Betsy Pokorny
State Certified Appraiser and Consultant
Des Moines Real Estate Services
betsy@dsmappraisal.com
phone: (515) 279-9574
fax: (515) 279-9576
Whether you choose to sell your home on your own or use the assistance of a real estate agent, a professional appraiser can help you make a better educated decision when determining your listing price. Unlike a real estate agent, an appraiser can provide an independent opinion of home's value because the appraisal fee is based upon effort rather than a percentage of the eventual sales price.
More and more homeowners today are choosing to sell their homes FSBO (For Sale by Owner) without the help of a real estate agent. Selling your home by this method can save you a potential 5-7% commission. Compared to the thousands you’ll save in agent fees, a professional appraisal fee is a drop in the bucket and the peace of mind you will receive is priceless.
It’s very hard to be objective about your own home because of your emotional attachment to it. A professional appraisal can help you arrive at an independent and market-driven listing price.
If you are working with a real estate agent to list your property, more than likely they will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that lists selected sales in your area. A CMA is vital if you are going to maximize your profit and minimize the home’s time on the market.
We can provide you and your listing agent with an appraisal to be used as an additional sales tool. This appraisal report can provide an accurate description of your home’s features and a detailed analysis of the most recent comparable sales and current active listings that your home will compete against to prospective buyers.
NFC provides unique lending programs and related services to help revitalize targeted neighborhoods in Polk County, Iowa through partnerships with residents, government bodies, community-based organizations and the business community.
Is your home in a designated area so a buyer can qualify for $10,000 of forgivable funds to complete improvements to the property? If so, it could be a real benefit to know the ins and outs of the NFC program before you put your house on the market.
Des Moines Real Estate Services has over 13 years of valuation experience working with NFC and we are very knowledgeable with their lending areas and home improvement program.
When you set the price, don’t make the mistake of looking only at what you need to "get out" of your house. It’s important to know that number, but that number may or may not have any relationship to its market value. If the market value of the house is lower than the amount you have invested in it, you may be inclined to rethink selling your property at this time.
Sprucing up your house can help it sell, but don't go overboard. In most cases, major home improvements including kitchen and bath remodels don't pay for themselves. We suggest going for inexpensive fixes, such as new paint in a neutral tone, carpet cleaning and a little fresh landscaping. Bring in light by washing windows and removing heavy drapes and overgrown vegetation. Then pack or store up to half of your possesssions to make rooms and closets appear as large as possible. We can also help you identify repair items in your home that could thwart a sale down the road.
Market price is nearly always a range of prices rather than an exact price. If you are in a hurry to sell your property, then you will want to price it near the lower end of the market price range. But remember, buyers will always assume the listed price is negotiable.
Don’t rely too heavily on what neighbors tell you in social situations about the sale of other properties in the area. Listen, of course, but be aware that neighbors often just know the original asking price and the fact that there is a buyer in the picture. They may not know that the sales price was lowered because of the condition of the home, a decorating or sales concession allowance was given to the buyer.
If you base your pricing decisions on solid appraisal information and use good common sense, you have a much better chance of getting a good result.
In addition to helping you set a realistic selling price a professional appraisal can:
Whatever the reason that calls for a value estimate of your home, you should engage the services of a member of the Appraisal Institute. These professionals meet stringent ethics requirements that surpass those required for state certification. Reflecting their unbiased and objective approach to real property appraisal and analysis, members of the Appraisal Institute are required to adhere to a strictly enforced Code of Professional Ethics and Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
As a professional real estate appraiser and member of the Appraisal Institute, Betsy Pokorny is committed to delivering value and professionalism and will help you determine the appropriate report for your individual situation. Professional market analysis and experience is key in providing useful information for accurate pricing. Contact us today so we can help you make informed selling decisions.
Source: Appraisal Institute
State Certified Appraiser and Consultant
Des Moines Real Estate Services
betsy@dsmappraisal.com
phone: (515) 279-9574
fax: (515) 279-9576
Having completed over 2,800 appraisals in the past 11 years, Betsy Pokorny and Des Moines Real Estate Services has become a trusted name for accurate, ethical, and professional valuation services. Betsy has acquired unique knowledge and valuation expertise in historic neighborhoods, vintage homes, and suburban communities.
Tanya K. and Doug J., clients
We very much appreciate your help in determining the best value for our dollar in the River Bend neighborhood! It has been very confusing try to determine the value of a property when things are changing so quickly. It was so helpful to get your professional input to cut through the emotional aspects of home buying. It really helped us get realistic about our options. I also appreciate how flexible your services are, since we couldn't afford a full blown appraisal of every property we were interested in, but the "once over" information was critical information in making our decision. We look forward to working with you again!
Jack Hatch, State Senator
"As a state senator, I sponsored, and the legislature passed in 2008, a law requiring appraisers to be registered. As a real estate developer, I know the importance of reliable and accurate appraisals and Betsy is one appraiser I always request the banks to use or I hire her directly during my pre-development phase. There is no one I trust more."
Mary C., client
I couldn't have sold my home by myself without Betsy Pokorny's help. She is extremely knowledgeable about the current and changing Des Moines metro housing market and is great to work with. She guided me through every step in the process, from initial price-setting through sale and closing. She was right on the money with property values. I highly recommend anyone who is selling their home by owner to contact Betsy and use her services. Invaluable!
Deb Buenting, Bankers Trust
"We have used Betsy Pokorny for numerous years as one of our approved appraisers. I personally have found her expertise in the Des Moines market to be invaluable. She understands the many different programs available through the City of Des Moines and Polk County, and is able to anticipate what values will be based on these programs. Her knowledge has been extremely useful during this rapidly changing mortgage industry. She is able to keep us informed of the many changes in the appraisal world, and also keeps us informed on what neighborhood values are doing. We are thankful to have such a detailed and knowledgeable appraiser on our approved list."