Any Questions About Selling? Just Ask!
Sell your property with the details needed to set up the transaction for success!
Making this big decision is never easy. How do you know if it’s the right time for you to sell your property, the place where you most likely spent many years and is filled with sweet memories? Some things to consider.
The real estate timeframe.
Between the holiday seasons and any bad weather during winter months, there aren’t as many buyers incentivized to disrupt their lives and move into a new home. Springtime is commonly considered one of the best times of the year to sell a home. Buyers are interested in making a fresh start, yards look lush and green, days are starting to get longer, and tax season gives some buyers a leap ahead on any down payment savings. So, does that mean you should sell in the springtime? Maybe… but be aware that other sellers are going to have the same idea. There will be competition in the form of more homes available on the market.
It’s possible that the timing of the weekend is what’s honing Thursday’s and Friday’s edge over the other days of the week. Buyers are more likely to have time to schedule home tours or attend open houses over the weekend.
Timing isn’t everything.. let's talk price.
Even if you think you’ve nailed the absolute best time to sell your home and you’ve done all you can repair-wise to maximize your chances, there’s one big mistake that could shoot all your efforts right in the foot: Pricing your home incorrectly when you first list it. That is where your agent doing a comparative market analysis comes in. Pulling those recently sold comps is absolutely needed to make sure you are not listing too low or too high. If a seller lists too low, obviously there is money being left on the table. If a seller lists too high, the property will not have interest from buyers, no offers, and it will ultimately get stagnant sitting on the market. Buyers will all be wondering "what's wrong with it?"
Serious buyers sign up for property watch lists and get an alert as soon as a home is listed on the MLS. Most of the buyers who could buy your home are going to see its listing within the first 48 hours of that listing being "live". You get one big chance to make your home’s big debut in front of its buyers. If you set the price too high (or too low, for that matter), it could be detrimental to the sale of the property.
Make any repairs and de-clutter.
You want any potential buyers to feel at home as soon as they walk through the door, not focusing on a ton of repairs. It's best to make a home as move-in ready for them as you can. Give the inside and outside a good once over cleaning so it's tidy and smells nice. Also, think about de-cluttering and going ahead and packing up items not needed day to day. This will make the listing pictures look that much more attractive to buyers as they are searching through listings online. The more the buyers can picture their belongings in a space, the better.
Getting your property ready to list doesn't have to break the bank, but anything obviously needing attention or repaired within reason, should be done before listing.
Be ready to disclose, disclose, disclose!
A seller's disclosure notice will be required, which is where you will list everything the house has, and then what all is wrong with those items. If there are any defects with the house that won't be addressed before listing, make sure those are disclosed so any potential buyers are aware when making their offer.
It's not wise to hide any kind of known issues with a home since that opens up risk of the buyers seeking damages down the road. Plus, the home inspector is hired specifically to find those types of issues, and more than likely, they will.
Professional pictures are the way to go.
All potential buyers are searching for their next property on one of the gazillion websites that show listings. If you want yours to stand out, professional pictures are a must. Taking pictures by phone just doesn't produce the high-quality photos needed to catch that buyer's attention as they are scrolling through hundreds of pictures.
Let a professional photographer get in there and really make your home or land pop with some good lighting, angles, and drone shots that only they know how to get.
