The seller’s market is gone and now that it is time for the buyer’s to gloat, do you really need to sell in the first place? In the recent past, a lot of people put their homes on the market just to take advantage of the increase in market value. That is far from the case today, when sellers are losing money on their homes;so you should make sure you truly want to sell now.
If you have to sell because of job relocation or growing family needs or to downsize because you can’t afford the house you are living in or you have retired, go about it systematically and carefully. If you aren’t forced to sell, however, don’t. The real estate market moves in cycles and better prices will return, if you have the patience to wait it out.
Once you have decided you have to sell, you need to decide if you want to market it yourself or use the services of a real estate broker. Paying a real estate commission will substantially lower the proceeds from your home. But remember that there is a lot of work to list, show and sell a house. Decide ahead of time if you will have the time and dedication to do everything that is required to sell the house quickly. Today’s difficult market has also meant that real estate commissions have become much more competitive.
Your choice of agent is important. Make sure you research all of the latest listings and sales in your area and get in touch with the agents with the most activity. Make sure her listings have sold quickly relative to other sales in the area.
After you found a star agent, stick to her like a tick. Contact her for updates about what clients are seeking, when she is showing your home next, etc. You will always be on her mind when a home shopper walks into her office. Be as available as much as possible for the home to be viewed, or set up a lock box system. Particularly in today’s glutted market, you cannot afford to have a buyer skip your home.
Treat this as the important project it is. Make your home the most perfect it can be. Attend to any little issues, and even consider hiring a home inspector to make sure there are no hidden problems; you can be sure your buyer will hire one and if he finds something you didn’t tell them about, there goes the sale. Keep the home spotless always. Remember how important the view of a house from the outside is and keep everything clipped, watered and mowed. Many buyers just drive right past a home that doesn’t look good from the outside.
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