Sprucing up your homes MLS report a good idea (Naples Daily News)

Sep 5, 2008 7:31 PM - The new listings that enter the system this fall will have a distinct advantage over your property. Theyre fresh. Theyre new to the market and to a buyer that has been tire kicking all summer. Most importantly, the new listings are priced well and maybe even better than your property.

Proper pricing is still king in the Southwest Florida real estate market. If your home has languished on the active real estate market and youve not had a recent comparative market analysis or appraisal, you owe it to yourself to get one.

Contrary to popular belief, real estate has actually been selling over the summer. Those recent sale prices are what you need to compare against for appraisal purposes. Pricing your home to what it was appraised at several months ago or what the neighbors home sold for last season isnt going to cut it. It has to be priced for right now. Those homes that hit the market this fall will have right now pricing. Does yours

If the exterior shot of your home has trash cans in the driveway, Christmas decorations or the side mirror from the agents car in the shot, you might want to update. Youd be surprised what can be seen out there while were researching properties. There are photos that are so bad that there are now Web sites dedicated to showing the images for entertainment purposes.

There is a little known fact about the MLS system, too. It is capable of carrying attachments. Important disclosures, addendums, community site plans and even the floor plan to your home can be attached to your homes MLS report so that buyers and their agents have access to more data about your home. A valuable tool, no doubt.

It would be great to be able to pick up the phone and call you or drop a note in the mail, just to let you know that something is not right in your report, but I cant. The rules preclude me or any other agent from interfering in your business relationship with your agent, even if its for your own good. Its up to you to police your data and make sure accurate information is out there and able to be found.

Theres a bunch of agents that will show your home if theyre able to find it. Maybe you can make sure its fresh and get some pretty pictures up there to entice the buyers, too.

Chris Griffith is a real estate agent at Keller Williams Elite Realty in Bonita Springs. If you have a question about local real estate e-mail her at chris@bonitaspringsagent.com.