Selling your home is exciting and stressful, but it’s important to remember that there are a few essential steps you can take to ensure a smooth and successful sale. Here are six key things to keep in mind as you embark on this process:
Find the Best Seller's Agent
The first step is finding a real estate agent who will be the best fit to sell your home. This is someone who knows the ins and outs of the real estate market in your area and who will be able to help you price your home correctly from the start. They should also be experienced in advising sellers on staging homes for showings, as this can be a key factor in getting potential buyers interested.
To find a good sellers’ agent, ask for referrals from friends or family members who have recently sold a home. You can also search online for real estate agents in your area and read reviews from past clients. Once you’ve found a few agents that you’re interested in working with, set up initial consultations to get to know them better and see if they would be a good fit for you.
Price Your House Right the First Time
One of the most important aspects of selling your home is pricing it correctly from the start. If you overprice your house, it will most likely sit on the market without any interest. On the flip side, if you underprice it, you could end up losing out on money that you could have made.
To avoid this dilemma, work with your real estate agent to come up with a competitive yet realistic listing price. They will be able to do a comparative market analysis of similar homes in your area that have recently sold to assist in coming up with the right number.
If you have to reduce the price, that could have a negative impact, especially if you do it more than once. So it’s important to get it right the first time.
Stage Your Home for Showings
Staging your home is important because it can raise the perceived value of your house while allowing potential buyers to imagine their belongings in the move-in-ready space. You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money on new furniture or make any major renovations.
To properly stage a house for sale, start by decluttering and deep cleaning every room. You should also consider repainting any walls that look dated or have too much personality. Once the house is clean and neutral, you can add in some key pieces of furniture or decorations to make it feel warm and inviting.
Show the Home
Once your home is staged and priced correctly, it’s time to start showing it to potential buyers. Your real estate agent will put a lockbox on the front door holding the key to your house. It’s the buyers’ agents who bring their clients into your home for a tour, which takes about an hour.
Make sure your house stays clean and tidy because you never know when you’ll get a call that a buyer is ready to take their interest in your home to the next level. You’ll get advance notice so you can prepare for the showing.
If you have pets, it’s best to make arrangements for them to be out of the house during showings. You should also plan to leave the house while showings are taking place, as some buyers may feel uncomfortable touring a home with the seller present.
Another alternative is that your agent may choose to host an open house. This is when your home is open to the public for a set period of time, usually on a weekend afternoon.
Receive and Negotiate Offers
Once you start receiving offers from interested buyers, it’s time to sit down with your real estate agent and go over each one. They will help you determine which offer is the best based on a number of factors, including price, contingencies, closing dates, and the financial qualifications of the buyer.
If you receive multiple offers, you may be able to use them as leverage to get a higher price for your home. Once you’ve negotiated an offer that you’re happy with, it’s time to move on to the next step in the process.
The Closing Process
After you and the buyer(s) have reached an agreement, you enter the closing process, which is when the house is inspected, appraised, possibly surveyed, and when the title is checked for any liens.
The inspection is usually done within a week of the offer being accepted. The inspector will look for any major problems with the house, such as water damage, structural issues, or electrical problems.
The appraisal is done to make sure that the buyer is not paying more for the house than it’s worth. The lender will order the appraisal, and it’s usually paid for by the buyer.
A survey may also be required by the lender, which would clarify property lines if they’re in question.
A title search is also conducted to make sure there are no outstanding liens on the property that the seller is unaware of.
Once all of these steps have been completed and everything checks out, it’s time to sign the paperwork and hand over the keys to your home’s new owner.
Conclusion
Selling a house can be a complicated and stressful process, but if you take the time to find the right real estate agent, price your home correctly, stage it for showings, and prepare for the offers and negotiations, you’ll be on your way to a successful sale.
Talk with your real estate agent about what you can do to get your home ready for sale and follow their advice to help you through the process. With a little preparation, you’ll be able to sell your home quickly and move on to the next chapter in your life journey.
