Tips for Sellers

Selling doesn't have to be stressful, here are some tips and tricks I share with my clients when listing and throughout the process.

In addition, I laid out steps of selling help sellers better understand the process!

Reminder: Everyone has different taste, and the right buyer(s) will be out there.

In the current market, inventory is still low, and buyers are outnumbering sellers. Leaving sellers in a good position.

Make sure your home looks move in ready, not a lot of maintenance or things needing to be done or worried about after a buyer moves in. This attracts buyers!

Staging

A little bit of staging will go a long way with showings.

A chance to get yourself flowers! Greenery really brightens up a space! Who doesn't love a bouquet of flowers on the table?

Minimalizing is your friend when selling. Don't let the buyer think your home is too small. Empty your closets and cabinets, get rid of excess things you don't use. Put kids or dog toys in totes, pack up extra furniture and decorations.

For my clients: I'm happy to walk through your home with you prior to pictures for a second eye!

CLEAN. Organize. Clean.

TIP: Avoid seasonal decor (this can date your virtual tour).

Small Forgottens

First impressions are HUGE in real estate.

Open the curtains, let the light in!

Changing out lightbulbs for white ones! This not only helps with pictures, but also lights your house in a brighter perspective!

Making sure the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical are all working properly. If you know it's broken, fix it.

Clean the walls if you don't plan on painting, especially if you have animals or kiddos!

If you're feeling really ambitious, I suggest pressure wash the outside of your home, deck, cement.

Each room should look clean and decluttered, with no overt damage insight.

Make all the beds, clean up the bathroom and clear your kitchen counters.

Turn every light on in the house, even lamps, and lights in the closets and basement.

Make sure your house smells it’s best.

Remove pet toys and bedding. Take them with, or hide them :)

Take your pet with you. It’s not always convenient, but not everyone likes pets.

Lock up or take valuables with you. Yes, there will be a buyer's agent with, but you truly never know.

Toilet seats left up, dirty carpets/rugs, and grimy showers all stand out to buyers.

Don't make it hard to see your home, limiting showing times can turn away buyers if they can't make it work with their schedule. (This may not always be the case and could demand on the market) Homes that don't get shown, don't get sold.

Take down personal items, you want buyers to be able to visualize themselves living there.

Sometimes you're so focused on the house, the garage gets missed! It doesn't need to be spotless, but I suggest organizing!

Updates

Curb appeal is one of the first things buyers see pulling up to your home. Be sure to keep the grass cut and hedges trimmed. Touch up any landscaping that needs it!

TIP: Adding new mulch or potted plants can spruce up the front walkway!

I suggest touching up paint, filling any holes, and they have small pens you can fill in scratches in wood!

Is the caulking in your bathrooms, kitchen or windows getting bad? This is an easy update, re-caulking!

If the trim in your house is outdated, a nice coat of paint is a quick refresher!

Fresh paint and new fixtures can go a long way in selling your home. Making small updates and updating the interior can give it a fresh look for the market.

If you have any bold colors, I suggest switching them to more of a neutral color. This will appeal to a bigger pool of buyers and possibly get you more interested buyers!

If you are questioning whether to make an update or not, feel free to reach out, I'm happy give a second opinion!

TIP: Avoid big remodel projects and making huge updates. Not all buyers will appreciate the update, save your time and money.

An easy cheaper idea for an update would be changing out the hardware on your cabinets.

ME as your Realtor

Step-by-step guidance.

Competitive marketing plan.

Social media & online exposure.

Responsiveness.

Local market expertise.

Professional recommendations.

Effective negotiation.

CMA

To get started on getting ready for the market I will do extensive research on your home and compare specific homes sold in your area over the last 6 months. CMA stands for “comparative market analysis." Sometimes you’ll also hear it referred to as a “competitive market analysis”. It involves finding similar properties to the one you’re trying to sell and comparing their estimated home value to your property in order to determine a valuation for a home that hasn’t been sold yet.

Factors I take into account when running a CMA to determine property value:

Neighborhood comps and the local market.

Current Interest rates.

Updates and upgrades.

Size and usable space.

Age and condition.

(For a quick home evaluation, click the link below) For a FREE full CMA, contact me d

Home Evaluation

Things to look for in an Offer

Closing Date: Make sure it's a closing date that works for you!

Taxes and Assesments: Check to see if they are being pro-rated or if they are asking you to pay them off.

Loans:

Cash offer: Typically best offer, depending on amount and other terms.

Conventional: Is your best loan option from a seller standpoint. Appraisal is not as strict on maintenance and safety items.

FHA: The property's value gets assessed, but it is also thoroughly vetted for safety, soundness of construction and adherence to local code restrictions. (Typically stricter than Conventional Loans) Lower credit is allowed for this loan, which some sellers worry about financing falling through.

The loan limit is typically lower for an FHA loan.

VA: Has to meet safety standards and building codes, can run into problems with older homes.

USDA: Typically for lower income applicants. (Some sellers worry about financing falling through)

Contingencies:

Inspection: Described in detail below.

Appraisal: Described in detail below.

Sale of Buyers Property: The buyer has a current home they need to sell before contingency can be removed.

Mortgage: Buyers will use this in case their financing falls through.

Title: Used in cases where the buyer is worried there is title and ownership issues with the property.

Right of First Refusal: Sellers can use this contingency when the buyer has another home to sell, typically giving them a deadline to sell. It also means the seller can keep marketing the property.

After an offer is Accepted

Inspection: A home inspection report is a detailed, itemized list prepared by a certified inspector hired by the Buyer. They identify deterioration and assesses the condition of home systems and provides recommendations for a buyer. In effect, the home inspection is conducted to unveil any expensive defects unknown to the buyer and seller.

TIP: Have your systems checked prior to listing, this could save you time and money if anything comes up. After an inspection, buyers can ask for repairs to be made.

Appraisal: An assessment of your homes market value ordered by a mortgage lender and conducted by a third-party appraiser. The appraiser typically looks at the neighborhood, lot, lot size, home condition, recently sold homes, amenities, home improvements, etc.

Appraisal Gap: The difference of the fair market value determined by the appraiser and the amount you agreed to pay for the home.

In the case of the assessment coming in below the purchase price, buyer and seller will have to renegotiate price or terms of appraisal gap.

SOLD - A few easy moving tips

Create a moving checklist, this will save you stress in the end!

A purge of your unwanted items will help lighten your moving load and save you time packing things you won't end up keeping in the long run.

Pack A box specifically for things you can't survive your first night in the new home without.

Color coding or labeling your boxes to specific rooms will help make unpacking easier.

TIP: I may take my moving too far, but I go as far to label what's in each box and the room it belongs. Moving 12 times in the last 9 years gives a girl a lot of moving insight and learning experiences LOL.

Random tip that's saved me a lot of time moving: Keeping my clothes on hangers and putting garbage bags over them!

These are just a few things I am doing in the background and helping my clients with. If you've been considering selling, lets chat! I will help go over all your options and help reach your house goals! I only listed main points for contracts and contract details - happy to go more in detail with clients!

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