SELLING YOUR PROPERTY
ARE YOU READY TO SELL YOUR HOME?
The home selling process can sometimes be daunting whether you're selling for the first time, or you're an experienced home seller. Having the right agent makes the entire experience more streamlined and enjoyable, and will put you on the right track to getting your property sold. I've put together this guide to give you a quick overview of the process. Just some key things to remember as you begin:
The home selling process can sometimes be daunting whether you're selling for the first time, or you're an experienced home seller. Having the right agent makes the entire experience more streamlined and enjoyable, and will put you on the right track to getting your property sold. I've put together this guide to give you a quick overview of the process. Just some key things to remember as you begin:
- Selling a house can take several months from start to finish, so it's crucial to plan ahead and stay organized.
- Discuss a timeline with your agent and try to stick with that timeline as best as possible.
Hire an agent: An experienced agent who knows the market well can best position your home for local buyers. A good real estate agent will have a well thought out plan for selling your home.
Avoid working with an agent who frequently engages in dual agency (when the agent represents both the buyer and the seller in a transaction). This arrangement can lead to conflicts of interest and potentially compromise either party's interests. This is why I don't engage in dual agency. I want to give my clients 100% of my focus and energy, when representing myself as either a buyer's agent or a seller's agent.
Avoid working with an agent who frequently engages in dual agency (when the agent represents both the buyer and the seller in a transaction). This arrangement can lead to conflicts of interest and potentially compromise either party's interests. This is why I don't engage in dual agency. I want to give my clients 100% of my focus and energy, when representing myself as either a buyer's agent or a seller's agent.
Determine upgrades: Only take on projects that will improve the overall value of your home. You don’t have to upgrade everything. The upgrades that will maximize your profit are the ones that have a visual impact on buyers. Updated bathrooms and kitchens are always a major draw for buyers. If that's not in the budget, updating appliances and fixtures can add a lot of value.
Painting and staging at minimum are the most cost effective changes you can do to make a home more attractive to buyers. Painting gives the whole home a fresh, updated feel and staging showcases a property's best features, optimizing its layout, and making it feel more inviting. Staged homes often photograph better and stand out in online listings. Statistics show that staged properties sell faster and at a higher price than homes that are not staged.
Painting and staging at minimum are the most cost effective changes you can do to make a home more attractive to buyers. Painting gives the whole home a fresh, updated feel and staging showcases a property's best features, optimizing its layout, and making it feel more inviting. Staged homes often photograph better and stand out in online listings. Statistics show that staged properties sell faster and at a higher price than homes that are not staged.
Set a realistic price: As your agent, I can help you find the "sweet spot". Underpricing a home can end up "leaving money on the table" and overpricing means your property could sit on the market for a long time, making buyers question if there is something wrong with the property. Overpricing may also remove qualified buyers from competing for the home because it is already priced on the high side of their budget. Some buyers will assume that in a multiple offer scenario, they would need to bid more so they don't even bother.
Don’t just look at the sold price of comparable properties and take a stab at setting your list price. The right price adjustments need to be factored in. These factors can include variations in:
Don’t just look at the sold price of comparable properties and take a stab at setting your list price. The right price adjustments need to be factored in. These factors can include variations in:
- square footage
- condition/features
- number of beds/baths
- location on the street
- nearby schools, restaurants, and amenities
Hire a professional photographer/videographer: Get professional-quality listing photos taken. The National Association of Realtors data shows that 100% of homebuyers look at listings online. Images that don't highlight and display your home's best features could eliminate a lot of potential buyers who may see poor quality photos online and not even give your home a chance.
Real estate videos can help to give a more accurate representation of a property, as they can capture the layout, size, and features of a property in greater detail than photos alone. While real estate photos can capture properties beautifully, when a potential buyer watches a video, they are essential immersed in the home. They can see every corner and experience it like they would if they were walking through the property.
Real estate videos can help to give a more accurate representation of a property, as they can capture the layout, size, and features of a property in greater detail than photos alone. While real estate photos can capture properties beautifully, when a potential buyer watches a video, they are essential immersed in the home. They can see every corner and experience it like they would if they were walking through the property.
Listing your property on the market: As your agent , I will get your property listed in your local MLS, all the major real estate search sites, within the local/regional real estate community, and through social media. Social media links interconnect people, so anyone viewing posts about your property can then share with friends they know who might be looking for a home. This enables agents to reach prospective buyers they may never have direct contact with otherwise.
Promoting your property through numerous channels will increase the visibility and reach of your property to the public. It's important that agents today have many marketing tools at their disposal and can come up with some new and creative ideas.
Promoting your property through numerous channels will increase the visibility and reach of your property to the public. It's important that agents today have many marketing tools at their disposal and can come up with some new and creative ideas.
Hold Open Houses: Open houses are still a great way to generate traffic and interest in a property. Sometimes agents will first host an open house for other local agents, followed by an open house for buyers. The broker open house is a way to educate and interest other agents who are working with various clients looking for homes. It's important to review with your agent a schedule to do open houses. Open houses will allow potential buyers and agents to view the property and ask any questions. Open houses give a buyer the opportunity to really fall in love with the home.
Review offers: When offers come in, consider all factors, not just the highest dollar amount. If the highest offer comes with the most strings attached, it may not be the best option. If you have questions about buyer contingencies and have your agent review them with you. Discuss with your agent any questions/concerns to make the best choice for you.
Navigate through escrow: Your agent, (along with the escrow team, and mortgage lender) will help guide you through the escrow process and keep you on track. You'll want to keep track of how much you’ll need to pay at the closing table.
Closing: Make sure you have all your documentation ready. Any final inspections should be completed before this point. At closing, keys will be handed off to the new homeowner and you will have completed the sale of your property. CONGRATULATIONS!
