Selling your home can be terrifying. Where do you begin? Selling a home is more than just putting a “For Sale” sign in your yard or uploading a few random photos and listing in online.
Before you decide to list your house, check out this surprisingly simple checklist. Being prepared for this life changing experience will be rewarding and can even give you a leg up on the competition in the housing market to ensure you get the most for your home.
1. Hire a Listing Agent: You might think that given the current market you can sell your house yourself. “For Sale by Owner” can be a trap, and in the end, you’ve lost time and money. A great listing agent (we know a few) will know exactly how to market your home in your area. They also have tools at their disposal in order to attract more potential buyers to help sell your home.
2. Price Your Home to Sell: The listing agent will conduct a comparative market analysis to determine the perfect selling price for homes in your area. Determining selling price is one of the places sellers make some of the biggest mistakes. Agents are perfect for determining your home’s value, so you don’t list your home for too much or too little.
3. Make Small Repairs & Upgrades: You might not want to put time and money into upgrading or fixing things in a home you’re planning to sell, but it’s almost always worth it. Small repairs and upgrades can make a big difference and create less reasons for potential buyers to “haggle” on the price and concessions. At the very least, small repairs can significantly add to the perceived value of the home.
4. Clean & Declutter: Less is more when it comes to showing your house. Creating neutral living space is great for showing potential buyers the potential in your home. You’ll want to clean out anything that is too personal, remove non-essential furniture and décor, clean counters, windowsills, tables, and all other visible areas, to keep the appearance as neutral as possible. You may even want to speak to your agent and see if they recommend a staging service.
5. Update Your “Curb Appeal”: Buyers tend to judge a book by its cover. If the outside appearance of your home and yard aren’t desirable it can cause many buyers to avoid open houses, skip over your online listing, and stop them from scheduling tours. Some of these solutions are as easy as repainting your front door, patching dead grass, or planting bright flowers. Talk to your real estate agent first and see what they recommend.
6. Keep it “Show Ready”: Be sure to maintain the look of a clean & neutral home while your house is on the market. Clean up any messes, and be sure to dust and vacuum to get rid of anything that may detract from the look of your home.