9 Things You Should Know Before Selling Your House

Nowadays, selling your home has become quite difficult but hey for your relief it’s not impossible. The time that you dedicate preparing your home for sale will be invaluable once it hits the market. So, I have jotted down 10 things that you need to know before you sell your house –
Taking the help of a certified realtor – I have seen most of the people tend to overlook hiring a certified real estate agent. They are of the view that all the agents have the same proficiencies, but it’s not the case in the real world. You should know that the best agents have different qualities and possess different skill sets as well. But, here comes the catch. How do you decide that a realtor that you have chosen will help you in selling your home? The reply for the question is not that difficult. You should ask him the questions that will actually help you judge the standing of the realtor that you have selected.

Gathering all the documents – A certified realtor has the holistic information of what documentation is required to actually get your house to sell. The realtor should have all the information regarding any repair work done to the home and about the major mechanics, all these details can prove quite handy for him. A certified realtor is not the one who will put a signboard in front of the house and wait for the potential buyers. He should be proficient enough to project the information about the home in an intriguing manner both online and offline.

So, are you wondering what type of documents you should be having? Allow me to pen down the documents and the paperwork that is actually required for selling your home –

• Instrument survey.
• The age of central air conditioning and instruction manuals (if any).
• Any permits that apply such as – fence permits, deck permits and shed permits, etc.
• The age of hot water heater and instruction manuals (if any).

An Ideal time to sell – Not every real estate market is the same. There are some months that are ideal for selling your home – March, April, and May. These are the months that you, as a seller, can get the best deal for your home. If you want to sell your home in December but on the other hand, your agent insists that this is the right time to earn a quick buck then you might want to hire another realtor. Certainly, it is possible to sell out your home in winters, but in most of the cases, it is the spring season that attracts highest offers, for multiple reasons.

Make sure that you take a decision for selling as per your convenience. Yes, spring time may be suitable for you but there are high probabilities that it won’t suit others. There are so many reasons that support selling your home during the fall and winters instead of waiting for the spring to arrive. Make sure you have analyzed all the advantages and the disadvantages of each selling time frame. A good realtor is the one who will make you aware of selling your home at a particular time period.

Pre-listing inspection – Make sure that you consider getting your home inspected by an experienced home inspector, ensure that the inspector is a member of ASHI i.e. American Society of Home Inspectors. It is important that the inspector has highlighted some issues with the home. If he is not able to find any, chances are that the inspector is inefficient or not a reputable home inspector.

As and when the inspection is done, you should address all those issues highlighted by the inspector. It is the task of the inspector that he should make you aware of the issues, he found during his inspection and make sure that the images are submitted so that you can work out on those issues.

Making the preparations for selling your home – Selling your home is not a child’s play and there are so many factors that go behind the whole process and there are many things that need to be examined. A good realtor is the one who can make out the issues, that needs to be rectified, during a walk-through of the home. The first impression of your house actually makes or breaks the deal. Preparing your home for sale does bear great significance, otherwise, it can lead to poor first impression in front of the buyer. Make sure that you have spared extra time to prepare your home and I am sure that later on, you will not regret your decision.

Having an attractive price – You don’t have to be a scientist to think that it all boils down to the price element. This means that it is the price that you set for your home, that actually decides whether your home sells or not. Make sure that you don’t price your home too high otherwise it will end up costing you more money later on. The pricing that you have decided for your home will do all the marketing, on its own, once it gets introduced to the market.

Make sure that you are aware of the fact that the modern buyers are quite smart and they have all the details on their fingertips. Since the buyers have all the information, they will immediately make out that the house is overpriced and this is where you lose half the battle. One of the common mistakes made by the seller is while hiring an agent. If the real estate agent is asking a low commission, most of the sellers will immediately hire him and this is the biggest mistake that they can make. So, you have to educate yourself so that you don’t commit the mistakes when it comes to pricing your home.

Taking a decision for offering the home warranty – Having home warranties can be a great idea for you as a seller. I have come across so many cases where the sellers inquire whether offering warranty to the buyer is actually worth it. You are the decision maker and you have to take the decision whether to offer a home warranty or not. Once you have hired the agent, you can also inquire him about whether the warranty has the worth or not.

Dealing with legal issues – One of the intricate aspects of selling your home is dealing with the legal issues that commonly comprise of contracts and closings. For this, it is advisable that you take the services of a pro who has years of experience in dealing contracts and should have sound legal knowledge as well. I have seen most of the closing have been marred by legal niceties, owing to which it results in unexpected outcomes and finally leading to a failure in getting the house sold.

Showtime – It is imperative that you have kept a convenient time, preferably weekdays and weekends so that more buyers get to see your home. It would be an added advantage if you have made your home available for the open houses. Ensure that your house gets cleaned, both inside and outside, on a daily basis. Don’t forget to keep the flyers for the convenience of the buyers; it will help in displaying the kitchen counter and other areas of your home.

Wrap up – Don’t you ever think that you can’t sell your home? It’s all about making right decisions and you will surely love the feeling of having those extra dollars in your pocket. Make sure that you consider the above-discussed things before you sell your dream house.

Author Bio

Sophia is a writer by profession. She has a knack for coming up with novel ideas. She currently writes for Investment Bank. She contributes ideas for latest technology and many more. She has also worked for scores of magazines, writing exciting content on various topics.