Selling your house is a big deal. Not only are you selling a piece of your life, but you are also selling one of the most significant investments in your life. You need the proper representation and help to ensure that you get what you deserve for the home.
Check out our list of the top eight things you need to sell your house.
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1. Declutter and Stage Your Home
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Did you know that most home buyers look online before stepping foot in a home? If your home doesn’t present well in photos, you’ll likely have less foot traffic coming through your home. How do you make it the most attractive? Declutter it.
No matter how much you love how your home looks, it’s time to take anything personally out of it. You aren’t trying to sell your memories. Instead, you’re selling a home that will become the new owner’s property. You want buyers to envision their belongings in your home, which is hard to do with your personal effects lying around. Declutter as much as possible and even purchase a storage unit if necessary.
Staging your home is crucial too. A professional realtor and stager can help you decide which layout looks best. You want it to be inviting, open, and warm. This may mean rearranging furniture or adding a few neutral knick-knacks – anything that invites people into the home.
2. Determine Your Home’s Value
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This is another tough one. You need to know your home’s value to price it right. This isn’t what you think your home is worth – it’s the home’s market value. In other words, what are homes just like yours selling for on the market? It may be more or less than what you feel your home is worth.
According to pavelbuyshouses.com from Massachusetts, it’s best to get a professional opinion on your home’s value. A licensed realtor is a great start as long as he/she can show evidence of recently sold homes. Don’t use anybody’s opinion of your home’s worth. Instead, only use data. If a real estate agent can’t provide the necessary data, consider paying for a professional appraisal. The appraiser can create an analysis of your home’s value based on its condition, features, and measurements compared to the most recently sold homes in the area.
3. Find the Right Agent
Source: kiplinger
If you don’t want the headache of listing and showing your home on your own, you need a listing agent. Do your homework when looking for the right person for the job. Hire an agent that has experience in your area, and that has a good track record.
Ask potential agents about their recent sales. Also, inquire about his/her procedures. What is included in their package? How much is his/her commission? How does he/she communicate with you? Does the agent provide all of the services you need to sell your home fast?
4. Marketing Your Home
Source: okchomesellers
The right realtor should have an effective marketing strategy in place. Selling your home requires more than sticking a sign in the ground. Marketing today means marketing online as well as in person. Ask your realtor how he/she plans to market your home properly and then do your research on the other houses the realtor listed. Are the methods effective?
Marketing should include sharing on social media, on real estate websites, and via printed materials. If you want open houses as a part of your package, make sure you ask for them, but today they aren’t as effective as online and social media marketing. Buyers do their own ‘walkthroughs’ online, deciding if they want to see the house based on your photographs.
5. Showing Your House
Source: allthingsfinance
Once you take all of the above steps, it’s time to show your home. Make sure it’s ready at all times. Buyers have a knack for passing by a house and asking to see it right away. If you pass up on the opportunity, they may not come back.
Keep your home decluttered and as clean as possible at all times. Make your home look as inviting as possible by keeping it well lit, clutter-free, and free from children and pets. Buyers want to see your home without any distractions. They want to be able to view the home as their own, but with pets, children, or even you in the way, it can be hard for them to envision.
6. Negotiate Offers
Source: thegreatquickhousesalesguide
Once buyers see your home and like it, you may receive offers. You don’t have to take the first offer that comes in or take any offer at face value. Some buyers may bid with ‘no counteroffers accepted.’ It’s up to you to decide if you are comfortable with that situation.
Your realtor should do the negotiating for you if you use one. If you sell by owner, the job is yours. You and the buyer may go back and forth several times, negotiating not only the price of the home but also the contract terms. It’s best to involve your real estate attorney at this point too.
7. Close on the Sale
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Once you accept an offer, the fun begins. The buyer works with their lender to get the financing in order. This includes ordering an appraisal and title work on the home, and the buyer has the option to request a home inspection. You’ll still need to keep your home accessible as these processes take place.
Once the underwriting is complete and everyone meets the contract’s terms, you go to the closing. This is where the money and keys exchange hands. The buyer, yourself, your realtor, real estate attorney, and the closing agent will be present. You’ll be responsible for some fees, including the realtor’s commission, real estate taxes, and various government fees.
Selling your home is a long process. It’s not one to take lightly. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the market and the home’s condition. If you are in a hurry or would instead bypass the stressful process, consider selling your house to cash buyers that buy the home as-is, no questions asked. Call us today to find out more!
