Working with a Realtor

The first step in selling your home is to first employ a reputable realtor. Your focus right now may be on your own dream home, but consider your current house as someone else’s dream home that you and your realtor will start preparing for them.

Your real estate agent is well-connected and in many cases they will be able to recommend people who will handle all the services that go with fixing-up and selling your home, including: lenders, pest control specialists, home warranty companies, inspection companies, contractors, and plumbers. 

With your agent, you will have a guide and a consultant working with you and they will be able to provide information on "When to go to market," "How to prepare your home," "How to stage your home for buyers" and other information unique to selling your home.

Preparing Your Home

When you are selling your home and buying a new one at the same time or just simply going from renting to owning, the ability to juggle the responsibilities of both can protect you from headaches. Avoid having to handle two giant chores at once by starting early.

Make a list of whom you need to notify about your change of address, including utility companies and credit card companies.

Start packing the knick-knacks and off-season items you won’t be needing before the move.

If you can start doing repairs around the home as early as possible -- even a full year prior to the sale of your home -- you will be able to avoid a huge bill right before the sale.

Staging Your Home

As a seller, you need to acknowledge that your buyers will not have the same interests like you. We all have heard of the saying "first impressions last." There are definitely some things that you should keep and some that you should simply put away.

These include personal photos, any unnecessary furniture in the living room or bedrooms, magnets, photos and notes on the fridge, items underneath the bed, and even your collection cabinet.

Your realtor will provide you with various options for staging your home, whether it's a digital rendering or a fully furnished staging presentation.  

When To Go To Market 

This depends on the season, market conditions, interest rates, your personal circumstances, and local factors as well. Traditionally spring and early summer are best times to list a house because the weather is nice for showing homes while the fall and winter seasons tend to be slower due to that climate.

Your realtor can help navigate the market conditions for selling your home. High demand and low inventory is ideal for listing a home while a buyer's market might require more competitive pricing on the side of the seller. Combine that with low or high interest rates and that's where a realtor can step in and provide valuable information for sellers.

Ask us about our fun and informative workshop on buying your dream home for the first time! 

Important News

Residential Listing Agreement Revisions from July 2024

Open Houses in a Post-NAR Settlement World

Even though the Buyer Agent Commission doesn’t have to be paid by the seller once the NAR settlement changes take effect August 17th, here are some reasons why it may be in the sellers best interest to still cover the Buyer Agent’s compensation.