Selling a house can be stressful. Making the decision, preparing the house for sale, keeping it clean, waiting for a buyer, dealing with offers, and advancing to the closing table – all of these steps can involve discomfort. This is a huge financial transaction with many emotional aspects. But you can get it done – and it may even be easier than you anticipate.
One thing to keep in mind is that you're not alone. An experienced, professional real estate agent can guide you through the process, help resolve any issues that come up, and ensure that your home sells for the optimal price in a timely manner. Listed below are a few things to keep in mind when putting your home on the market and learning how to sell your house.
The Right Listing Agent
Plain and simple, owning a home can improve your quality of life, provide stability, and give you a sense of control you just can't get from renting. You have a place to live when you rent, but buying is something much deeper – and better.
A skilled, qualified real estate agent brings tremendous value to the process. You're relying on this agent on many different levels, so be careful to select someone with the right combination of marketing tools, education, experience, performance and local insight. Look for a proven expert who can cast a wide marketing net and attract as many potential buyers as possible.
Be sure to let your agent know the particulars of your situation. Perhaps you need to sell within a certain time frame, are relocating out of state, or are facing foreclosure. Keeping your agent informed helps set the path for the best way to proceed, ensures that your needs are met, and ultimately contributes to a successful transaction.
Tips on Choosing and Working with a Realtor offers additional details on finding the right RE/MAX Coast and Country agent to suit your needs.
How Much is my Home Worth?
What is your home worth in today's market? If you are thinking of selling your home, we can help you establish your home's current market value for FREE. To begin the process, please fill out the Request for Home Evaluation form which will be used to prepare a report detailing all current real estate listings and recent sales activity in your neighborhood. A qualified RE/MAX Coast and Country agent will be in contact with you shortly.
Dominant Marketing Exposure
The experienced agents at RE/MAX Coast and Country understand how to accurately price your home and make it stand out in the market. They have access to a wide range of effective and proven marketing tools to reach the most discerning buyer. In addition, they have access to a vast referral network, enabling them to connect with potential buyers across town or around the world.
Pricing Your Home to Sell
Smart, competitive pricing is essential. When you price too high, your home stays on the market longer, prolonging the process and increasing your expenses along the way.
Home Seller Mistake No. 1: Pricing Too High
“I can always lower the price later if I don't get any offers.”
That statement costs home sellers millions of dollars every year. Yes, you can always lower your asking price, but that’s not a good strategy. Time and time again, experience shows that sellers who list competitively from the start get a better price than sellers who list high and then go lower and lower.
Why? Psychology.
When you price too high, here's what buyers think:
“Wow, three price cuts in the last four months… There must be something wrong with that house.”
"With all the price cuts on this house, the sellers must be desperate. Let's offer them far below what they’re asking and see if they bite.”
Sound Pricing Strategies
A far smarter approach is to find a knowledgeable agent who understands the local market and then work together on setting the right price. A good agent can help you avoid the overpricing trap.
An experienced agent will help set the right price for your home by considering the following:
Similar homes, via a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA): Your agent will provide a professional analysis that goes deep into stats about recent sales and current listings similar to your home in size, age, condition, and features. Sales within the past six months are especially relevant.
General market conditions: Is it a seller's market or a buyer's market in your community? It's important to note that what's happening nationally may not reflect local conditions. Your agent can explain the difference and clear up any misconceptions you may have.
Preparing Your Home to Sell
Potential buyers get an impression of your home – either positive or negative – within 30 seconds of walking through the door. Having them see your home in tip-top selling shape is an absolute must.
There are countless ways to put the freshest face on your home, many of them costing little more than a bit of your time. Here are a few pointers for the most significant impact:
Outside: The Power of Curb Appeal:
Inside: Leave No Trace
Clean everything! Check for cobwebs on ceilings, dust on baseboards – everything. De-clutter. Then de-clutter again. Rent a storage shed if you need to. This is very important for increasing your home's appeal.
Your agent can provide additional advice on prepping your home, and also give you insights into the preferences of local buyers.
Consider a Home Inspection When Selling
A home inspection isn’t just for buyers. It’s also something sellers should seriously consider before putting their house on the market.
Why? Quite simply, you don't know what you don’t know. Imagine getting a great offer on your home only to discover, during the middle of the process, that it needs considerable repairs.
This is the kind of surprise that can lead to buyers pulling out, costing you time and money on a number of fronts. It’s better to know problems from the start and either deal with them before listing or price the home accordingly.
A seller's inspection also provides a reference point from which to compare the findings of the buyer’s inspector. In particular, having a different professional opinion can work to your advantage in price negotiations.
Your Home inspection is a sales tool
Having your home inspected before listing can also be an effective sales tool. You can confidently say that your home has been pre-inspected and is in tip-top shape, making that much more attractive to buyers.
Attending your home inspection
Attend your home inspection to see first-hand what the inspector notes and to learn some important details about the house that may assist you in selling.
When attending your inspection:
Home Inspection Checklist for Sellers:
