If you’ve ever tried to sell a home or other property, you already know that the sales process can be stressful. You need to deal with showings, go through offers, wait for repair requests to come through, and sit on tenterhooks until the sale finally closes.
However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. It is, in fact, possible for you to sell a property without suffering through tons of stress. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you get ready to sell.
Hire a Real Estate Agent
When they hear “real estate agent,” most people think of buying property, not selling it. However, having a professional on your side can also make the selling process easier for you to navigate.
Agents can help you with everything from getting a better deal for your property to managing a lot of the paperwork. Other advantages that an agent offers include looking over your property with an expert eye and letting you know what repairs to conduct in advance of putting it on the market, and letting you know when it’s time to accept an offer instead of playing hardball. With an agent on your side, you have a level of comfort as you navigate an unfamiliar process.
At the same time, make sure you pick an agent carefully. The person (or agency) you choose should respond to your queries quickly and answer any questions you may have. Consider shopping around for agents, so you can be confident that you’ve made the right choice.
Price it Right
When it comes to selling a property, the price needs to be right. For example, if similar properties in your area are selling for $100,000, pricing yours at $150,000 will mean that you’ll see very few offers.
There are several ways to make sure you’re pricing your property right. If you’re selling it yourself, conduct a quick online search for how much comparable properties in your city and neighborhood are selling for.
Make sure to tailor your search to where your property is located. If you live in Roanoke and are selling your home, doing your research with the phrase “sell my house fast Roanoke” will get you the results you need. You can edit the keyword as necessary, depending on the type of property you are selling.
If you have the help of a real estate agent, speak to them about what price to ask for. An agent will have experience not only working with sellers but with buyers as well. Thus, they will be able to provide you with a realistic estimate of what offers you can expect.
For landowners looking for higher prices than what the current market demands, you can also ask your real estate agent about any changes you can make to the property to drive the price higher. For example, a home with a pool may fetch a higher price than a house without.
Once you have an idea of renovations that can help increase your asking price, you can then check to see whether making those renovations is worth the boost to the sales price. If you will make more than the renovations will cost, you can take steps to make those changes.
Be Ready to Change Your Mindset
The property market can change on a dime. While your home may be worth a certain amount when you place it on the market, it is possible for those prices to drop (or increase!) without warning.
Be prepared to roll with the punches and deal with any potential changes to the property market. If the market falls, make sure you know the lowest possible price you will accept for your property and are clear on when to walk away from a sale and unlist your home until the market recovers.
Alternatively, if markets rise, make sure you’re ready to take advantage as soon as possible. Speak to your realtor and accept that high offer you got. If you wait for better offers, prices may stabilize and fall back down, leading to a missed opportunity.
Depersonalize
If you’re selling a house or a property you have used extensively over the years, there’s a good chance that you’ve also accumulated numerous knick-knacks and pieces of your life. However, it’s important to remember that personal touches that help make a home charming aren’t usually what a buyer is looking for.
The person who buys your home will likely make their own changes and personalize it to their taste. What they are interested in is the features of your home and what the place can offer them. To help them focus on the positives, it’s important to remove the attention from your belongings.
First, prepare yourself emotionally – “dismantling” your home can take a lot out of you, and you should be prepared to deal with the emotions that arise. Once you feel you’re ready, it’s time to start depersonalizing your property. Some steps to take include removing personal photos, trophies, and memorabilia from the shelves, putting away your kids’ toys and sports equipment that you are taking with you, and removing lawn ornaments.
If you don’t have the time to completely depersonalize your property before showing it to potential buyers, focus on the quickest ways to reduce your influence. These are:
- Painting over bright accent walls – while you may love bright shades, they can be polarising and may turn buyers away.
- Putting away the ornaments – lawn ornaments, door hangings, and holiday decorations runs the risk of creating an unfavorable first impression on buyers. By ensuring the exterior of your home is clean and inviting, you increase the chances of potential buyers wanting to view your property.
- Neutralize your bedrooms – these are usually the most personalized part of a home, and paring down on the personal items will allow people to focus on the best qualities of the space instead of being distracted by your wall art and personal photos.
While starting the sales process for a property may seem like it promises nothing but stress, if you approach it with a plan in mind, you’ll be able to get through it quickly and as painlessly as possible.
It is, however, always important to remember that real estate sales are often out of your hand – your home may be in the best shape possible, but if the market isn’t right, you may not get the offers you hope for. So don’t give up, and keep trying. Before you know, you’ll have sold your property and be ready to move on to your new home!
