What You Really Have To Do To Sell That Home

First the good news – the market is getting better, and it will be easier to sell that house. Now the bad news. You will probably still have a hard time moving that home if you don’t follow certain steps.

De-clutter

As you might expect, we’re going to tell you one of those things you hear all the time – clear the clutter for a faster sale. And while you should obviously clean the house before a showing, we’re talking about the emotional clutter so often associated with a home. Yes, you’re going to have many memories that happened in that home, but unless you can put this aside, it can hamper you from showing your home, or moving through the stages of selling a home. Subconsciously, you may not be ready to leave those memories behind. Determine for certain that you’re emotionally ready to let go, and you’ll do a much better job of following through with all of the necessary steps to sell your home.

Worth It

Determine what your house is really worth. Unless you’re in a seller’s market, pricing your home way above the market’s selling price will drive away offers you might get at actual market price. Again, we go back to emotional attachments. Just because your home has an English garden you love doesn't make it more valuable than your neighbor’s house with a simple back yard. If anything, it might even be a detriment to people who will have to re-landscape the area to suit their tastes. To see what Listed vs. Sold pricing looks like in your zip code, you can always find market analysis on your agent’s site. Research is always worth it.

De-clutter More

Now let’s talk clutter again. Your yard should look the part. It should be just as inviting as the interior of your home, which by now, you already know has to look good for a showing. Stand back and take a good look at the area as you approach it. It goes without saying that the toys in the yard need to be picked up, but does it look maintained? Are there worn paths, or obvious bare spots in the lawn? Are there dead or dying bushes? Do the bushes look over grown? If you answered yes to any of these, it’s time to act. Take a picture of the front lawn from different angles, and give them a critical review. Add greenery where it looks bare, and maintain the existing elements. In short, make it inviting. If need be, take your pics to a garden center to ask for recommendations.

Get the Picture

Get photos. Lots of photos. While you have your home cleaned and staged to perfection, get pictures from as many angles as possible. Get a wide angle lens, get on a ladder, and get the pics no one else has. If you have the means, hire a pro for your pictures, and get those photos - lots of them! The reason for this is that you aren't always going to be able to accommodate every viewing request; we know that, but having them on a web site can go a long way toward maintaining buyer interest when you can’t accommodate a last-minute viewing. 

That Uniqueness

Find the unique, and play it up. Every home has something about it that makes it special. Whether it’s that large, walk-in pantry, or unexpected spaciousness, there is something great about your home – or you wouldn't have bought it. Sometimes it’s outside the home. The school district may be amazing, or simply the neighborhood itself that makes the area a great place to live. Sit down and make a list of all the great things about your house, and it will make it easier to talk about when you’re showing your home. Uniqueness is there, you just have to look for it.

Find an Agent

Unlike other sales you can probably handle yourself, let’s face it, you call professionals to do technical jobs. Chances are good you don’t have a background in selling real estate. It takes certain resources, connections and availability to make the sale of a home nearly flawless. If you want to get more for your home, and you don’t know the intricacies of real estate sale, get an agent. Because there are lots more important steps in selling a home that go beyond this basic list, and your real estate agent is going to know them, this is probably one of the most important of those steps. Find your agent here: shafferrealtyllc.com 

7 Steps to finding your perfect home - in a great area!

While there are quite a few steps to find your perfect home in an ideal area, let’s look at the basics.  First, determine what you really want from the area you want to live in. The criteria for couples with children are going to be completely different from the needs of retiring singles. It should be noted that even if great scenery is plentiful in the area you chose, it makes no sense to move there if the area doesn’t have much else of interest to you. If you like 4 seasons, you probably don’t want to move to Florida. If you like to climb mountains in your spare time, you’re not going to be happy in the Kansas. That said, the first - and usually forgotten - step is always to determine what you expect to from an area.

Lists are absolutely important

Go so far as to sit down and create a ranked list of the activities you want available. This exercise allows you to determine what’s downright necessary to live in a particular area vs. what’s simply nice to have. You should also note that each upside can have a downside. If you want to live in the city, you get to tolerate traffic. Rural living, while usually less expensive, will take you away from essential services and requires a longer commute. Be specific. If you’re too general, you’ll have to live with the consequences. “Great views” is way too general when you actually mean “river views.” It’s now time to look over that extensive list and rank them with a number for must haves vs. niceties.

With that done, let’s make a list of what you would have to have in your home before you’ll move there. Some folks have to have a mud/laundry room. Others require a walk-in closet, or wine storage. Again, you’ll need to be specific; if you need a space to build out a home brewery, this is the place to list it. Now, just as we did before, pare it down to what you can’t do without.

How much home can you really afford?

OK, you've done the fun part of this exercise; now let’s get down to the hard part. Before you so much as step out the door to look at a home, find a lender and see how much you can actually afford before you go hunting. It’s never a happy moment when you discover that perfect home that meets all of your criteria, and you think it’s what you can afford - but your lender disagrees. Avoid this whole situation by doing a pre-qualification, or go through the complete lender qualification process. This will save you from broken dreams.

Use your connections

Whether on your desktop, tablet or phone; your internet connections can make your home hunting so much easier. Unless you just really like driving, you no longer have to go from neighborhood to neighborhood looking for those elusive open house signs. There are any number of places to see a home on the net. If you already have an agent, use their site to look for homes that match your criteria. Compare the properties you want to see to their list of open houses for the week. Your life just got so much easier.

Spend some time

Once you go through the qualification process (you did do this, right?), you’ll want to spend time in the neighborhood you intend on moving into. Drive through it at different times, and see what happens there during different hours. Get out of the car and just listen. You’ll be surprised at the difference between the morning and evening hours. Don’t be shy. If you see neighbors out, tell them about your intended move, and ask them about their area. Nobody knows a neighborhood like the people who live there.

Time for a vacation

If you’re moving to distant location, and you have time, vacation there first. You shouldn't be surprised at the difference between the travel brochures and the reality of a location. As we said above, spend some time in your intended neighborhoods. It will seem like a working vacation, but this is where you’re going to live for a period of time. If you’re still excited about an area after you've spent time there, you could be well on your way to a great experience.

Experience matters

Choose an experienced, local agent. You may already have an agent where you live now, but you need “boots on the ground” in the area you want to live. Find your local agent there, and you’re a step ahead of the game. They’ll know the big picture about the area you want to move to, as well as the nuances only locals know about. Your new agent will want to know about your needs, which is the reason all that work above is necessary. You will now be able to talk about, or send, your requirements and qualifications to your agent in a prepared manner. This alone should take some angst out of finding a new home. Again, don’t be shy. Ask questions; ask for references. They expect this, and should be happy to answer your questions.

Come see us

If you've managed to read this far, chances are good you are seriously considering a move. That’s where we come in. Our website is easy to use, and has links you need for finding an agent, pre-qualifying, or finding a lender. If you’re not there already, just drop by www.Shafferrealtyllc.com to see what we do to help make your search easier. If you’re in the area on vacation, please feel free to stop by at 582 Lynnhaven Pkwy, 4th Floor, VirginiaBeach, VA 23452. We can help  - every step of the way.