5 Important Tips When You’re Ready to Sell Your First Home
When it comes to real estate, there are very few experts in the world as most people will only buy a sell a few times in their lives. If you’ve been living in your first home for a while now and are ready to sell there are a few things that you need to do for a smooth transaction.
Hire a Real Estate Agent
You may be thinking that doing this on your own will increase your bottom line, but the stats don’t line up. Nationally, homes sold by a real estate agent sell for an average of $39,000 more than homes sold by the owner (source). Having a real estate agent on your team means you don’t have to handle the scheduling of showings, creation of disclosures, or negotiation of contracts on your own.
Make a Move Out Plan
As a seller, you have some control over when you can move out, but the buyers have strong pull as well. Before you list your house ensure you’re ready to move within 30 – 45 days. Have a move out plan in place so you know you’ll be able to go seamlessly from one home to the next while avoiding contract extensions and frustrating your buyers.
Make Your Home Move-In Ready
Look around your home for any unfinished projects. Is your kitchen missing a backsplash? Do you have a tricky door? These small projects can make a big difference to your bottom line. Buyers are looking for move-in ready homes and can be picky about even little details. Schedule a listing appointment and we can tell you want projects to prioritize.
Be Available for Showings
Once your home hits the market you need to be available to be out of the house for showings. Buyers are squeezing in showings and it’s important that you offer as much availability as you can so you can reach more buyers. Bonus tip: before leaving each morning walk around your house and make sure everything is showing ready.
Allow Room for Concessions
Your budget needs to have a bit of room for concessions in the event something comes up during inspection. After the inspection, buyers can negotiate for seller concessions to cover the expenses of big-ticket items. If you don’t think ahead and allow space for these then you may find yourself coming in lower than planned. As your agent, we’ll guide thse negotiations, but you want to allow space for these costs to maintain the bottom line you’re hoping for.
Now you’re ready to get your home on the market! If you’re in the Denver/Boulder area schedule an appointment today to get started!