Now is a great time to sell! That is good news if you are thinking about listing your home. Inventory is low, demand is fairly high, and folks are looking to move to the Charlotte/Metro area. Still, the thought of getting your home ready, putting it on the market, packing up all of your earthly belongings, buying a new home for you and your family, and moving can be a scary process. That is why I am here. I want to help make the process as smooth as possible. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you get started in the home selling process.
- Determining the correct value of your is of vital importance. I have something that I say in all of my listing presentations, and I am sure that it cost me some listings, but I am ok with that. I tell the prospective clients, “I will always tell you what they need to hear, not what you want to hear.” The reason this is important is because I realize that people have a sentimental attachment to home, therefore, they sometimes think their home is worth more than it actually is. We have to remember that while our homes hold a lot of memories, buyers aren’t going to be paying for those memories. They are looking for a place to create their own story. I will take an objective, unbiased look at your home, compare it to homes of like kind that have recently sold in your area, evaluate market conditions, and provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that will give you a price range for you to consider when listing your home. This range may not be exactly what you think it should be, but remember it is based on objective, verifiable facts. It is also designed to help you sell your home as quickly as possible, without leaving money on the table. Pricing a home too high may take potential buyers out of the equation because they may not even consider your home if it isn’t priced correctly. We always have to remember that a house is only as valuable as what someone is actually willing to pay.
- Is your home “listing ready”? We live in our homes, and if yours is like mine, it’s not ready to go on the market today. As I review your home, I will make notes of things that I observe that will need to be given attention before we put your home on the market. The more of these things that you do, the higher up in the projected listing price range you will be able to go. Some of them will be simple, like touching up chipped paint and cleaning the windows. Others may not be a simple. One of the hardest things to do is to “declutter” your space, while still maintaining a level of livability. Still, it is important to make your home as presentable as possible so that when prospective buyers are touring it they can begin to envision it as it would look if it were their home. Simple things can greatly increase the marketability of your home.
- Where do you go from here? If you are selling with the intent of buying a new home in the same area, then you need to have a good idea of what you are looking for. Do you need more space? Do you want to downsize? Is there a neighborhood you want to move to? All of these questions, and many others are an important part of getting you ready to buy a new home. Once your home goes on the market, you have to get ahead of the game in finding your next home. In this market some homes sell very quickly. Some even go under contract the first day they are on the market. That means that you have roughly 45 days to find a new home,secure your financing, and move once your home goes under contract. While I want to help you sell your home, I would also love to be a part of the process of helping you find your new home as well. If you are wanting to move locally I can show you prospective properties, and set up searches to help you narrow down your options. If you are moving away from the area, I can refer you to a trusted agent in your new locale’ that can help make things go smoothly on that end.
All of these things are important, along with a host of other things that need attention during the home selling process. That is why it is so important to use a broker you can trust. I not only have the local knowledge needed to aid you in the process, I also understand the rules and regulations that affect the process. Plus, I get the experience of filling out all of the forms for you to sign!
If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, please contact me and allow me to help you with the process. My goal is to provide results oriented performance by serving as your personal real estate concierge. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at 704-530-7511, or randy@firstfruitsrealty.com