Before putting your home on the market there are many things to be considered aside from your desired selling price. In order to have the smoothest experience you’ll want to consult with a REALTOR® who will help to put some of these forgotten details into focus. First and foremost is your timeline as well as your expectations of the agent you decide to work with.

TIMELINE

Most real estate agents should be able to give you a timeline of how fast homes of a similar price in your area take to sell, given the proper pricing of your home. An example: if your home is worth $300,000 it may only take a few days to find an acceptable offer, whereas if you have a mansion with a million dollar view, it could take months! By speaking with an agent who knows your market, together you will be able to create a rough timeline for the entire process from listing to closing.

PRICE

The asking price of your home will directly affect how long it takes to sell, even if it’s a small condominium under $200,000. Let’s say the market supports the sale of a (comparable?) property in roughly 30 days, when priced properly. Asking for even a few thousand dollars more, may drive buyers to less expensive properties, resulting in a delayed timeline for offers.

An experienced agent will provide you with the most recent sales that relate to your home known as a Comparative Market Analysis. This CMA should give you a good idea of what an appraiser might look at in their appraisal, which will set the value a lending institution would be willing to lend for the property. Keep in mind that an appraisal will be the final word on your home’s value, unless the buyer is willing to “come out of pocket” for any difference. Once you and your agent have decided on a pricing strategy that fits your timeline, it’s time to look at what you might want to fix, prior to listing your home for sale.

PREPARING YOUR HOME

Even new homes have “details” that need to be addressed. A home that is being resold is even more likely to have a few things that could be fixed, before a buyer walks through or requests a home inspection, prior to the purchase. The less a prospective buyer needs to fix will only make it easier for them to want to write an offer!

In 2019 most buyers could not afford to paint after spending most of what they had, to get the best home they could afford. Does your home have any custom colors that could be changed to make the house more marketable? Some other common issues are:

THE PLAN

Once you’ve determined your timeline, who will be your agent, your asking price and have done what you’re able to do to get your home ready for showing, it’s time to list your home for sale!

Please continue to Marketing of Your Home for the next steps.