With winter around the corner and being the busiest time for real estate, homeowners are arranging to put their property on the real estate market but sellers shouldn’t wait until the roads are full of white snow before getting ready to sell. Thinking ahead and having a few months to prepare can make for a smoother selling experience. If you’re an expecting home seller, here are 5 simple things you can do now to get ready for the cold weather sale.
Go Pack!
This may sound a bit bizarre to some but packing ahead of time will definitely save you time but since you’ll eventually need to do this anyway, you might as well coordinate now. We are not suggesting you pack the essentials like you every work uniform, kids’ toys, eating utensils but you can sort through your closets, storage bins, garage to determine what you should keep, what you should donate and what to sell. Cleaning cluttered areas and boxing up items will make your house look much larger and neater when it’s time to show your home. Another great idea is to rent a storage facility (if needed) while your home is on the market.
Clean up all Clutter
Every time you go to an open house and or model homes you will never see clutter, children’s toys, and dirty laundry in the hamper. While everyone has clutter, buyers want to see how your house looks at its best, in which they can envision living. One important thing to remember is that once your home is on the market you’ll need to keep it as clean as possible. An easy way to make it easier is to reduce the amount of clutter you have on your shelves and surfaces. Put away the items you use on the regular, clean your floors and pack away the decorations that gather dust.
Enhance Your Home
Most likely you don’t want to do expensive unnecessary renovations projects right before you sell, you can make minor repairs and improvements that will make your house look more appealing and up-to-date to buyers. Try things, such as replacing old sink faucets with new ones, clean and remove old mold and water build up. Consider painting or replacing your front and back door, trim overgrown grass and edges. Simple things like this will make your home look fresh and more appealing.
Interview Realtors
Remember, your choice of a listing agent will greatly make a difference in how quickly your house sells and how much of a profit you’ll realize. Get a few recommendations from family, friends and interview different listing agents to see which ones have the right experience with similar homes in your price range and area. A realtor agent with a fantastic marketing plan and deep local understanding are exceptionally important. Realtors will tell you what you want to hear so remember to don’t just go with the one who tells you they can sell for the highest price, the smart thing to do is to choose someone who can present you with a detailed market analysis.
Explore Your Market
Another thing to think about is if you’re planning to buy another home, an important decision to make is whether to sell your home first or make an offer on a new home before putting yours on the real estate market. A realtor that has experience and knows what he is doing can help you evaluate how fast homes are selling in your market, and help you estimate how long it will take you to find a new home. Your finances also play a big part in these decisions, so you may want to consult with a lender to see how you can finance the transaction from one home to another if you choose not to sell your home first so be patient.
Finding a good real estate realtor doesn’t have to be difficult, doing a bit of research goes a long way. Remember to do your homework on the realtor first to save time and money.
