Home Sellers – With Equity

7 Tips to Sell Your Home

Meet Barbara

  1. Why do want to sell now? Is this really what you want to do? Are you absolutely, positively, 100% certain that this is what you want to do? Because if the answer to this is “it’s what we have to do” then read number two. If the answer to this is yes, then save yourself time and skip to number three.
  2. Have you consulted with someone about all of your options. Sometimes a Realtor can actually talk you out of selling your home, by helping you clearly see other alternatives. Make sure you have explored every option before doing “what you have to do” as opposed to what you want to do.
  3. So you are really, truly, 100% committed to getting your home sold. Then guess what, price it like you mean it. I am not saying that you have to give your home and your hard earned equity away, but you do have to clearly understand what is going on in your LOCAL real estate community. That leads to number four.
  4. Ask your Realtor to take you out to visit the local competition. Look at those homes just like you were a buyer. Then ask yourself, is my home worth X dollars more than these. Remember, buyers today are extremely cautious and are looking for value.I know you feel that you are not in competition with short-sale sellers or banks, but buyers are looking at all of the homes in competition with you, and in their opinion, it’s all one market.  But now here is the good news.
  5. Buyers will pay a slight premium for homes that are not short sales or foreclosures. You know how I feel about the banks (refer to opening paragraph above) but most buyers have those same feelings. They have been beat up trying to purchase a home and getting the run around on short sales, and overbid on bank owned properties. Most are thrilled when they find there is no bank involved and will pay a little more for being treated with respect. So how do you figure out what this premium is in your neighborhood. See number six.
  6. Talk to a Realtor who digs data, who believes that educating his or her clients is imperative so that the best decisions are made resulting in little regret following the close of escrow. It might not be the Realtor who has the most signs in your neighborhood. That simply proves they are very good at marketing themselves. Ask questions. Act like a two-year old, ask “why” until you really understand what is happening in your local community. Then you are ready for number seven.
  7. List your home for sale with a Realtor that has helped you work through steps one through six. Don’t be wowed by a sales pitch telling you how successful they are. Make them show you their value to YOU.

And now, if you really want to know how to get your home ready to sell, google 10 things to prepare my home for sale.