Marilyn Holda Fleck

Homes can indeed be sold "as is"! It is important to keep in mind that if the home is in very bad condition, however, that it will primarily attract "flippers" and "investors" who are notorious for submitting low-ball Offers. Also, if the home is in very poor condition (peeling paint, cracked windows, underground oil tank, leaking roof, etc) it may not qualify for a mortgage. This will limit your Buyer pool to those able and willing to pay cash. It is best to confer with a local, experienced real estate Agent who can assess the situation and provide advice on what to fix and what to truly leave "as is". Some Brokerages (including Coldwell Banker) have programs where certain types of home repairs can be completed before the property comes onto the market and the costs of the repairs are subtracted from the proceeds at Closing. This is a great option for those that are short on cash but have equity in the home.

Here in NJ we have about a half dozen MLS throughout t he State. While you can certainly try to sell your home as a "FSBO" (For Sale by Owner), you will need to use other channels to get the word out. While many Sellers believe they will "save money" by selling on their own, the statistics say otherwise. An experienced, local Agent has an in-depth understanding of your local market and will price your home based on current market conditions. Even factoring in their Commission, you will likely come out ahead by listing your home with an Agent. In addition to the MLS, we have other marketing tools that we use to ensure that your home has exposure to the largest number of prospective Buyers. Using a good Agent will more than pay for itself with a higher sales price.

Here in NJ school districts do matter -- in fact they matter a lot! In the 20 years I've been in real estate, a Buyer has never asked me to find them a home in a poorly-ranked school district. Rather, many Buyers will sacrifice other home amenities (size, condition) in order to move into a top-ranked district! Resale value is always a consideration when buying a home -- even if you plan to live there for the next 30 years -- sometimes circumstances require that you sell (e.g., job change) and you want to be able to easily sell -- and homes in top districts are attractive whether the market is up or down.