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Most people realize the necessity of hiring a REALTOR®to sell a home, but they take an entirely different approach and opt to go it alone when buying, especially when the property is a short sale.
Before buying a short-sale property, though, people should consider the benefits derived from working with a knowledgeable REALTOR®.

Following are some things to think about:

Advanced Listings
The short-sales market has heated up.
So has the competition.
Get advanced listings sent to your attention as soon as possible by working with a REALTOR® who specializes in short sales.

Experience Is Key
Buying a short sale isn’t always simple, so finding a REALTOR® with a track record of success can go a long way toward making sure all the requirements are satisfied.
A REALTOR® with experience in short sales will help to expedite your transaction and protect your interests.

Seek Help
Buying a short sale takes a lot of time, but teaming up with a REALTOR® who knows and understands your individual situation dramatically reduces the effort required to find the perfect property.
Locating a property, researching it and dealing with the numerous requirements required to close is time consuming and frustrating.
Team up with someone who knows the ropes.

Lender Pays
Perhaps the best reason to consider using the services of a real estate agent when purchasing a short sale is the price tag.
After all, the services of an REALTOR® are free to the buyer.
The lender traditionally covers the commission in a short sale transaction, making it a win-win situation for all involved.

Today’s typical family living in a three-bedroom, two-story home spends about $2,500 in energy costs each year. To better manage those costs, consider conducting your own energy audit. It’s easy.

First of all, find out how much energy is being used, by keeping a log and reading your meter each week. At the end of four weeks, add up the kilowatts used and divide the total by the number of days to get your average daily usage. Once the audit is complete and changes are made, monitor usage again.

The next step is to walk around the house and check for the following:
Inside
• Any air leaks and gaps at baseboards and where the walls and ceilings end up joining
• Air leaks around electrical outlets, switch plates, window frames and baseboards
• Gaps and cracks in weather stripping around doors, fireplace dampers, attic hatches and air conditioners
• Gaps around pipes and wires
• Air leaks from mail slots
• Rattling from windows and doors, and daylight leaking in around frames

Outside
• Air leaks where two building materials meet
• Improperly caulked doors, windows and outdoor outlets
• Cracks in the mortar, foundation or siding
• Missing insulation in the home’s structure
• Improperly functioning heating/cooling equipment
• Filters that need replacing on forced-air furnaces
• Missing insulation on water heaters, hot water pipes and furnace ducts

One thing that most buyers are looking for is space. They want to know they’re going to have room for everything (and everyone) and they’re not going to grow out of their house too quickly. So here are some ways to make your house seem bigger than it really is.

Get rid of clutterThis is probably the most important secret to increasing the illusion of space. Remove items you don’t need from surfaces, particularly in the kitchen. Keep shelves tidy and not stuffed with books and ornaments.

Paint the walls
Use white or neutral colors to make rooms appear light and spacious. Use tones of a neutral color such as brown or gray to avoid visual clutter and make your décor feel more harmonious.

Consider off-site storage
If you’re running out of room for your possessions, move some of them into a storage unit while your house is on the market. Alternatively, have a yard sale to get rid of unwanted items — or donate them to charity. Otherwise, your house might look as if it’s not spacious enough for a family.
Remove some furniture
Potential buyers need to be able to walk around your house without bumping into chairs and tables. Put some furniture into storage until you move. Leave a path through your rooms that buyers can walk through.

Organize closets
Make sure you’ve tidied your closets. Invest in an organizing system, if necessary. Remove clothing that you’re not likely to wear from your closets.

Clean up the garage
People want to know they can fit a car (or two) in the garage and still have room for storing their possessions. So clear out your garage and neatly organize everything that must stay in there.

Mirrors and drapes
Place mirrors in strategic places and remove fussy window treatments to enhance the illusion of space.

Spring-cleaning takes on an entirely new level of importance for those who intend to put their homes on the market.

To attract buyers, it’s very important to make a great first impression. Whether you have already listed your home or you just want to keep your options open, it’s easy to make the most of your spring cleaning with these helpful hints:

 Light and Bright: In many parts of the country spring can be a great time of year to take photographs of your home even if you don’t intend to put it on the market right away. Not only does the natural lighting and lush green grass remind everyone of warmer days, but it provides a better view of the condition of the property. Be sure to trim the hedges and touch up paint or other outdoor maintenance prior to taking the picture. Simply store the photos in a safe place until it’s time to list the property.

 Maintenance Made Easy: Deferred maintenance is a major consideration for new buyers seeking to make the most of every dollar. Unfortunately, long winters can take a toll on even the most well-maintained property. Unsightly carpet stains, barren landscaping and crowded storage can give the impression of a property in need of attention. Make sure your property looks its best by doing routine maintenance, including carpet and tile/grout cleaning and lawn maintenance and completely clearing away all types of clutter.

 Pay Attention to Details: Details make a difference when it comes to making your home look, feel and smell fresh and clean. One of the most often overlooked areas of concern for new home shoppers is smell. Research shows smell is a powerful tool that has a tendency to work for or against sellers. Avoid harsh chemical odors or perfume-type fragrances such as room deodorizers. Opt for new enzymatic cleaning products that neutralize odors throughout the house. Pay special attention to carpets, upholstery and air ducts. Not only will it help reduce common irritants, but you can breathe easy knowing prospective buyers won’t be confronted with unpleasant pet odors or musty storage smells.