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10 Steps to Selling Your Home
1. First and foremost, make sure your home has curb appeal. That first impression, when a potential buyer pulls up to your home for the first time is huge. I kind of compare it to going on a first date. Does that person you are meeting look clean and groomed? Are they wearing old, torn cloths? Do they smell good? Can you see yourself going on a second date? You get the picture. You never get a second chance of impressing an individual. It has to be the same way with your home. Once you get that look going with the mowed lawn and the trimmed hedges, please keep it that way. All too often, after a month, the seller will get complacent and start slacking off. Remember, first impressions are forever.
2. The moment you decide to sell, you need to stop looking at your home as YOUR home. In other words, you'll need to put aside your sentiments and emotions and see your home as a house - a piece of merchandise that you're preparing for sale. Take a brutal, honest look at your home, inside and out, and make a note of anything that is less than perfect.
3. Next, walk into your home with the eyes of a first time home buyer. What do you see? Is there clutter? Do the rooms look inviting or cramped? Is it easy to move from one room to the next? Are the carpets or floors dirty? Will the colors on the walls accommodate some one else's furniture? How does it smell when you walk in? When it comes to smells, clean always wins over candles and aroma scented sprays. Think clean, bright and welcoming as you go.
4. Get rid of any toys or personal things that clutter shelves, walls desks and floors. Always keep in the back of your mind as you do this, the people looking at your home want to imagine their stuff there. The more you have of yours, the less likely they will be able to see theirs. It is not a bad idea to rent a storage unit to start this process. Out of sight with these items is always best in the long run. Do this in every room.
5. Ok, the house is clean, neat and smelling great. Congrats! Now is the time to go back outside and start looking for things that are broken or missing on the house. Start in the front and move to the back, then work your way through the interior of the house. By doing this, you overcome potential objections from a potential buyer well before they come up in the negotiations
6. Your next objective should be to determine the best possible selling price for your house. You will need to take into account the state of the local market, the condition of your home, and sales of comparable homes in your neighborhood. It is often hard to maintain an non-biased view of your property, so you will want to gather the necessary information in the most objective way possible. If you want a truly objective opinion about the price of your home you could have an appraisal done. This will need to be paid for up front, in cash, and may cost between three and five hundred dollars. Be reasonable about the price you set. You will always be better off setting a fair market value price than setting your price high expecting that someone will come along and be willing to pay it. If your home stays on the market too long because it is overpriced potential buyers may think that something is wrong with it and you may end up selling it for less than what you could have gotten if you had started out with a realistic asking price.
7. If you've decided to go with a professional, shop around to be sure you end up with the right one. What strategy will your real estate agent use to sell the house, and what is it going to cost you? Whether buying or selling a home, there is always some degree of trepidation. To ease some of the worry, do some homework on who you would like to help you sell your home. Ask friends what experiences they had with their Realtor®, make phone calls and take notice as to how long it takes to return your call and how they answer it in the first place. How much do they listen to what you have to say and what your concerns are, as opposed to how smart they tell you they are? Find out what their background is. Experience in all aspects of real estate is important, that includes finance as well as marketing. Ask how they intend to market your home and in what manner. Hopefully it will include print advertising and internet marketing. Ask them what web sites will be showcasing your home? The question of commission will also come up. Remember, you get what you pay for, in all cases.
8. Market changes will have an effect on how and if you sell your house, so keep up with mortgages and finance rates and any other changes that could have a bearing on your sale. Make sure your agent is knowledgeable about not only our market, but how the market activity around you can affect you and your listing.
9. Have Inspections Done Beforehand So That You Will Have All the Paperwork On Hand. While some buyers will still insist on having their own inspections done, many will be grateful to be spared the expense and time. It's one more thing that can expedite the selling process once the offer is made. While this will involve an extra expense and is not absolutely necessary, it could eliminate surprises later. If the inspection discovers areas of concern that need to be corrected, be sure to keep a copy of the invoices or other records of the repairs to be able to present to the buyer as well.
10. Last and most difficult is to keep everything in your home in the same great shape you worked so hard to get it in for the duration of the listing. Leave the rest to your Realtor®. You are in good hands. Always remember, cream ALWAYS rises to the top. God Bless.
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