Information Home Sellers Should Know

It’s natural to have questions when you’ve made the decision to list your home on the market. Maybe your wondering how to increase your home’s value or maybe how to avoid the most common, rookie mistakes when you begin searching for the home you’ve always dreamed about. No matter the question, one constant is the real estate market never seems to stop changing. Whether you’ve sold many home in your lifetime or this is your first time, placing a home on the market, I can help.

Common questions and answers:

1. My house is on the market. Now what?

You took the leap of faith and placed your home on the market and you’re thinking now what? The best advice I can give is keep your expectations realistic. Because of the real estate market’s frequent changes, it would serve you well to remember these swings can and very well may affect the time your home spends on the market as well as your asking price; sometimes for the better and sometimes, not.

When you choose to work with me, my promise to you is I will keep an open line of communication and keep you informed of any current changes in the market that could affect the sale of your home. I will be there to help handle all of your home’s marketing as well as guide you through the process of home showings. When an offer is received on your property, be certain that I will be there to help you in the negotiation and closing processes. It is here that my experience and expertise are invaluable to my clients.

2. What are the benefits of using a REALTOR®?

l am a proud member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) which is a nation-wide real estate trade association which requires all of its members to follow a 17-article Code of Ethics. This means that I am mandated to always keep your best interests in mind.

My expertise will help you figure out the best asking price for your home, market your home to reach potential buyers and help you negotiate the sale. I also help you with staging your home and adding curb appeal. I support my clients every step of the way to ensure that you receive the best service possible.

3. Is it a good idea to try to sell and buy at the same time?

It’s pretty common for people to try to buy a new home and sell their home at the same time. Needless to say, this requires a delicate balancing act and as you would expect, opinions differ as to whether or not this is a good idea. My opinion as to whether or not this is a good idea is totally dependent upon the circumstances of the individual client. Besides taking into account an individual client’s situation, I asses whether or not the current market is favorable to a buyer or seller as part of the equation in deciding what’s best to do. Whether or not the market is favorable to the buyer or seller at any given time is as simple as determining supply and demand. If it’s a buyer’s market, there are MORE homes for SALE than there are potential buyers. A seller’s market is the opposite; there are FEWER homes for SALE, and buyers are often trying to buy the same house as each other because the demand for homes is so high. We will discuss all of this when we meet.

4. Should I stage my home?

The proper staging of a home is essential in assuring your home spends as little amount of time on the market as possible. The staging of your home truly helps potential home buyers picture themselves in your home. What’s best, homes which are properly staged often sell at a higher price, and best of all as noted above, are on the market for a shorter amount of time. When you list your home with me, as a part of my services, I will offer a staging consultation at no additional cost.

5. Are there safety tips to keep in mind?

Any time you open your home up to the public, especially for first time sellers, safety is of the utmost priority. To help protect you from these risks and alleviate any concerns, I recommend you do the following:

1. My priority is to always be present at any showings. If I’m not available, I will have one of my associates stand-in during my absence. I strongly recommend that you never show a buyer the home by yourself. A REALTOR® should always be present.

2. Before any showing or open house, remove and/or hide all of your valuables and small electronics.

3. Remove your mail, bills, and personal checks from plain sight and safely secure.

4. After an open house, look around to be sure nothing of value has been disturbed. Cage your pet(s) or take them with you before the showing.

6. What mistakes can I try to avoid?

Those who place their homes for sale without using a realtor are at greater risk for committing the most common mistakes. One very common mistake homeowners make the choice to host an open house by themselves. Not only are not only inviting perfect strangers into your home (which presents a major safety concern), it is also very common that those stepping foot into your home may not be legitimate buyers. When you make the wise choice to work with a REALTOR® they take on the responsibility of screening potential candidates before they come to your home, thus creating the best chance for you to know those coming through your home are legitimate, qualified buyers.

The other most common mistakes a seller can encounter when not using a qualified realtor are pricing of the home, as well as negotiating and closing errors. Many sellers set the market price for their home never consulting an area expert first. This often results in pricing your home too low and losing money on the deal, or pricing too high and discouraging potential buyers from even looking. These are all areas where my experience and expertise will pay off in the end as I work to properly price your home, market it and negotiate with any prospective buyers. In the end, this will save you time and money and provide you with peace of mind.