There's More to Selling Your Home than a "For Sale" Sign In Your Front Yard: Beware. 

Even if a simple sign in your yard did produce a buyer knocking on your door, how will you handle the following questions: 

"How does your home compare to others like it in Evergreen, Conifer and Golden?" 

"How did you determine the fair market value of this property?" 

"What about financing? Can you help?" 

"If I make an offer, who will draw up the paperwork?" 

"Why aren't you using a REALTORŪ? Is there something wrong with the property?" 

"Since you aren't using a REALTORŪ, we can take their fee right off the top, right?" 

Selling your home is one of the most important financial transactions you will make in your life. Don't take risks. Selling your home is nothing like selling a car. Every home is different, and every homebuyer wants to offer you as little as possible. How do you determine the real market value? 

Almost all homes are sold using a REALTORŪ. As top real estate professionals, it is our job to help you negotiate with all those buyers who want something for nothing. Not to mention preparing your home for sale, marketing it locally in Evergreen, Conifer and Golden and even nationally, and guiding you through the complex paperwork and pitfalls of escrow and closing. Make sure you are really ready to handle all of that before pounding that sign into your front yard. Errors can be extremely costly. 

Remember: Buyers want to offer you as close to nothing as possible! While that "For Sale By Owner" sign might sound like a good idea, it usually means a different thing to buyers: "Try to steal this one." 

If you must sell your own home, at least let us give you a sense of its true market value. Tell us a bit about your home, and We'll do a quick Comparative Market Analysis and let you know what we feel it is worth. We'll also describe, as experienced, top Evergreen, Conifer and Golden REALTORSŪ, how we would market your property. This is free, with no strings attached. 

Don't price your home by yourself! It's our job to analyze the Evergreen, Conifer and Golden market and determine the true value of your property. It's FREE and without obligation... 

12 Tips For A Mold-Free Home 

Follow these suggestions to keep mold from growing in your home: 

1. Check the exterior of your home regularly for accumulation of ground water. 

2. If you ever see bubbling or dampness in a wall, get the wall opened to see what's causing it. 

3. If your house sits above a foundation and there's heavy rain, put electric fans under the house to dry the ground. 

4. Fix leaky faucets, pipes and other leaks as soon as you find them. 

5. Have your heating and air conditioning system serviced each year. 

6. Clean and dry out wet or damp areas within 48 hours. 

7. Keep indoor humidity below 60 percent by venting bathrooms and dryers to the outside, using air conditioners and dehumidifiers, using exhaust fans or opening windows when cooking, washing dishes or cleaning, and increasing ventilation. 

8. If you have a leak that saturates carpet, ceiling tiles or upholstery, remove them. 

9. Use paint that has an EPA-approved mold inhibitor. 

10. Clean kitchens and bathrooms with mold killing cleansers.  

11. Don't carpet bathrooms. 

12. Don't put vinyl wallpaper on walls that are at risk of sustaining water damamge. 

For more information about mold, see the pamphlet "Protect Yourself from Mold" Issued by the Federal Ceneters for Disease Control. 

Coutesy of Pat Curry, a contributing editor based in Georgia.