Customer Reviews

Robert Irwin's Power Tips for Selling a House for More

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am planning to sell my house soon and I got about a dozen books on the subject. This one was the best of the bunch (second, believe it or not, was the "Dummies" book!). There is very basic info (curb appeal, etc.) but also some excellent practical advice on timing, how to negotiate the sale, when to bend and when to hold firm. There may be a better book out there on the topic, but I haven't come across it.

Irwin has written numerous books on various aspects of real estate and he has a very good reputation for providing top-notch information and advice.

This was probably the best of the 5 or so books I consulted. Not sure where the reviewer below is coming from; while the basics were covered, there were a number of savvy and sophisticated tips that would not occur to a first-time seller and that I did not see elsewhere. Chapters 6-10, on negotiations, were particularly useful.

This is another solid and useful book by prolific real estate author Robert Irwin.

This book provides 54 tips for selling your house. It helps you avoid pitfalls and shows you numerous insightful ways to sell your house faster and for more money.

One bit of advice that stood out to me was to fix, and not replace, problems in your house. Irwin provides a list of common house problems, and the cost of both fixing and replacing. His list consists of:

leaky roof - $500 to $1,500 to fix, and $5,000 to $15,000 to replace.
broken furnace - $200 to $1,200 to fix, and $2,000 to $3,500 to replace.
broken air conditioner - $200 to $1,000 to fix, and $1,000 to $3,500 to replace.

In the book, this useful list goes on.

Irwin identifies two good reasons to not replace problems:

1. Buyers won't be able to see the work you've done, and buyers won't pay for what they can't see. If you pay $5,000 to buy a new air conditioning system, the buyer's likely reaction will be, "Great, it's your house and you should maintain it. But don't expect me to pay 10 cents extra in price because you've done work that you were supposed to do."

2. Buyers may not like your replacement choice.

I also really like his section on how to utilize the $250,000 tax exeption when selling your house. This is available to anyone who has lived in a house at least 2 of the last 5 years. Presently, I am fixing up a house that I live in, and I plan to use this exemption. It's a great benefit for both investors and non-investors who sells their home.

Overall, this is a book well worth reading if you intend to sell your house.

another waste of time. dont buy this book unless you are totally new to real estate.I dont return books as a practice but i am returning both books by this authur.I am a professional invester there are good books these are not them.