 162 |
| Termination and Transfer of Services | p. 163 |
| Conclusion | p. 163 |
| www.thevalueplay.com | p. 165 |
| Symphony-homes.com | p. 167 |
| Sample Real Estate Forms | p. 169 |
| Glossary | p. 188 |
| Index | p. 205 |
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