WORK WITH A PRO
In an uncertain market, brokers actually have to broker deals. “A concession from this one, a concession from that one—it’s up to the broker to bring the buyer and seller together,” says Ashforth Warburg president Frederick Peters. Find a broker with a good reputation and significant experience in your neighborhood.

PRICE IT RIGHT
In today’s market, says Brown, Harris, Stevens’s Elaine Clayman, “if the property’s priced realistically, sellers are getting what they’re asking. But if the apartment is priced too high, some won’t get offers at all.” If an apartment sits on the market too long, says A. Laurance Kaiser IV, president of Key-Ventures, Inc., “it may sell for lower than what you would’ve gotten if a realistic price had been offered initially.”

FIX IT UP
Since 9/11, fewer buyers are willing to undergo the hassles of renovating. Consider doing over your home yourself before selling. At the very least, paint. “A $3,000 paint job can get you another $20,000 on price,” says Corcoran’s Scott Durkin.

BE FLEXIBLE
Buying a home—always anxiety-inducing—is doubly nerve-racking today. Make a potential buyer comfortable, says Halstead Property broker Stephen Kliegerman. Be as flexible as possible in allowing buyers to see your home when they like, multiple times if necessary.

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Articles by Lissa Townsend Rodgers
• Table of Contents: March 10, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!