What You Should Do Before You List Your Home by Lillian
Montalto on Realty Times.
You've decided to sell your home. Congratulations! Here’s a
checklist of things you need to do right now, before you list your home for
sale.
1) Establish a
master plan. Are you moving into a new property? Now is the time to think about
what you are looking for so that you can set out on your search immediately and
be prepared to buy a new home as soon as your current house sells. Look into
neighborhoods you are interested in and find out how much inventory is
available. Assess your finances and determine what you can afford. Then shop
around and find a lender who will provide financing. Finally, get pre-approved
for a loan (not just pre-qualified). This can take a while these days, so be
prepared to wait. [Consider having a contract for the sale of your home in place before you sign for the purchase of your new home.]
2) Find a real
estate agent. You’re in the driver’s seat here, so unless you have worked with
someone you liked before, do your research and interview several agents before
making a choice. Make your decision based upon the individual agent’s record of
sales in the past 6-12 months. Do not
base it on the number of properties the company has sold, as many larger
companies have 80-100 agents, but the individual agents do an average of only
4-6 sales/year. Many agents are
part-time. This is a business decision
and is usually the largest financial transaction you will make in a
lifetime. Make sure you hire the top
agent in your area. Someone that is
going to guide you through the process, may have staging services available,
and most importantly, an agent that will tell you “what you need to hear, not
what you want to hear”. The best
advice I can give you is NOT to hire a friend as I have seen too many
friendships end on a sour note, and your friend will be hesitant to tell you
what you need to hear in order to not hurt your feelings. Get some recommendations from family or
friends about specialists in your area or neighborhood. Have each do a
walk-through of your home and ask for a general impression of your property as
well as local comps. Discuss a marketing plan and listing price, and assess
general knowledge of the market in your area. Most importantly, make sure that
you and the agent you choose “click” and will be able to work well together. [We can recommend agents in your neighborhood, just give us a call and we'll be glad to help.]
3) Whip your home into shape. Check your water heater, furnace, roof, and chimney to make sure everything is in good condition. If necessary, hire a licensed home inspector to do this for you. If replacements are needed, get estimates from different companies about how much the work will cost. You should also make any small repairs and touch up paint. Assess your curb appeal and work on cleaning up your yard and making the exterior of the house look inviting to prospective buyers. De-clutter the interior: store keepsakes, toss anything no one could ever use, and donate the rest of your unused or unneeded belongings. Keep the bare minimum – it’s liberating! Finally, clean everything in your house, including the inside and outside of windows, blinds, carpets, oven, refrigerator, and anything else that hasn’t seen a good cleaning in a long time. Sounds daunting? You don’t have to do it all yourself. Hire a cleaning service! [Can not over-emphasize the need to declutter. Give stuff to your children and let them throw it away if they do not want it!]
4) Locate your
paperwork. Get all of your home documentation together in a folder for the
buyer to see. Include any notes on paint colors, manuals for appliances, and
receipts for work you’ve recently done. If your utility bills might be lower
than a buyer’s, have them handy to offer as additional incentive to buy. [Do not forget to look for a copy of your Title Insurance Policy and survey.]
5) Finally, be
prepared. Do you have a plan in place in case you are asked to close quickly?
Most people don’t expect an immediate offer, but depending on the market and
the buyer, it can happen. Better to be prepared to move out than to refuse an
offer that comes your way. [Couldn't agree more. Avoid the aggravation of losing a buyer who must be in the house by a certain date.]
Now it’s time to list your home! Call up your agent, decide
on a listing price, and get ready to make that sale!
For your next commercial real estate transaction, house purchase, mortgage refinance, reverse mortgage, or home equity loan, contact us. We can help. Located in Fairfield, NJ, we are the title insurance agent that does it all for you.
For your next title order or
if you have questions about what you see here, contact
Stephen M. Flatow, Esq.
Vested Land Services LLC
165 Passaic Avenue, Suite 101
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Tel 973-808-6130 - Fax 973-227-0645
E-mail sflatow AT vested.com
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