I have a few questions. Here is a little back ground...

I am wanting to sell my very small modest home i have lived in since 02. This was my first home on a FHA loan. Paid 60,500 for the home now owe 51k. I has since got married and really outgrown this small 900 sqf house.
I was really unsatisfied with the realtor i used to purchase this house. No need to go into why but it wasnt nessasarily all her fault. But i am choosing not to use here again. She was referred to me by a friend.
Any i have done many updating/grading. But have the exterior to deal with.It has asbestos siding that is just ugly and needs to be either replaced or gone over with siding. Both exterior doors need to be replaced.Then there is a two car detached garage that the doors need to be replaced and need to be resided.
I want this to be done in the next 3-4 months so we can begin to look at trying to sell it.
Should i start working with a realtor now and get her/his input on what should be done and what i shouldnt do? Or would i be wasting the realtor time?
We really need to double our space now that we are "adults". I was also curious about the cost of this house being so little will many realtor even wanna sell this house.Its not in a horrible area just a small cookie cutter home similar to many in the area. I know that the commish is very small on such a transaction. But the last realtor really didnt give us much time and i think this had much to do with it.
We are now looking for something in the 130k-170k area so still isnt a huge commish coming from it.
Any helpful insight would be great. Just kinda point me in the right direction would be nice.
I hope it is ok that i am posting this here. I figured if i wanted answer what better place then a realtor forum!

Keith

I would absolutely recommend finding and consulting with a Realtor prior to making these improvements. Not only can they help you to know what buyers are looking for and what will net you the most money, they might have great contacts that can get you materials and/or labor for less.

And any Realtor that makes you feel like you are wasting their time is not the Realtor you want for your transactions, no matter how small the commission seems.

Thanks for the response.
So my options for finding a realtor is just calling a local c21 or larger "named" company and just tell them my situtation and they will try and set me up with someone that fits my needs? I assume u should just interview them like i would if i were hiring them for a job. Or is this an insult to a realtor?

If you use the same realtor to help you buy your next home as list your current home I feel that they would make plenty of commission. Every Realtor I know would want to list your home especially with you having an open mind to making improvements plus possibly helping you buy something new. Hopefully values in your market haven't gone below the price you bought your home for.

It's not an insult to interview realtors. If they try sales tactics and try and pressure to list with them right away show them the door. Find out what they would do to market your place. But make sure they give you a good quality market analysis.

Fitting your needs is the right criteria, and there is nothing wrong with interviewing. Slightly different than "hiring them for a job" - more of a collaboration than an employee-employer.

Maybe I just missed it; but "where" in the United States might your current house be located ?

And I presume you want to stay in the same general Community ?

I am in Granite City IL which is just across the river from St louis Mo. Yes i am looking to stay in IL within a 10-15 mile radius.
Looking at other similar homes in my area actually there are 6 or 7 homes exactly like mine for sale from 62k to 82k.Most have no garage or only a one care gargage. Mine is the only one with a oversized 2 car garage but is located on a busy main street.
Sounds crazy but i am not looking to get squeeze as much out as i can in the sale. I just wanna sell fast so i can get into a larger home. So i was wondering if i really should take the time and money to side the exterior. All things i need to ask the realtor obviously.
Its just a small 2 bed 1 bath 892 sqf with partially finished basement. Basically a young couple with no kids or single adult first time home buyer like i was 6 years ago.

Thanks for the clarification. That will be helpful information for someone on this Forum; and you sound like you've got your head screwed on right ! Too bad you're 1500 miles away. Good Luck !

Is there a referral services that i can use or is just calling or emailing an office all i really need to do. Also should i stay with the "big" name companies or can smaller local realtors be considered?

Just one parting comment regarding that Asbestos Siding. I'd paint it. It is usually a problem to dispose of, and the stuff is so hard (it lasts forever), Siding over it is going to be costly . . . . plus a Buyer may think you're hiding something.

Everything else you mention sounds reasonable . . . . or generous. I'd focus on whatever will enhance the Curb Appeal; and avoid making it perfect. You're finished with it, pass along a good price and let the next person do it their way !

P.S. The now defunct Asbestos Mines are here in Vermont about 25 miles to my west, scaring a mountainside.

Thanks for your opinion on the siding.I like your thinking on this.
Although i replaced all the windows in the house so i need to "wrap" the exterior windows to "finish" the job. Just painting would be a huge cost saver thats for sure.

You need a broker in your area to come and evaluate your property for recommendations. Any comments here may be off base as we can't be there to actually look at it and we don't know your market.

Having asbestos sealed or not is definitely a negative selling feature.

Keith

Size doesn't matter. You could end up with the worst agent in a large office or the best agent in a small office, the latter being better. One secret of real estate is all offices are the same size, and that size is one.

Each agent is independent, and an agent in an office with 300 agents is not going to have the other 299 agents rush to assist him/her. They each have their own business to attend to, and your individual agent is the success factor.

My first suggestion is to find the most recent sales in your area and find out who the listing agents were and start interviewing them.

Wish you were in my area, I'd help you out.

Ask anyone that you know who has bought or sold a house recently that was satisfied and ask for their Realtors info and interview them.

As mentioned above, if a Realtor does not impress you because they think their payday is not big enough, they are not for you. I've had past clients call me asking to help find a Realtor in other state to assist them.

I would bring in a Realtor though before putting to much money into the property.

Brian: Tell that to all my ex's. LOL

REO:Thanks yes i made a call to a Prudential office which is just about 200 yards from my house and called a small independent firm here in town that looks like it has been selling house every bit as fast as the "big guys".

Have 2 appointments for nextweek. Both said they would come to my home and assess the house and tell me what they think.
Both told me the market is very slow. They really let me know it was hard out there right now.So it may be some time before i can get out of this house. :(
Not what i wanted to hear but in the back of my mind i knew this was the case.
One positive is my house payment is so cheap it allows me to save much more until it does get sold.
I will check back once we talk with the two realtors.