TIPS FOR SMART SELLING

Thinking about selling your home? Then you came to the right place.

I can’t stress this enough. When you tell a friend (or post online) you’re planning to sell your home, one person tells someone else who tells someone else and pretty soon you’re getting phone calls from every real estate agent in the area! And worse than that, the low-ball buyers come out of the woodwork offering you a fraction of what you home is likely worth, hoping you take the offer before an agent can give you a ballpark market value.

Find and Agent Sooner, not Later

One of the most important steps in selling a home is choosing an agent who is worth the commission! Anyone can post a home for sale on the internet, so an agent should bring more to the table. Having bought and sold many homes for myself and others, I know a good agent . . .

answers emails, texts, and phone calls promptly
knows how to market your home beyond the multiple listing service (MLS) using emails, postcards, social media, websites, etc.
understands who your target market is and advises you on how to stage your home accordingly
doesn’t inflate the listing price to get the listing contract
negotiates like a pro, with your priorities in mind
stays on top of paperwork so there are no avoidable surprises or delays
addresses problems with creative solutions

Look no further than right here. You can also check out my Google reviews to see what others say about me. I am certified in luxury real estate as well, but I give every home 100% effort. The reason you want an agent right away is so you can tap into me for advice and expertise as you prepare your home for sale. I’ll guide you as you tackle these next steps.

Fix Stuff

Determine what needs to be fixed before listing your home. I like to walk through a home and make a wish list of items to address, then let the seller choose what will get done. First impressions matter. This is a touchy subject since few people want to be told what’s “wrong” with a home, but if you want to get a good price for your home you should take an honest look (and listen) around. Look for chipped/broken wood trim, dripping sinks, and broken switchplates. Replace any light bulbs that are out. Listen for sounds you’ve learned to tune out such as a humming fan motor or creaking floor board. Replace broken light fixtures, jammed garbage disposal, or wrotten deck boards. Paint over water spots or patched areas. Buyers don’t want to inherit repairs that will delay moving in, diminish their quality of life in the new home, or cost a lot to repair unless it’s going to save them big dollars in the sales price. If you have some projects that take a professional, ask me for some recommendations.

Clean Up

Look up . . . are your fan blades fuzzy? Have spiders built condo-sized webs on the ceilings? Work your way down the walls to see if light switches are smudged, if walls are marked up, or if your bathroom needs bleaching. I have lots of tricks for making a home look its best. A magic eraser is a cheap way to freshen up baseboards and dirty walls. CLR is a wonderful product to remove hard water deposits on fixtures. Folex is a great spot remover for carpets. Don’t forget to walk around the outside of your home too. Do you have discarded pots or broken yard toys laying around? Some of the biggest turnoffs to buyers are pet odors, dirty bathrooms (especially black stuff around a tub or toilet), and stained carpet. I can give you some tips on how to make your home shine.

Make Some Updates/Improvements

Fresh paint, new flooring, and new kitchen are the top items most flippers invest in to make a home sell, especially if pets have left their mark (and smell) on a home. Updated lighting and a new garage doors are also common improvements. You don’t have to spend a fortune on improvement but try to make your home a place buyers would be proud to show others. If you want top dollar for your home, you have to invest some money in making it competitive with other homes in your area. Depending on who your target market is should determine what you invest in. New carpeting may not be smart if your home is family size because younger buyers prefer LVT over carpet. Not sure who your target market is or where you should focus your attention? Ask me.

Decorate Like You Mean It

You don’t have to spend a fortune to decorate like a pro. You just need to peruse some home decorating magazines or look online for pictures of decorated rooms (Houzz is a great site for ideas) to get ideas using what you already have. The general rule is to group things in odd numbers (3, 5,7) and if it’s on a flat surface the items should vary is height. Start by deciding what home features you want to highlight. In-home offices are highly desired, so if you have a room or corner that can be used as an office, you should. If you have a nice backyard, look for ways to make it look inviting with a few potted plants, cozy table and serving tray. A master bath that looks like a romantic spa is always a winner. Not sure what features to highlight? That’s where I come in. I can also provide recommendations for staging companies that will make your home look amazing using their items. If your home is empty, I have tools to virtually stage a room or two with furniture, too.

Time for a Photo Shoot!

Make a List of Improvements Past & Present

While I’m getting your home entered into the multiple listing service and preparing the photos and marketing material, you can spend some time making a list of everything you’ve done to the home. I like to provide a list of improvements to agents to share with potential buyers. It answers questions about how old things are and helps justify a higher listing price. It usually makes you feel pretty good too!

Make a List of Utility Providers

Remove Buyer Obstacles When Possible

You may have the power to remove some of the obstacles keeping buyers from making you an offer. For example:

Some lenders won't approve a loan if the home doesn't meet certain requirements (such as termite inspections, GFCI outlets near sinks, sturdy railings, etc.). Many of those requirements don't cost much to address but will kill a sale if discovered. Ask your agent to point out things that you can do to avoid these pitfalls.
Buyers have a lot of out-of-pocket expenses associated with buying a home, especially if they don't have proceeds coming from the sale of a previous home. Imagine being a first-time home buyer and not having the money to pay for a home inspection. Now imagine that same buyer finding a home that was already inspected so they don't have to.
Agent Compensation is another area that can cause issues. There is no requirement for the seller to cover the buyers agent's compensation. However, in most cases it's a smart decision to include in the listing agreement. As the seller, you can build that cost into the asking price of your home. It's no out-of-pocket cash for you, HOWEVER... if you don't cover it, the buyer has no choice but to pay for it out-of-pocket or find another home where the seller is paying it.
Unless absolutely necessary, don't ask to stay in the home past the sale day or remove fixtures that will negatively impact the functionality of the home (such as refrigerators, fences, etc.) Doing so may eliminate some buyers because they can't accommodate.

Have more questions? Contact Kathi now.