Selling a home can be daunting and intimidating, and many people often wish they had a guide to follow. From preparing, pricing, and listing your home, there are many small tasks you may need guidance for. If you are located in the Tampa Bay area and want home-selling tips, this is the ultimate guide from Jason McIntosh for selling your home.
Prepare your home: cleaning, upgrades, renovations
Most sellers start their journey by assessing necessary repairs, upgrades, and cleaning. By now, you have likely decided you are selling your home and are preparing for it to be seen by potential buyers. Cleaning an entire home can be overwhelming, so it is beneficial to make a list of what to clean and update as you go. It is essential to deep clean the home, focusing on certain areas of your house at a time. Once you have finished a surface-level cleaning of the home, focus on deep cleaning the carpet and other flooring, appliances, walls, and cabinets.
After deep cleaning your home, you will probably notice a few upgrades and repairs that are necessary before selling. Completing minor repairs and upgrades can potentially increase the value of your home and sometimes give you more selling power. It is important to keep in mind the difference between repairs and upgrades and when they are necessary, as upgrades increase a home’s value and repairs prevent a decrease in value. Common renovations include appliances, flooring, doors, safety features, and landscaping. Necessary upgrades are ultimately up to the homeowner, but it is important to consider what potential buyers will see and what could potentially affect the home’s value.
Choose your selling strategy
Deciding on a selling strategy before listing your home is a very important step and ultimately depends on preference. The two most common ways of selling a home are through a real estate agent or through listing for sale by owner (FSBO). This decision depends on a seller’s knowledge and experience with real estate, but it is encouraged to work with a real estate agent.
Listing a home for sale by owner can benefit sellers who already have a buyer in mind and want to sell quickly, but that is only the case for some sellers. Many people hire an agent they trust for their expertise and experience throughout the process, as many unique situations can arise that an agent will know how to handle best. Agents also typically list at higher prices and know how to submit necessary paperwork timely and properly. The benefits of hiring an experienced broker far outweigh commission fees as they understand legal risks, can dedicate time to showing your home, and weed out unqualified buyers.
Home inspection and appraisal
Once you have thoroughly cleaned your home, possibly renovated it, and hired an agent, you can have a home inspection and appraisal completed. It is important to complete any repairs before this so the home can pass inspection and any outstanding repairs can be made before closing. Inspections can also be done after finding a buyer, but doing so before will make the closing process fast and seamless. Once all repairs are finished, and the home is inspected, your home can be appraised. It is important to have an agent during this process because they will have an understanding of the local market and can vouch for you.
Time your sale and decide on the listing price
Timing the sale of your home impacts how quickly your home will sell, and you should consider an ideal timeline for moving. Sellers should typically expect to close on their home about a month after listing it, but that can vary depending on the area and how competitive the market is. Sellers should realistically list their home when they have somewhere to move and can vacate the house relatively soon.
Deciding the listing price is the last major decision to make before officially listing your home for sale. During this process, you and your real estate agent should agree on what the home is worth and what it can sell for relative to the local housing market. They can also run a comparative market analysis to estimate the worth of your home based on physical properties and nearby real estate.
Stage your home
Now that you have listed your home and agreed upon a desired sale price, you can prepare it for showings to potential buyers. Staging your home is optional but a great way to prepare the space for showings and make it look as appealing as possible. Staged homes typically sell faster, allowing potential buyers to visualize themselves and build an emotional connection to the home. This process typically involves swapping your furniture and decorations for neutral alternatives that many buyers can be drawn to. Typically photographers capture your home while staged as well, so the photos can be used for online listings.
Schedule showings
The last step in your selling journey is to be open to showings for interested buyers and consider leaving while the showings take place. Your real estate agent will likely take care of scheduling these showings and providing information to buyers. Buyers may want few people there aside from your agent, so they can get a feel for your home and make an honest assessment of it. It won’t take long for the right buyer to take interest in your home, especially with an open schedule and a great real estate agent.
Selling a home is a lengthy and nuanced process, but this advice can help you throughout it. Following these steps and working with a trusted agent will make the process less intimidating and hopefully lead to a seamless sale. If you are interested in Tampa Bay houses for sale or seeking other home-selling tips, contact Jason McIntosh!