Selling Tips
So, you’ve decided to make a move!
My goal is to make the process of selling your home a smoother one. By counseling and guiding you through the fundamentals of selling your home, pricing your home, showing your home and reviewing the benefits of open houses, virtual tours, and other well established marketing tools; we will design and personalize the most effective marketing plan suited to your needs and your lifestyle. I’ll ensure that any decisions you make are informed ones.
The relationship you have with your sales representative is an important one. Your real-estate agent must understand your needs and interpret them into the successful sale of your home. You don’t have to love your sales representative on a personal level but you do have to be confident in their abilities, trust in their skills, and rely on their knowledge of the market trends in your area.
Are you Buying or Selling first?
Do you already have a home and you’re not sure whether to buy or sell first? The following guide might help you decide:
Buying First
Advantages:
You know where you are going to move to
Disadvantages:
The stress of potentially having to close on the one you’ve bought without have the one you own sold first.
You may be more likely to sell for less than you should because of the stress of having to have the money to close on the one you’ve bought (seller’s are known to take 10’s of thousands of dollars less when they know they have to sell… you’re in a weaker position).
You may have to spend money to bridge finance (bridging can only be done if your property is sold and all conditions have been waived).
Selling First
Advantages:
You know how much money you have to spend on a new home.
You don’t have to sell unless you get a price that is agreeable to you.
You can have a long closing so that you have to buy on the other end (90–120 days closings aren’t unusual and they say if you can’t find a home in 3 months then you may have unreasonable expectations of the market)
You don’t have to stress about money.
Disadvantages:
Finding a home in time to make sure your closing dates line up.
You may have to rent a condo/house for a short time.
Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home
Mistake #1:
Choosing an asking price based on your needs or emotions instead of market value.
If your home is not priced competitively, buyers will overlook it in favor of a comparable home for a lower price. Sellers often believe that setting a higher price for their home leaves room for negotiating. In reality, they often never get the opportunity to negotiate. Buyers rarely offer on overpriced homes. It’s better to get ten offers and turn them all down then to never get an offer at all.
Mistake #2:
Not “Showcasing” your property.
To achieve top dollar for your home, it’s important that it look its best. The property must be neat and orderly, clean and bright. Necessary repairs must be completed prior to listing the home for sale. Buyers are poor judges of home repair costs, even if they feel that the minor repairs will not cost them too much money, they may view the small areas of disrepair as signs of future problems.
Mistake #3:
Over-improving the property may be just as costly as not improving it enough.
Certain improvements are prudent and will increase the value of your property. However, there are also many costly improvements that cannot be recouped. Try to keep in mind that any repairs and improvements should increase the property’s value over and above their costs.
Mistake #4
Showing Buyers around the property yourself is never a good idea.
The decision to buy a property is very personal and emotional and Buyers like to imagine themselves living in the home during a viewing. If the Seller is present during the showings, it could make the Buyer feel uncomfortable, as if they are intruding on the Seller’s space, thereby impeding the sales process.
Mistake #5:
Viewing the first offer as only one of many can be a very costly mistake.
Each offer warrants serious consideration. It is important to take advantage of the momentum gained in the early stages of the marketing period and it’s a proven fact that the amount of money that buyers are willing to pay for a home is inversely proportionate to the length of time that a property is on the market.
Mistake #6:
Not knowing what your rights and obligations are.
It is important to have a thorough understanding of the agreements and contracts that you sign. Any agreement that you commit to by signing is legally binding and therefore must be read very carefully. Ask your sale representative for copies of any contracts in advance of an offer presentation so that you are able to make informed decisions when necessary.