ON-LINE! Use the Web & Internet feverishly. Use as many graphics at your disposal as necessary. Most folks are visual & you want to make a great first impression, thus~ use numerous still photos & audio/visual virtual tours, mapping, etc. to accentuate the positive!

Hey Ruth! My sister did the same thing as you about 20 years ago (moved from A2 to NYNY. Preferred the stars of Broadway over U-M Football). If were in your shoes, I would interview a couple of REALTORS to see who has the best marketing plan, networking capability and above all, be able to communicate with you on a regular basis to help you interpret what the buying market is doing. That way you can adjust your marketing accordingly to get it sold for the highest amount. The biggest thing is communication and the abilitiy of the REALTOR to not only network with other local agents, but with other REALTORS and BUYERS throughout the entire country. I firmly believe that one of the best things a good REALTOR can offer is his/her ability to network with other REALTORS throughout the country. There's an old saying in the real estate business... that it is a "local business". Well, that may be true, but Ann Arbor is a very international community and you may have the perfect BUYER coming from Asia, Europe or even good ol' NYNY! The bottom line is, it's up to your REALTOR to find BUYERS not only here in Ann Arbor, but elsewhere thoughout the country and world! If they only concentrate on the "local market", you may be missing the boat! ... or at least a couple potential buyers.

Hi Ruth,
Working for Trulia? Sounds fun. Maybe you can get Trulia to puta satelite in A2 someday. If you want a great referal for me go down to Central Park,look for "Manhattan Rickshaw" (the bycicle buggies) and ask for Peter (the owner).Peter will speak highly of me as The Ann Arbor REALTOR.
Good news! A2 is still a great place to call home and we have new people coming to the area everyday. As for selling...that's what we do everyday (well, most of us). Please do consult a good REALTOR as data shows us that REALTORS have ~87% of the sales and with you being out of town selling by owner could be a nightmare! Are you sure you want to sell it?A cottage in A2 could be nice if you could get a renterto pay your payments (+). If you need some weeding out of all of the REALTOR choices I would be happy to assist. Moregood news is that REALTORS live and function by a code of ethics so finding an agent you can place your trust in should be easy. I am born & raised in A2 (48104). Feel free to call me so we might talk for a few minutes. You can call me at 734/Mi-LANDS (645-2637).
Good Luck!

Hi Ruth, I live in Ann Arbor and help many sellers here who have to move before their home is sold. I would be happy to do a CMA for you and email it to you if you need to determine value. I can email you my marketing plan for review. If you have a friend or relative that you left a key with it is best I do a quick walk-through to determine condition.

Bottom line, hire good Realtor who knows the area, and it technological so they can communicate with you in all aspects from afar. You can Google me.
Say hi to Rudy, for me.

Contact your neighbors that had great experience with a realtor and work with them.

Amal

Has Trulia included a home sale buyout if you do not sell it as part of your relocation package??
Now for selling your home from afar... you have to hire out all the maintence, get stagging done, and financially pay all the utilities and mortgage. Then the real work begins. We are in this situation..and I have to keep a constant eye on marketing (or lack of it..to the point where I call the listing company and say "It's been two weeks since the craigs list add has been updated"), condition of house (open houses -- hardwood floor had mud clumps, carpet had foot prints), monitoring the market (two homes came up as forcolsure/short sale -- and that impacts our listing price, taxes- (county raised our taxes and we can't get what they say our house is worth), staying current with local news like the fact that HP has its printer facility up for sale and the employees are soon out of work or already laid off , dealing with someone taking things like hoses and potted plants from the property....Yes, In our case the home has been on the market since Sept 07..and in a market that was fairing better then the rest of the country..still has tons of inventory..and the pool of buyers has shrunk considerably.
Congrats on your move and your job..but I know that "A rolling stone gathers no moss" is the best piece of wisdom...get is sold before the boxes go on the truck for NY..
best of luck
Mary

Ruth
Simply Aworld wide Refferal Network and Fillmore Real Esate can Help Just give me a buzz I would be Happy to HELP!!!

The best way to sell your home from afar is to list with an agent. I have relocated many time myself, listing my home for sale with an agent was one of the smartest thing we did. The staging advise was a good one! Furnished homes look better, and they seem to sell for a higher price. You can interview agent just like you would if you were living here. but get it on the market soon, as the spring market is just starting to kick in!

Good luck with your new job!

Hey Ruth,
Good Question, I would certianly reccomend a RE/MAX agent to sell your home. The other thing that is important to the performance of your agent is communication, it needs to be open and honest for your long distance relationship to work. Also I would consider contacting your local interior design business and see about renting some furnishings and have them set it up or "Stage" it for you.

Ruth, There are several good real estate agents in AA. I suggest Missy Caulk or Kathy Toth for a good local agent. Make sure they specify what marketing they will do on your home.

If you would like an unbiased third opion, I can send you an online home evaluation based upon recent sales in your neighborhood from the MLS and Washtenaw County public records.

Our company has a referral network of qualified agents to do a Comparative Market Analysis and tell you what your home would most likely sell for on the market today and how long it will take. We can put you in touch with someone in your neighborhood who knows your market. Just send me an e-mail and I will refer someone to you. Best of luck in getting your home sold, Cindy Anderson

Hi Ruth,

The best way to sell it from afar would be to list with an agent you trust to get the home sold with the least amount of headache. Our team, The Bouma Group, often works with sellers who live in another part of the coutnry or even the world! We handle all of the details to listing and showing and will even coordinate any repairs or updates for you. If you would like further information about our team, please feel free to contact Kristal in the listing department at 734-761-3060 or Kristal@bouma.com or just go to our website to be added to the market snap shot at http://www.bouma.com