Listing

Essential things to consider before you sell your house

March 7, 2024
Shannon O'Sullivan

What you need to know before you sell your house

Selling your home can be both an exciting and daunting process. With the right approach and careful planning, you can ensure a smooth and successful sale. Before putting your house on the market, it's crucial to consider various factors that can impact the selling process and the final outcome of the sale.

Find an Agent to Help You Get Ready to Sell

One of the first steps in selling your home is finding a great real estate agent to represent you. An experienced agent can help you navigate the complexities of the real estate market and attract potential buyers. When looking for an agent, consider their track record, market knowledge, and communication style. Ask your real estate agent key questions to assess their expertise in selling homes.

  • Are they familiar with the specific area you're looking in?
  • Can they set you up with some kind of personalized notification system that tells you about properties that meet your needs?
  • How available are they to answer your questions at various stages in the process?
  • Will they conduct a market analysis of either your home or ones you're interested in?
  • Do they have relationships with contractors to help you with any necessary repairs?

Before deciding on an agent, it's essential to evaluate their credentials, such as certifications, licenses, and client reviews. A reputable agent will have a solid reputation and a proven track record of successful home sales. Take the time to research and interview multiple agents to find the best fit for your specific needs. If you're ready to start the sale of your home or preparing to buy one, let's talk!

Enhancing Your Home's Curb Appeal

Getting your house ready is a crucial aspect of attracting potential buyers and making a positive first impression. Simple improvements such as landscaping, painting the front door, and repairing any exterior damage can significantly boost the overall appeal of your property. Consider planting flowers, trimming bushes, and adding outdoor lighting to create an inviting entrance.

A well-maintained exterior not only enhances the visual appeal of your home but also signals to buyers that the property has been cared for. Remember that first impressions matter, and investing in curb appeal can make a significant difference in how quickly your home sells and the offers you receive.

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Before listing your home, it's important to address any necessary repairs and maintenance tasks. Fixing minor issues such as leaky faucets, chipped paint, or squeaky doors can make a big difference in how buyers perceive your home. Decluttering and organizing your space can also help showcase the potential of each room and make it more appealing to potential buyers.

Buyers need to be able to see themselves in what is currently your space. It makes that a lot harder if they tour a cluttered and messy home. Remove personal items such as family photos and religious artifacts to allow buyers to envision themselves in the space. Neutral colors and decor choices can create a blank canvas for buyers to imagine their own style and preferences.

Consider staging your home to highlight its best features and create an inviting atmosphere for showings. Removing personal items, rearranging furniture, and adding neutral decor can help buyers envision themselves living in the space. If you're a tech savvy seller (and you've got a bit of money to put toward staging) then AI powered sites/software like ApplyDesign or AIHomeDesign can help you stage a space simply by uploading a photo.

It's often something folks shy away from when listing a home, but a fresh coat of a neutral paint color such as white in interior rooms can really enhance your home's appeal. Project Color from Home Depot helps you figure out just the right neutral color for your space all from the comfort of your home. The app uses AR to place paint colors over your phone's view of your home. A well-staged home can increase buyer interest and lead to faster and more favorable offers. As you're showing your home to your realtor for the first time, ask them what they think about staging possibilities that can make your house ready to sell.

Deep Cleaning and Repairs

When it's time to sell, invest time in deep cleaning to ensure every corner is spotless. From scrubbing bathrooms and kitchens to dusting ceiling fans and cleaning carpets, a thorough cleaning can make a significant impact on how buyers perceive your home. Addressing any necessary repairs, such as plumbing issues or roof leaks, is also essential to prevent potential issues during the selling process.

Time to sell

There's certainly a lot to do when you're getting ready to sell your home, and it can seem daunting. It's important to remember that these steps can have a real impact on how you feel walking away from a real estate transaction. The National Association of Realtors conducted a survey where 82% of buyers’ agents said a staged home made it easier for their buyers to see the property as their future house. Preparing a home for sale can also seem like a long list of exorbitant expenses that may be out of reach for people preparing to sell their property. As of 2019, the National Association of Realtors reported that the typical amount spent on home staging was $400. Additionally homes that were staged sold at a price 25% higher than those that were not staged, according to Realtor Magazine.

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