Learn more about what you can do to set yourself up for success as the spring selling season heats up.
Industry experts are expecting the real estate market to perform well this year, and as the spring selling season starts, many homeowners will begin to prepare their homes to hit the market. While listing and selling a home can be a significant task, there are some steps sellers can take to make the process go more smoothly and set themselves up for a successful transaction.
Here are five key steps that the experts at HomeTeam Inspection Service recommend for sellers who are preparing to list a home.
Consult a Real Estate Agent
Getting in touch with a trusted real estate agent is one of the best early steps a seller can take. Because markets are consistently shifting, working with a professional helps sellers to better understand what’s in demand in their area, what a reasonable price for their home may be and what sort of listing and marketing strategy will work in their best interest.
Get a Pre-Listing Inspection
A pre-listing inspection allows sellers to take control of the situation before their home hits the market. This way, the seller is not surprised by anything when the time comes for the buyer to have a home inspection completed.
When sellers are more aware of what they have to offer, they can perfect the listing, hone marketing strategies and even take steps to improve the home before listing it. This also allows the seller to be very upfront with buyers, and even if the news isn’t all positive, the transparency is almost always appreciated; this can go a long way in a real estate transaction.
Complete the Easy Fixes, and Consider Larger Repairs
After the pre-listing inspection is complete, sellers have a thorough understanding of the state of the home. With this, they can choose to make repairs themselves, call in the pros or adjust their asking price accordingly.
It’s a good idea to involve your real estate agent in this step. Agents generally have a deep understanding of local market dynamics and can provide additional advice or information regarding what buyers are looking for and which changes will likely have a positive impact on the sale.
Tidy up and Prepare the Home for Showings
Having a neat, presentable home will make the showing experience more enjoyable for everyone. Even if major repairs have been completed in response to the pre-listing inspection, sellers should do a quick walkthrough to ensure there aren’t any minor issues that can be fixed. Blown light bulbs, clogged drains and smoke detectors in need of new batteries can leave a bad impression, and they are so easy to fix that the reward far outweighs the small of time and effort expended.
Leaving interior doors open and placing items like cleaning supplies, shoes and coats in their proper places can make the home look more bright and open, making it more appealing to prospective buyers.
Negotiate Wisely
Once an offer is made, sellers should remain open to negotiations. With information from the pre-listing inspection, pre-sale inspection or both, buyers and sellers can work together to come to an agreement that works well for both parties.
As the market continues to warm up and inventory becomes more easily accessible, it is crucial that sellers are flexible during this stage. A real estate agent can provide more context, but a seller could potentially lose an offer entirely over a small repair or price negotiations as options broaden and buyers gain leverage.
Each real estate transaction is unique, and it’s important to lean on a trusted real estate agent for hyper-specific advice, but these five steps have long been proven by the industry and offer a strong starting point for a successful sale.
