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Whether you decide it’s time to sell your home you’ve lived in and loved for a decade or for only a couple of years, you might experience a roller coaster of emotions. So, here are 10 great real estate tips that will help you get started.
Tip #1 Finding the Best listing agent
Absolutely the best real estate tip is: Find a committed, sensitive and competent real estate agent – someone you can trust to direct you through every step of selling your house.
A good seller’s agent will make knowledgeable advice on the selling price, advise you on any repairs, and most importantly, will help you sell your house.
Your agent’s main purpose is to sell your house quickly and to make sure you collect the most money in the sale of your property.
- If your home is priced too high, it is likely to be on the market for longer than expected. This may make prospective buyers question your property’s value.
- If your home is priced too low, you could leave the money on the table and reducing the capital you’d be needing to purchase your next home
Talk to a couple of agents, take your time until you find someone with whom you can work with easily. An ideal agent would usually have well-developed intuitions for what the real estate market is and what an optimal price would be to list your home for.
Tip #2 Set the best time to list your home
Spring into summer is typically when most people start to look for a new home. Potential home buyers typically search for homes online to further understand how much they can afford in the neighborhood before going to their first home in person.
In general, the start of the home purchase season is late March or early April. The homebuying season this year seems to have reached early because in less than two weeks almost half the homes that appeared to be listed in mid-January were under contract. That means we are now in a seller’s market and you don’t have to wait to pick up the top dollars on your home.
Tip #3 Professional photography and 3D performance are essential
Many real estate agents now provide 3D tours for their listings. For both buyers and sellers, virtual walk-throughs are a major benefit. They can do this at any time of the day in the comfort of their own home. If a customer really is interested, she will look at the virtual tour (probably more than once) and then ask for a showing.
Having your property photographed by a professional is an excellent way to have your home sell fast. If you sell a luxurious listing with a view, consider taking drone photography to capture your entire house.
Tip #4 Take care of maintenance for a pre-listing home inspection
If you list your home with obvious and required repairs, prospective buyers will also look closer for major delayed servicing problems. If you are looking to be proactive, a pre-listing home check is one of the best real estate tips for selling your home.
When you decide to correct what the inspector (or your agent) notices before listing your property, you will have peace of mind during the sales process.
Your prospective buyer will want their own inspection as part of the purchase contract, but your buyer will have a better feeling about buying your home when this inspector notices that everything is in perfect order
Tip #5 Enhance the call for curb appeal
When you’re ready to sell, it might seem odd to focus on the outside of your house. Making sure the outside looks great will make your home stand out and positively impact feelings your potential buyers have of your home.
You’ve probably never bothered to ask for a showing when you drove past a home that looks rough from the outside. Good curb appeal will attract buyers to your house. Potential buyers will start to visualize themselves living in your property. You want to make buyers fall in love with your home. Great curb appeal will help.
Tip #6 Decluttering
Let’s admit it, we all love to hoard stuff. BUT, you want potential buyers to take a look at your property and not at your belongings.
So another great tip is to get your house thinned out so that homebuyers can see their stuff in the rooms in your house. To be able to do this, you need to eliminate as many personal belongings as possible and devote yourself to a minimal way of life.
Another way is to rent a storage unit or on-site storage container and keep your seasonal items out of sight if you can. Remember that a house with minimal furniture will look clean, spacious, and appealing.
Tip #7 Set up your home
Setting your property is another great tip. Placement of furniture, adding a pillow, or setting up your dining room or kitchen table can be a great idea. A freshly picked flower or a plant would be a lovely touch for your selling property. You do this because you want your home sold quickly and having your home presentable & homey will attract potential home buyers
Tip #8 Be Ready for Showings
You will get a number of calls from prospective buyer’s hours after you’ve had your home listed on the market. Have your home be “show ready”, keep it tidy, and perform a deep cleaning in each room so that when a potential buyer calls you will be worry-free.
Dust all your furniture, wash the doors & windows, shine your glass, run the vacuum on your carpet, make sure that air vents & ductwork are cleaned. Keeping the home clean at a minimum before putting your home on the market is one great way for your home to be “Show ready”. Check everything from the smallest to the biggest detail to leave that good impression on your prospective buyers.
Tip #9 Accommodate last minute Showings
Most often, when showing your house is most convenient for you, buyers are not around to see it. Here’s a list of what you can clean in under 20 minutes:
- Sweep the floors.
- Place all the dishes in the dishwasher
- Wipe the kitchen countertops.
- Wipe the bathroom down.
- Take a bin and put loose toys or books away.
- Organize all your paperwork or if you have any clutter on your countertops get it out of sight.
- Make the beds and toss dirty clothes in the hamper.
- As you go, remove the garbage, and be sure to take your pets with you.
Tip #10 Reply to offers right away
Be cooperative with all fair offers. Work with your agent ahead of time so you are on the same page and know the price you would agree with and be prepared for any requests. Most contracts wait 48 hours for an answer, but why wait? Reply a counteroffer or accept as soon as there is a good offer available.
It’s not easy to sell your first home. But moving on to the next chapter of your life will be a lot easier with these 10 real estate tips (and hiring the right agent of course).
If you are considering selling your home and would like a free, no-obligation consultation, contact me today.
