I’ve Been A Realtor For 35 Years, Here are My Tips For An Easy Home Sale

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I’ve been a Realtor for 35 years.  Here are my tips for an easy home sale.  I’ve discovered over the years there are really three main things that cause a home to sell.  They are price, condition, and location. Two of those you have control over so it’s key to do everything you can to make both as attractive and competitive as possible.

Choose The Right Price

When choosing the price, the most important things to consider are the homes that have recently closed and those that are pending. 

Second to that are other homes that are for sale that you’ll be in competition with.  It’s important to look at the most recent sales and market trends since the market changes all the time. 

While many think Zestimates, tax assessments, and appraisals are the way to determine value, it’s really not.  Appraisals can be relatively accurate; however, the house must have been assessed within six months. In addition, it also must be an appraisal that was done for the purpose of market value. 

Many appraisals are done for refinance purposes, and that is not market value.  An appraiser may allow one thing for a refinance value and another when determining market value.

To choose the right price for your home, meet with an experienced Realtor who will do the necessary research to determine the appropriate price based on the market at that time.

Create Optimal Conditions

Let’s talk about the next thing you have control over, the condition of your home. 

Take the time to walk around your home as if you were looking at it through the eyes of a buyer. You must take this fresh approach so you can see what buyers are going to see rather than what you see as the homeowner.

You can also ask your real estate agent and an honest friend for their opinion on what improvements can be made to your home. Don’t be offended! We all have areas of our home that we overlook, but an outside set of eyes may view them differently.

Remember, your goal is to sell the home that a buyer wants, so remove yourself from the equation and make every effort to entice buyers to make an offer.

When home buyers search for a home, they are not just looking at your home. They’re going to look at every home that’s on the market within their criteria.  You must do what you can to make sure your home stands out over the competition with both price and condition.

In addition to price and condition being key factors to an easy home sale, you also want to think about making it easy to show.  Try to avoid requiring things like 24 hour notice or requiring your listing agent to be present for every showing. 

When you want to sell your home, you need to make it easy and accessible to show. Otherwise, you risk buyers simply passing your home by and moving on to the next one.

The Terms of The Sale

You want to be as flexible as possible with the terms of the sale. 

When thinking of the closing date and possession, be as open as possible.  The more flexible you are, the more buyers you keep yourself open to. Creating lots of restrictions and contingencies to the sale of your home only narrows your pool of buyers.

If possible, it is a good idea to have a home inspection before putting your home on the market. This will shed light on any repairs that may need to be done upfront, which gives you the opportunity to have them all fixed prior to the buyer’s home inspection. Sometimes, mountains can be made out of molehills during the buyer’s home inspection, which could cost you thousands of dollars or the loss of the sale.

Get in the mindset of getting unattached to your home emotionally and try to think of it as a business transaction instead.  If you’ve made the decision to sell the home, then that’s exactly what it is.  Being emotionally attached and involved doesn’t help you as a seller.  

Get Ready To Show

Create a warm and inviting atmosphere when your home is being shown. Consider playing some welcoming soft music and turning all the lights on. Home buyers can be sensitive to the smell of the home, so try to air it out prior to the viewing or have a neutral aroma. Additionally, ensure all areas of the home are available for homebuyers to look at.

Here are the top ten things we generally tell our sellers to do before putting their home on the market to help it sell more quickly and easily:

1. Declutter, organize, and clean. Consider highering a clean company to ensure the house always sparkles.
2. Neutralize decor and consider repainting vibrant rooms, covering bold furniture, or removing expressive decor.
3. Repaint, especially if there is any chipping or peeling paint inside or out. A fresh coat of paint will make your home feel brighter and cleaner.
4. Remove screens from the windows and clean them so they sparkle. Not only does this let in more natural light, but it makes your curb appeal crisp and inviting.
5. Remove things that date the home, like scatter rugs, curtains, large furniture, or photos.
6. Replace all light bulbs and ensure that the fixtures work. Remember, a small investment in lighting can yield a big return on the sale of your home.
7. Replace all air filters and consider letting a bit of fresh air in daily.
8. Seal your driveway or throw a fresh layer of gravel.
9. Freshen up your landscaping with clean edges, trimmed bushes, and flowers when possible.
10. Leave when the home is being shown so buyers can feel comfortable.

Remember it’s always best to hire a professional real estate agent when dealing with your largest single investment rather than trying to do it yourself.  Sit back, breathe, and let the home and your Realtor sell it!