Are you getting ready to sell your house, but the overwhelm of work that needs to be done is making you want to pull your hair out and just go crawl back into bed?
Well get out of bed because in this blog I’m going to give you the 5 FIRST Steps To Sell Your Home, so that you can get back to spending your weekends doing what you love instead.
As we are still in a seller’s market, many are tempted to sell their home without a game plan. As much as the money can be tempting, you need to have a plan and I’m going to help you with that today, starting with my first tip.
TIP # 1 - Checklist Of What You Need From The Sale
Make a Checklist Of What You Need From The Sale. Sit down with your spouse or family and discuss your main reasons for moving. Do you need more space, better commute to work, timeline expectations, what your ideal situation would be for the process, etc. Make sure to solidify what is most important to you for this sale.
For example some sellers are most fixated on the highest price. Other sellers’ key importance may be making sure a local family moves into their home or that they don’t want someone using their home for a rental. If you have already bought a home you could be more concerned on making sure the terms are best for closing dates, or renting back the home for a short term until your new home is built or until you can move to your next house.
My number one discussion around this checklist is making sure you have somewhere to go. You can’t just stick a for sale sign on the lawn and expect to find a new home just as quick. It’s a tough market for buyers and renters right now so don’t call a realtor to sell your home today if you don’t have a plan of where you would like to go next or discuss your plan with a realtor to get you into your next home.
Tip #2 - Research A Local Real Estate Agent
Many people know someone they would like to use but if you don’t, take these things into consideration.
What do you need from the agent such as advice, staging, showings, commission, negotiation skills, their marketing plan, explaining the selling process, and most importantly YOUR expectations.
When interviewing agents, lay out your expectations of them and also yourself. Is it important for the process to be easiest on your young family’s schedule? Are you looking for the complete honest truth of what needs to be done to get top dollar? Are you looking for someone that gets along with you or just need someone in and out.
Think of hiring an agent like being able to hire someone you work with. Don’t you think it would be easiest to have someone you trust, a hard worker and someone who you get along with for the full process?
That decision is up to you, but that’s how I like to work with my clients.
Tip #3 - Repairs & Upgrades
My number three tip is repairing or upgrading anything necessary to help you attract buyers.
Your realtor will be able to discuss these options specific to your home and budget. A few things they may suggest are freshening up with paint, replacing light fixtures, changing out old cabinet hardware, fixing up your landscaping, patching holes or dents in the walls, upgrading water faucets etc. All these suggestions will be assessed for each individual home. Some repairs or upgrades may not be necessary and some others may significantly help potential buyers envision themselves in your home.
For a list of things buyers are looking for in your home check out this video.
Tip #4 - Decluttering & Depersonalizing
This is a known fact for many but until you have to do it for yourself you may not realize how attached you are to something until your agent asks if it’s possible to store it away for showings.
I know it can be difficult but just because it holds a special memory in your heart, doesn’t mean it’s going to help sell your home. Gently store it away and find a great new spot for it in your next home.
This is important for buyers who home through your house to help envision their belongings in your home. So if all they see are your ten thousand baseball cards or walls and walls of your trip to Disneyland with the family 10 years ago, it can be hard for buyers to see through that.
Before you even call your agent, decluttering can help the agent to see the full potential of your home and allow them to better market your property. For a full in depth video of how to easily declutter your home check out this video.
Tip #5 - CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN
My last tip won’t cost you much in your wallet but may require some elbow grease. Clean your home or hire someone to do a top to bottom clean. A sparkling toilet and sink can go a long way.
A tidy home shows pride of ownership and suggests the sellers maintained and cared well for the property. This can help buyers feel more confident that you have taken great care of the home while living here.
This rule applies to the interior and exterior. If your house has green stains on the siding or driveway try power washing it. Have your grass freshly cut and weedeated to give a good impression for buyers before they even take their first step into your house.
Dust your light shades, window sills, trim and tv stand. Wash your windows to allow all the best light to shine in. Clean out the fridge, cupboards, garage, and closets.
Make sure the bathroom is as clean as possible and please keep the toilet seat down.
Now that you know the first 5 steps to selling your home, you may also be interested in learning about the Top 10 Home Selling Points that can help your house stand out from the others.
