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Lists and more lists, but the strategies can move homes

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Special to The Times

IN today’s bruising real estate market, virtually any strategy that can help sell your home is worth considering.

In Jim Remley’s latest book, “Sell Your Home in Any Market,” the successful realty agent, columnist and author adopts the Costco approach: bulk advice at a bargain price.

Remley says his book will help sellers achieve the highest price in the shortest time with the least hassle, “regardless of the market conditions.”

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That’s quite a claim, especially these days, but the sheer volume of information and ideas spilling off these pages suggests that Remley might be able to back up his bold words.

From the outset, he stresses the importance of pricing a home realistically and offers some practical tips on how to reach that crucial figure through accessing market data (online and elsewhere), analyzing market conditions and understanding the psychology of price ranges.

Embracing the latest technology, Remley recommends numerous ways to deliver that vital sales pitch -- with a customized message over the radio ( www.talkinghouse.com), with automated cellphone text messaging, voice messages, dedicated online sites and virtual tours.

He also spends time on more traditional advertising, such as yard signs, fliers and Multiple Listing Service listings, suggests neutral ways of wording ads so as not to scare away potential buyers and offers some useful insights on how to handle responses.

He includes some draft scripts for talking with people who call in response to ads, a number of possible written responses to e-mail inquiries and even ways to reel in potential buyers during open houses -- all especially helpful tips for those doing their own selling.

Other topics given a thoughtful airing include financial incentives to speed sales, how to protect yourself and your property during an open house, foreclosure and other forced sales, the art of negotiation and what to do with pets during home showings.

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Remley loves lists and includes about 30 ideas for “making your home sparkle,” 20 last-minute things to do before showing a home, 10 pieces of information that buyers won’t be able to resist and five financial incentives to offer buyers.

Readers also learn 10 ways to ensure a smooth sale, nine tricks for creating effective fliers, eight ways to make a buyer’s life easier, the seven deadly sins of over-pricing, five ways to make a sign stand out, four ways to take picture-perfect photos of your home and three tips on making a counteroffer.

Remley, who lives in Oregon and owns a number of real estate offices, wears his agent’s heart on his sleeve.

However, he still encourages readers to vet and interview prospective agents. Of course, he offers a helpful list of 20 questions.

Remley’s dogged determination to recycle every last piece of advice and homespun philosophy he’s ever encountered comes across in the text.

The result is a lot more fun than it might have been thanks to Remley’s engaging writing style and his willingness to poke fun at himself. At one point, for example, he cheerfully confesses to losing money on real estate: “Yep, even though I’m a seasoned real estate professional who has bought and sold millions of dollars worth of homes over the years, I’ve stepped in a big pile of whoops a couple of times.”

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Somehow, he also finds plenty of humor in the normally parched landscape of trading real estate.

Readers face the challenge of sifting through a lot of sometimes rather obvious information to unearth Remley’s pearls of wisdom. Interestingly, though, for just $15 and a chunk of time, it turns out to be quite worthwhile.

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