My initial consultation with my agent, Will, also helped to clarify a list of final to-do’s I needed to scratch off before officially listing the home.
Now for the five most important things to do before listing your home: two of these are important questions to ask before you select a realtor, and the final three are mantras to repeat to yourself every day as you prep your home for listing photos and (ultimately) showings to prospective buyers.
1. ASK YOURSELF: CAN WE BE HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER?
That crash course in a real estate education means I have a very clear idea of what the market is like, what my financial bottom line is, and a super specific timeline for when I’d like to make it all happen. Will made me feel comfortable voicing these opinions directly and not beating around the bush.
And the simple truth is you should be honest with your realtor. Literally, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS are on the line. If you feel uncomfortable with your agent, find someone else you do feel comfortable partnering with.
2. ASK YOURSELF: ARE THEY SUPER RESPONSIVE AND COMMUNICATIVE?
Your realtor can make you feel like Beyoncé at the Super Bowl when you meet, but if they aren’t timely with answering emails, questions, and phone calls, this is a bad sign.
When I was buying my home, I used a real estate agent someone had referred to me. I’m not kidding when I say that I met her at closing. I looked in-person at about ten homes, across three separate showing appointments. Every time she would be busy and would send her husband to do the showing. He was married to the realtor and knew a thing or two, but it felt more like I was picking a home to buy and not that someone was helping me find a great fit.
3. TELL YOURSELF: FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING
Most of my focus has been on renovating the interior of my home. Other than the front door makeover, I’ve done zero to amp up the “curb appeal” of my home. I mowed the lawn and trimmed the hedges, but that was about it.
One big point Will drove home to me was that first impressions are everything. If the interior of the house is great, it really matters to carry that through to the outside.
So I painted my stoop, trimmed the bushes down, added the flowerbeds, put up a cute new mailbox and pressure washed the outside. At first acquainting myself with yard work was annoying, but the finished product really does make the house “pop” from the street. Here’s a quick photo progression of what the house looked like when I bought, after I painted the door, and now that it is ready for sale:
4. TELL YOURSELF: A LITTLE LIPSTICK NEVER HURT ANYONE
I’ve shelled out close to $2500 in the last four weeks alone getting my home up to snuff, and that was with me calling in favors, using all my discounts, and doing a lot of the work myself.
One at a time those “lipstick” projects, like new faucets, light fixtures, hardware and a new kitchen backsplash, felt futile – but in total they’ve really elevated the look and feel of my home.
And then I realized that you need a successful makeover – especially if you want to attract a high-end buyer, or sell quickly. The more you can do to make your home “sparkle” (as Will says), the more successful you will be.
5. TELL YOURSELF: YOU ARE SELLING TO YOUR NITPICKIEST FRIEND
Some of the money I spent upgrading the home had nothing to do with cosmetic touches, and more to do with fixing annoying little things that I know a buyer (particularly if they are a first-time buyer) wouldn’t want to deal with. These changes made the home truly “turn-key” ready.
I framed in a bunch of old ductwork, added a new floor in an awful, smelly closet, built-in new attic access doors and put up sheetrock in parts of the basement. Not exactly the stuff “oohs and ahs” are made of, but important nonetheless.
Even low-key sellers who don’t mind a little handiwork will appreciate your diligence.
Read the full post in http://www. Lbee And The Money Tree
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