As a REALTOR®, it is known that there are different strategies for different market conditions. Homesellers these days face challenges in the current market they may not have just a few years ago. Here are four strategies to suggest they employ to get client properties sold quickly and for the prices they desire.
Have a pre-listing inspection
You have to burn to earn, as they say. Investing in a home inspection allows homeowners to find out (and fix) what they will find out anyway assuming homebuyer candidates have inspections done. It also saves having to negotiate price reductions once an accepted buyer finds out what the repair will cost. Or, worst case scenario, having them back out of the deal
Price it right
This is perhaps the most important skill agents can relate to their seller clients. List too high and some potential buyers won’t consider it. List too low and the seller may question why the first person to see it made a full-price offer. Doing due diligence, checking recent sales, etc., to establish fair market value is crucial. The more interested buyers the higher the selling price will eventually be.
Get paperwork ready in advance
A good offer can come fast, so it’s imperative for sellers to be prepared. Have all the important documents filled out, such as seller disclosures and paperwork for repairs and renovations undertaken recently, as well as bills for utilities and things of that nature. You should have a list to check off everything that could come up so there are no delays in moving the process forward.
Make the home neutral
Buyers want to envision how the house will look when it’s theirs. It can be distracting to have a seller’s family photos and other personal items dominating rooms. Rooms should have a lot of open space with minimal furniture, and of course no clutter. If walls have dark paint they should be repainted white if possible. Staging is encouraged, if possible, even for just the first few rooms buyers will see first.
