What do you need to get done before you can sell your home? If you’ve never sold a home, it can be a process. You have to get the house ready, meet with a realtor, determine the asking price and so much more. It can take months to get a property ready, especially if you want to get fair market value.
Throwing a property on the market as it rarely works out, unless you are in a sellers market which we currently are not. If you throw your property on the market, even if it’s in good condition, there’s a good chance you will be waiting for a reasonable offer. Buyers are picky right now because they have to be. They are paying far more for that property than anyone else has and they will have far more financial responsibility with it than you have.
Before Listing For The First Time
There are dozens of things you need to do to get your house ready. However, to simplify the process and give you an idea of what to expect, the best thing to do is focus on these five steps. They do not have to be in order, but they need to be considered:
- Clean it all out: Do you want strangers walking around your bedroom to see if they would like it as their own? Clean your house out and move out if it’s an option before you list. An empty house will usually sell faster and it shows the buyer you’re not going to back out of the agreement.
- Make it look great: Even if you do not have a budget, focus on anything you can do to improve the value of your property. A coat of paint, fixing up the yard, repairing some of the issues inside the property are all good ideas. It’s not just about value, it’s about making the house liveable for someone who can’t afford anything over the top or anything that needs major repairs, but wants to live in that neighborhood and likes the potential of your property. Invest what time and money you can into needed improvements.
- Hire a local realtor: Your buddy who has a real estate license is not going to get you results. Local realtors have local buyers they work with but also know where to go to market your property and how to get it to move faster. They know what to set the prices at, how to handle other realtors and more.
- Talk to your neighbors: It’s a good idea to let your neighbors know you are selling. The hope is that they will say great things about the house if asked, but you are also doing it to raise interest. Your neighbors would want their friends and family to move in next door so they will spread the word too.
- Stay out of the way: Your realtor will have questions for you throughout this process, but let them do the work. Once you list, they will take over and handle the bulk of the work, including communication. Let them take care of the communication otherwise it could drag out the process and cost you a deal.
The first step needs to be talking with a realtor if you are thinking about selling your home. They will discuss with you local markets, what to expect, and what will be required of you. They will also walk the property and give you their opinion on all your options including what they recommend.
