What to Know Before Selling Your Home

When it comes to selling a home, most homeowners dream of having a stress-free selling process.  Where they list their house, quickly find a qualified buyer, and collect the cash.  If only it was that simple!  The truth of the matter is selling a home involves a lot of moving parts.  Some of these moving parts are in your control while there are some pieces that are out of your hands.  

An example would be geography; it can indicate how long your home may stay listed or how much you can get away with when listing the price of your home.  In locations where competition is still hot and inventory is low, odds are you will get away with selling your home faster and be able to demand a higher price.  On the other hand in places where home prices have cooled you may catch yourself working harder trying to attract the right buyer.  

The real estate market has shifted since the height of the pandemic.  Frantic bidding wars have mostly ended, and both prices and mortgage rates remain high.  On top of that the concerns of a recession loom, leaving many buyers on the sideline until prices come down.  However, this does not mean that you can not still find a quality buyer for your home.  Having a real estate professional navigate you through the process can make all the difference! In the meantime here are 6 steps for selling your home in 2023:

Set a Timeline 

Selling a home is a major task that can take several months from start to finish or much longer depending on the market conditions.  As soon as you have made the decision to sell your home you should be researching to find a professional real estate agent.  You want to find an agent that has experience to be able to assist you with your housing situation.  Another tool you can utilize before listing is getting a pre-sale home inspection.  This can be useful to identify any problems before listing your home so that way you are not caught off guard during the process of selling.  

Lastly, a month or so before you are fully ready to start working on staging your home for tours and walkthroughs.  This can be done with deep cleanings and taking listing photos.  

Hire an Agent Who Knows the Market

The internet is a great place when it comes to helping you find what you are looking for.  When looking for a professional real estate agent be sure to find one that has experience and knows the surrounding area of your home.  Take your time to look into their recent work and how long they have been working in the industry.  

Upgrading

If you are going to spend money on costly upgrades, be sure the changes you make are going to give you a proper return on investment.  In general upgrades to your kitchen and bathroom areas show the highest impact.  This is true especially in older homes.  If you plan to have an inspection you will be provided with a detailed report of any issues in your home that may need attention before selling.  By being a few steps ahead of this process you may be able to speed up the whole selling process.  

Get Professional Photos

Your real estate agent can refer or help you find a professional photographer to take photos of your home.  With the easy access and ability to online shop homes these days professional photos are critical.  The fees for this type of service can vary on the size of your home, the location, and how long it will take to complete.  A professional will be able to make a room look bigger, brighter, or even more appealing.  

Set a Realistic Price

Even in competitive markets buyers do not want to pay more than they have to.  Listing too high may backfire on you, while listing low can have you leaving money on the table.  Your real estate agent will be able to step in and assist with comparing your home to others in the area to find a range that suits you.  In addition, dropping your price too much can turn off buyers as they may suspect there is something wrong with the home.  

List Your Home 

This step will most likely concern your agent listing your home on MLS, so here are some other things to consider while your agent works on that.  

• Online appeal:  You most likely heard of curb appeal, but in today’s day and age your online appeal is just as important.   
• Stage your home:  Having your home clean and ready to be seen by all future buyers is important as the listing is being processed.  This is a time that you are able to emphasize the flow and aspects of each room in your home.  

Contactez Vanessa Auguste dès aujourd'hui !

No matter if you have never sold a home before or you have experience, each home sale is different!  Vanessa is here to help you through each step of the process.  From inspections to final sale.  Get in direct contact with Vanessa by calling her at 514-831-4016 or by filling out a contact form on the website!