No matter how ready you are to move, selling your home can be a tremendous undertaking. Not only do you have to prepare your home for the real estate market, but you also have to prepare for where you are going to move next. Many homeowners will go through the process of buying and selling their homes at the same time, which can be overwhelming even for the most seasoned of homeowners. Before you begin the process of moving into your new home, you save to sell your current home. So how do you make sure everything goes smoothly? With a comprehensive seller's checklist, you can easily sell your home.
Remember why you are moving
A lot of preparation is associated with putting your home on the market. Not only do you have to make sure your home is presented in the best light, but chances are also that you are trying to do it while packing up your belongings and searching for your next home. When all of that feels overwhelming, you might find yourself second-guessing your reasons for leaving your current home.
Remember why you are moving. Even if you love your home, some aspects of living there do not align with your current or future lifestyle. For around
35% of homeowners, the two most popular reasons for selling were they wanted to be closer to friends and family (18%) or their current home was too small (17%). Regardless of the reasons why you are moving, keeping track of them will help you stay focused when everything else feels challenging and insurmountable.
Hire a local expert to sell your home
Once you have mentally prepared yourself for selling your property, another essential step is finding the right agent to
list your home. If you know someone in your inner circle who is a real estate agent–someone who is a family member, a close friend, or a neighbor–then working with them may be ideal since you already have an established relationship. If there is no one in your inner circle who is a realtor or who is an expert in selling homes in your area, then working with a local expert is the right call.
So how do you know what to look for in a listing agent, and how do you know whether or not they are the right person to sell your home? Here are some traits your listing agent should have:
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Proven, measurable success selling real estate in your neighborhood
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Years of industry experience
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Extensive knowledge of the local real estate market
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A targeted marketing plan for getting your home sold
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Strong communication skills, including reliable follow ups
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Keen negotiation skills
Once you find an agent that checks all those boxes, you and your agent can get together to figure out the best action for selling your home.
Essential steps for getting your home sold
Once you and your agent have signed a listing agreement, you and your agent will need to prepare the house for the real estate market. There are things your agent will do to prepare the home for the market, including hiring a professional home stager to stage the property, hiring professional photographers/videographers to highlight the home’s best features, and preparing the marketing materials to get your home ready to sell.
In turn, you will have to take steps to ensure the house is ready for showings. You and your agent will need to agree on showing times and how much notice buyers’ agents will need to provide prior to showings. While agents are aware sellers are living in their homes and cannot leave with little to no notice, sellers will need to be accommodating to some level. Allowing 24 hours notice for showings is recommended. This allows buyers to move on the home quickly if they are interested while giving sellers enough time to adjust their schedules as needed. As a seller, there are certain steps you need to take to prepare your home for sale, including:
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Finish small projects around the home prior to listing the property, ex: replacing broken blinds or outlet plates, tightening up loose hardware, checking to make sure all electrical outlets work, etc.
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Clean your home from top to bottom
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Eliminate any funky odors in the home
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Wash all windows, mirrors, and blinds
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Make sure all faucets are running properly
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Trim unruly hedges and overgrown lawns
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Remove any potential safety hazards
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Put away any personal items you don't want buyers to find
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Store money, jewelry, prescription drugs, or anything of value in a safe or store it somewhere buyers will not find it
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Put a fresh coat of paint on the walls to breathe new life into each room
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Put away any pet bowls or pet items during showings
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Remove any unnecessary clutter, especially from communal spaces, like the living room or kitchen
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Check for any water damage or other signs of structural damage to the property
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Keep all important documents in a safe location, especially birth certificates, social security cards, and other sensitive information
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Check all of the appliances to see if they are working
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Check your furnace, air conditioner, and HVAC system to make sure they are working properly
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Keep the house as clean as possible in between showings so that you are not scrambling to get it clean
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Keep the home at a comfortable temperature, especially during showings. Buyers don't like to stay in houses that are too hot or too cold
These are just some of the many things you will need to pay attention to in your home. While this is not an exhaustive list by any means, this will help you take inventory of your home. See your home through your prospective buyers’ eyes. Is your home in the best shape it can be? Is it ready for a brand-new owner? Once you are ready to sell your Palo Verdes Estates home, you should have offers coming in no time.
Are you ready to sell your home?
Rae Lord is your trusted source for all things Palo Verdes Estates real estate.
Contact Rae today for your free home valuation.
