Sellers - Maureen Lee Hamilton

Moving out and planning on selling your home soon?

Before deciding on doing so, make sure that you have things mapped out. Selling a house is not easy, and getting a trusted realtor is even harder.

Investing in real estate is a wise decision, especially if you do it right. The return on investment can be really good whenever you sell a house or property. According to the National Association of Realtors, the existing home sales went up by 2.0% last October 2017 – from $5.37M in September, it went up to $5.48M in October.

However though, there are things that you have to do before selling your house. Read on to find out where you should start.

Stage 1

The first stage includes making the decision, getting a realtor, and getting your documents ready.

Make your Final Decision

Are you sure that you are ready to let go of your house? Do you have somewhere to move to already? Before putting your house on the market, make sure that you have physically. Mentally, and emotionally let go of it. Letting go of a house that you have been living in for years can be emotionally draining, so make sure that you want to do this before having your house listed.

Get a Trusted Realtor

Once you have made up your mind and you are sure that you want to sell your house, it is time to get a realtor. First, you have to make sure that the realtor that you are going to hire is a certified member of the National Association of Realtors. You must both agree with everything regarding the house, i.e. the price, will professional photos be taken, who’s going to take the photos, ad placement, open houses, and the likes.

You can (and you have to) ask them questions, and if you have any suggestions in mind, then go ahead and talk to them about it. This will give you an insight into the realtor and how they handle everything regarding selling a house or property.

Ready your Documents

Find all the necessary documents and keep them all in one envelope. This way, you can pull out any needed papers without having to ransack your whole house. Find and prepare the following:

Deed or mortgage satisfaction letter
Copies of rental agreements
Utility bills
Tax Bills
Utility company contact information
Closed out town and city permits
Building Clearance (for condominiums)

Stage 2

Stage 2 includes organizing the house, de-cluttering, repairing, and renovating.

Organize the House

Get rid of all the unnecessary stuff and create an environment that potential buyers would find attractive. Remove your personal items especially pictures, paintings, books, and the likes. Create a space where the potential buyers can easily envision themselves living in.

Leave newer furniture and take out the old ones. Clear the area and get rid of bookshelves and countertops, so the house would appear bigger and more spacious. Clear your closets and kitchen cabinets, and sort your clothes and shoes – determine which ones you will take with you and which ones you are willing to donate. Arrange the jars in the cabinets and put labels on them. If they already have labels, then make sure that they are facing front so the buyers can see them (if they ever decide to open the cabinets).

Remove the things that you are planning on taking with you. You might want to think about these things:

Window Treatments
Packed Boxes
Lighting fixtures

Open all the curtains or blinds to let the sunshine in. Dark houses can appear “lonely”, which is why brighter house sell more.

Renovate, Replace, or Repair

It is important to have everything repaired or replaced before you even accept potential buyers in. Paint the walls if needed, including the front and garage door. Replace the light bulbs, as well as the rusty light fixtures.

Take out worn out furniture and replace those with new ones. Have a professional fix leaky faucets and fixtures, broken locks, doors, drawers, sliders, screens, and faulty wirings.

Here’s a short list of everything else that you should do:

Clean the gas and oil burners
Keep the furniture dust-free
Mop the floors to keep it looking shiny and new
Vacuum the carpets and remove the stains. Replace the rugs and window coverings
Give your windows a good wash
For enclosed spaces, crack the windows and doors open and keep the fresh air in. Spray air fresheners or light some scented candles to keep it smelling good.
Clear any cobwebs and replace the welcome mat
Replace every shingle bed sheet, furniture cover, blankets and bath towels
Mow the lawn and rake the leaves. If it’s snow season, plow the snow to keep the driveway clear
If you have extra time, plant some flowers in the garden
Trim overgrown bushes and hedges.

Stage 3

The stage 3 includes looking for potential buyers and arranging a deal with them.

Look for a Potential Buyer

Now that you have polished the whole house, it’s finally time to look for potential buyers! Make sure to arrange convenient times for the buyers. Having some time for weekends and some time for weekdays would be ideal.

If you can and you are comfortable with it, you can host an open house. Leave this to your realtor though, especially if you do not want to be put on the spot with questions from potential buyers. It’s also important to keep your house maintained and cleaned to attract customers.

Lastly, put a “For Sale” signage on your front lawn. You can also ask your realtor to hand out flyers and put some tarpaulins up somewhere crowded.

So, are you really ready to let go of your home? We wish you the best, may you find the best buyer! Good luck with your new house as well!

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