Before Listing Your Home
It takes more than just sticking a "for sale" sign in your front yard to attract buyers. In fact, a lot of the hard work that goes into listing your home can be done in advance. Here are a few steps you can take right now to ensure your home sale goes off without a hitch.
2+ months out
Find an experienced local real estate agent
First and foremost, you need to find a local real estate agent that has plenty of experience selling homes in your area. Not only will they help you get your property listed, but they'll also determine a competitive price, market it to the right buyer, and represent you during negotiations.
Don't be afraid to interview at least a few agents before settling on the perfect fit. You want to get along with them on both a professional and personal level!
6 – 8 weeks out
Consider repairs and improvements
After you've signed on with an agent, they'll probably complete a walkthrough of your home to suggest improvements that could increase your potential list price. Believe it or not, you don't have to spend thousands of dollar to really catch buyers' attention—a few key upgrades here and there can yield an impressive return on investment.
Wondering what your agent might recommend? Refinishing your floors, adding a fresh coat of paint, or installing new hardware and fixtures are all common projects that could give you a quick equity boost.
4 – 8 weeks out
Price it right
Pricing your home right is the key to selling quickly—and your agent should be able to help you come up with a fair yet competitive number that maximizes your profits. If you want to get a good idea of what a buyer would be willing to pay for your home, take a look at our complimentary neighborhood sold reports or request a free home valuation!
1 – 4 weeks out
Get your home ready
Staging is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a speedy sale. If you want to make a great first impression from the moment buyers first see your home online, start on the outside. Now is the time to handle any exterior maintenance tasks, like mowing the lawn, sweeping away debris, and adding some tasteful decor to your front porch. From there, you can begin decluttering and give each room in your home a deep clean.
While you're going through your belongings, try to depersonalize a bit so buyers can envision themselves living in your home. You can do this by taking down family photos, putting away any knick knacks, painting walls in neutral tones, and getting rid of any other bold design choices.
Listing Your Home
Now that you've prepped your home for buyers, it's time to list. Here's what you can expect while your home is on the market.
Marketing
Reach the greatest number of buyers
Even if your home is priced right and looking fabulous, you'll still need to market it to motivated buyers. Your agent will advertise your home by listing it on the MLS, promoting it on social media, using print ads, and sending your listing over to fellow agents, so you shouldn't have to worry too much about this step.
Showing
Let buyers take a tour
Most buyers will want to take an in-person tour before putting in an offer on your home. That means you should try to be as flexible as possible and do your best to accommodate last-minute showings.
Establish a regular cleaning routine to ensure your home is always looking its best. And before any buyers step through your door, you should make every bed, put away all dishes, and take the trash out. These small details can help you make a great first impression!
Dealing with offers
Negotiate and accept an offer
If a buyer is interested in your home, they'll send you a written offer that details their proposed price, as well as any contingencies (like an inspection or appraisal), financing, and their desired closing date. From there, the ball is in your court—you can accept the offer, reject, it, or counter with modified terms.
If you do choose to counter, you've officially started negotiations. It's normal to go back and forth with your buyer until you reach a deal that everyone can agree on. And as always, your agent will be on hand to handle all communication and answer any questions.
The Closing Process
You've almost sold your home! Here's what needs to happen before you hand over your keys.
Due diligence
Cooperate with home inspections & appraisals
Once you and your buyer are under contract, you'll enter into due diligence. This is when the buyer will do a bit more research on your home to make sure there aren't any lingering issues. Most of the time, they'll request a home inspection, appraisal, survey, and a title search before moving on to the next step.
Renegotiation
Amend the terms and conditions
During due diligence, a home inspection might uncover a problem, or your property could appraise below the agreed upon price. If this does happen, the buyer will likely ask you to complete repairs before the closing or take money off the price. You and your agent can then decide which requests should be renegotiated into the contract.
Finally... the close!
Sign, collect & hand over your keys
The big day is finally here! On a predetermined date, you'll sit down with the buyer and your agents to sign paperwork and iron out any last minute details. A typical closing usually takes about an hour, and you should bring all documents related to the sale along with you. Once the title has been transferred and the deed is recorded, you've officially sold your home! Congratulations!
Ready to Sell Your Home in the Triangle?
Ready for a stress-free real estate experience? Here at Hunt for Homes, we strive to offer five-star service at a fraction of the cost—and that's why we've introduced our discounted listing program. If you're ready to save money and cash out on your hard-earned equity, we'd love to help you out. Get in touch with us today to start your next chapter!