4 Steps to Selling Your Home

 

If you’ve recently made the decision to sell your home, it can be tempting to want to rip off the Band-Aid and put it up for sale as quickly as possible. But selling your home for the best possible price involves so much more than just putting a For Sale sign in the front yard. With a bit of preparation and strategic planning, you can maximize the sale price of your home while minimizing the time it spends on the market!

 

 

 

One of the first things you should do when it comes to preparing your home for sale is to find the right real estate agent to represent you. Your agent will be instrumental in helping you prepare your home for the market so it pays to involve them as early in the process as possible. A good agent will be able to offer suggestions on what your home needs to fetch the price you want. Sometimes these fixes are merely cosmetic like new paint, staging, and professional photos. Sometimes though you will need to make repairs or updates in order to maximize your returns. Your agent’s knowledge of the market and what buyers are looking for will help you make the right updates that will bring you the most ROI.

 

Interview as many Realtors® as you feel you need to make an informed decision and make sure you come armed with a list of questions. If you need inspiration for what to ask each real estate agent you meet with, check out my recent blog on what you should consider when hiring a Realtor®.

 

 

It’s important that you price your home right from the start. That’s why it’s crucial to choose an agent that you trust to be truthful with you. Some agents will just tell you what they think you want to hear and list your home at the price you want, not the price that it will sell at.

 

If you price your home too high, it will likely sit on the market. The longer a home sits, the more buyers will begin to wonder what’s wrong with it. But if you price your home too low, you’ll leave money on the table. Rely on your agent’s local area knowledge and market expertise (after all, that’s what you hired them for!) to set the price right from the beginning.

 

 

Once you’ve agreed on a price with your Realtor®, a good agent will help you transform your home into a property buyers want to buy. Now is the time to stop thinking of your home as “your home” and start thinking of it as a product. Your agent will offer advice on the fixes, updates, and upgrades you should consider to properly position your home for the market. Most buyers are looking for a home that is move-in ready and on trend so it’s important that your home fulfills their expectations in order to appeal to the widest range of buyers possible. The more buyers you can get interested in your home, the better chance you have of selling your home quickly and for top dollar.

 

If your home does need some work, your agent will help you set a timeline that works for your schedule. They should be able to recommend a few local contractors for each job so you can compare prices, reviews, and work timelines. You will also need to allow time to thoroughly clean your home and to start packing stuff away before listing.

 

 

Remember when I mentioned that selling a home involves more than just putting a For Sale sign in the front yard? This is especially important to remember when you go to actually put the home on the market.

 

When you’re interviewing agents to represent you, make sure to ask them about their marketing plan for your home. Some agents mistakenly think all they have to do is put the home on the MLS and it will sell itself. But you and your home deserve better than that. Make sure you ask the agents you interview what they will do to put your home in front of as many buyers as possible. And then ask them about their results. You want to work with someone who has a proven strategy that will sell your home quickly and for the most money possible.

 

Thinking of listing your home on the Central Coast? I would appreciate the opportunity to interview with you and demonstrate how my experience will benefit you before AND after we list your home for sale! Give me a call at (805) 441-1276!