There are several steps necessary to prepare your home for sale. As a seasoned, thirteen year veteran, I will be sharing with you important steps to help you with the process. Please find below, nine helpful steps.
Recognize every market is different.
The Spring Market is different than the winter market. Although the warmer market brings the beautiful flowers it can also bring more competition to your home. Waiting for Spring can be an asset for some home owners and for others, waiting may not be to the sellers advantage.
Get your home inspected by a licensed and approved Home Inspector.
As of January 2012, the Regional Sales contract has been changed to reflect the home be sold in “As Is” condition. It is now incumbent of the Buyer to have a thorough home inspection on the property. The Buyer can no longer rely on the contract providing the home be delivered with all “walk through” items being in working order. Those items are heating, electrical, plumbing. Therefore, home inspection lists will become longer and could possibly slow the sale process and hinder you getting to your move destination. By having the home inspected prior to placing the home on the market, the seller can avoid being asked to have things repaired or being asked to pay for the repairs by the Buyer which could result in asking for the price of the home reduced. Should the home be in good condition requiring little to no repairs, then sharing the report with prospective buyers is a great way of creating desire for your home.(Feel free to contact me for names of Home Inspectors.)
Shape your home up before selling.
Now is the time to look at your home as a product to sell. I realize and appreciate you love your home and have sentimental feelings towards your home but realistically your home will need to become a product for sale. . Start visiting model homes for sale and see how perfect the home looks. The same buyers looking at your home may have looked at model home comparable to the one you are looking at. Begin making preparations on how you can start making your home look its best. Is there painting required, flooring updates, curb appeal effect, de cluttering needed, now is the time to start the process. If there is couches or chairs that are worn or dirty, this may be a good time to have them cleaned, reupholster, or changed for something new. Sometimes, new pillows and area rug can give a room a lift.
Begin a Marketing Plan.
What is your time frame to move? What is your ideal time frame? Is it after the children are finished the school year? Is it before the end of the school year? The process of selling your home could take up to three months, prepare for a shorter or longer process, depending on the market, competition and the number of buyers in the price range.
Are you entitled to a relocation service?
If so find, find out how much of an entitlement you can receive. Also important, you can choose a realtor of your own choosing. Most realtors, including myself, will honor the conditions of the relocation company. If not, begin now to get estimates on moving. Look to see in your homes inventory what you may want to eliminate now, sell off or have a garage sale. The less you move, less the expense.
Begin looking for a realtor.
This is a good time to talk to friends about a realtor. Look for a realtor who has a great marketing plan! Are they full time agent or do they have another job? When negotiating on your behalf, are they committed to your success? Will the buyer’s agent have to wait a day or so for a returned call? Should that be the case, the Buyers may move off your property onto another property.
What is the realtors marketing plan and does it include, all aspects of internet marketing, a home stager, a professional photographer, a strong internet presence and the use of “ you tube”. Most importantly, how committed is the agent to your success? You want a real estate agent who sees the sale of your home important to their business as it is to your life.
Start Looking at pricing.
There are a lot of internet sites for housing but not all are accurate in their value assessment. The most accurate is the (MLS) Multiple Listing Service, which realtors have access to. This is updated in real time. Many other sites are not updated daily or regularly for that matter. Personal realtor sites are rarely updates as they are used to bring in buyers, a little industry secret. What is important; pricing of your home should be based on sold properties and those under contract. Properties presently being marketed and are ACTIVE are not comparables.
Understand the Price.
Looking at the comparable of sold properties realistically is so important. Most buyers will need a mortgage to buy your home, for this reason; there will be a bank appraisal on your home. This appraisal will be based on the sold properties within the last 90 days. Having an understanding of the value of your home in advance; you will not be fooled by an agent looking to buy your listing. Some agents are willing to take your listing at a higher price and will undercut their commission knowing if your home does not sell, they will get potential business from the sign in your yard, open house traffic or another listing in the community. This tactic can delay the sale of your home, costing you money and time. Don’t be fooled.
Stay on top of the Market.
A good agent will take the time to show you your competition helping you gain a better understanding and expectation of the market. Familiarize yourself with the competition by visiting Open Houses. Open Houses, though, may only give you a small percentage of the market have your realtor show you the inventory.
For additional information, please feel free to contact me at 703-901-0749 or maureen.dawson@cbmove.com
