A good listing agent will suggest a proper listing price based on comparable sales, pending sales, and active listings. The market, i.e. buyers, will tell you if the price is right based on the offers they submit. Yes, there will be the lowball offers, generally from either investors looking for an opportunity, or dreamers looking for a desperate seller.
PC Real Estate Company is here to help you through this process and help you reach your goals, whether that’s getting the highest closing price possible, or selling quickly. In either case, there is a lot to do prior to getting your house on the market, and we are here to help you through the process every step of the way.
While this isn’t required, you are better off having an idea of what a buyer’s inspection might show. You’ll want to uncover any major issues, such as structural components, major systems, appliances, etc., before having a signed contract and then being surprised at the buyer’s inspection objection list. This is a major reason why contracts fall through. Your inspection list will help you and your REALTOR® prioritize any repairs that should be done prior to listing. A serious buyer does not want to see neglected maintenance items as that will reduce confidence in the quality of your home, leading to lower offers. Inspection objections tend to be a big negotiating tactic for the buyers. Stay one step ahead of them by fixing major concerns first.
A CMA gives you an idea of what other comparable houses are listing for and selling for in your area. This will help you price your home appropriately, which is particularly important in a hot market where inventory is low. You want your house priced low enough to attract many competitive offers. In cool markets, you may have to prepare yourself for more days on the market to get the price you want. Your listing price can be a very emotional process for you. Homeowners often have a more optimistic view of their home’s market value. Your REALTOR® is objective and will consult with you on what your house will likely sell for in the current market based on actual sales data.
Hire trades specialists or a handyman to repair the top items on your inspection list. Sometimes homeowners prefer to do some of this work themselves. Just be sure to use your time wisely depending on how soon you want to have your house on the market and be ready to move. Most often, the costs associated with doing repairs are paid back in getting your house sold sooner.
Consider selling, donating, or storing items that clutter up your home. Buyers want to see a clean, spacious home free of clutter. They don’t want to be overwhelmed with your personal belongings. They want to envision it as their own home, which can be difficult to do if you have too many items taking up shelves, wall space, and floor space. You want your home to appear larger, which is easier to do with fewer things that don’t need to be there. A good REALTOR® will give you great advice on what should be removed from the home prior to letting buyers come see your home.
You need to give your buyers the best first impression possible. Even more important than decluttering, a professional deep cleaning of your home helps with that first impression. This goes beyond your typical cleaning to prepare for company coming over. A professional cleaner will deep clean and scrub every bit of your bathrooms, the seams around your kitchen sink and faucet, the baseboards, the ceiling fans, under your furniture, and your appliances. Once again, buyers want to know that you cared for the home that they are considering making their own. If they see pet hair, dust, mildew, soap scum, etc., that will give the impression that the house hasn’t been well-maintained, and it will lose value in their mind. You will get fewer offers and the offers you do get will be lower if the house isn’t thoroughly deep cleaned.
Sometimes, even after you declutter and deep clean, your furniture and fixtures may be outdated, in bad shape, or simply not the best to show your home’s top potential. In this case, you may want to bring in a professional stager to provide modern, good-quality furniture and decorations to make your home show-worthy. This will usually pay for itself by bringing in higher offers than you would get by leaving your house as-is. This is a good conversation to have with your REALTOR®.
A good real estate agent will have a professional real estate photographer that they will hire to market your home and show its best qualities. Unless you are a professional photographer yourself, you should seriously consider your REALTOR®’s recommended photographers. They do this for a living and do it well. Since buyers will generally see photos of your home before deciding to schedule a visit, your professional quality photos, videos, and virtual tours are some of the most important assets in selling your home. Ask your REALTOR® for sample images from previous listings.
Once your home is on the market, we will communicate with you thoroughly to help assess offers, weigh counteroffers, and handle inspection objections. You can have peace of mind knowing that we do this day in and day out for our clients, and we have received great feedback on our professionalism, communication, and attention to detail.
We will passionately help with negotiations, as getting the best possible deal when selling your home is our ultimate goal.
