The process of selling a home can be just as daunting as buying one. There are a lot of factors to consider, steps to accomplish, and people to meet. It’s not just about putting your house on the market and being done with it–there are a lot of things involved in selling a home that it can oftentimes seem overly tedious.
For this reason, we’ve come up with a few valuable tips on how to sell your home. And if you’re going through this process for the first time, these tips can help you start off on the right foot:
1. Find the right realtor
All realtors and real estate agents have varying levels of skill, experience, and expertise. Most of the agents available in your area will probably be able to sell your house, but only a few can get you the best price for your house and serve most, if not all, of your needs.
So when looking for a real estate agent, don’t just look at the number of affordable houses they’ve sold in the past. Consider their experience in your neighborhood or area, the type of properties they’ve sold, and the price points of these properties. An agent may have sold dozens of townhouses before, but if you’re trying to sell a lake house, they may not be the best fit for you.
2. Be flexible with your time
Selling a house can take a lot of your time, which will prove a challenge if you’re working a full-time job and have other responsibilities. That said, it’s best to be ready to adjust your schedule for meetings with the real estate agent, home showings, and any other appointments you have to join in the process.
A good tip is to have your real estate agent notify you of home showings at least a few days in advance. In this way, you can adjust your schedule so that you won’t be in the house when potential buyers show up. You can, of course, stay in the house during the home showing, but buyers prefer to tour a home without the owner lurking around. If you can’t leave your home for long, stay with a neighbor or a nearby cafe so that you can easily go back to your business when the potential buyers leave.
3. Crunch the numbers
One of the most important steps in selling a home is figuring out the financials. Before you put your home on the market, you have to be sure that you’re in the right financial position to do so. Figure out of the sale can cover all of the expenses of the home-selling process. To do this, estimate the current value of your home and subtract the closing costs, commission fees, taxes, repairs, and other expenses that you need to make before you can let go of the house. Hopefully, you end up with a comfortable buffer or even a substantial profit.
If you’re also relying on your current home’s proceeds to fund your next home, take into account the expenses of buying another home, such as closing costs, lender fees, insurance, maintenance, moving costs, etc. If there’s going to be a substantial difference, you have to have enough money to cover it.
4. Enhance your curb appeal
Potential buyers are going to form first impressions about your property the moment it comes into view. With that in mind, curb appeal is an extremely important factor in getting the best price for your home.
There are many ways you can boost your curb appeal, and not all of them have to be expensive. Cleaning up the lawn alone can make a big difference. But if you want to boost your curb appeal tenfold, you can hire professionals to trim your trees, re-paint your exteriors, plant new greenery, and fertilize your lawn.
5. Invest in professional staging and photography
Similar to boosting curb appeal, having a professional stage your home and take pictures of it can increase your chances of getting a good offer. Not only that, but buyers are more likely to show interest in your home if they see professional photos of it.
Professional staging and photography may require a substantial investment, but it’s a great way to make your listing top-notch.
Remember that you have to be emotionally ready to sell your home. Your mind may be saying that this is the right time, but your heart has to be ready to let go, too.
