Sellers Guide - realtorbspellman.com

Home Sellers Guide

There are numerous reasons why you need or want to sell your home. Whether you’ve been down this road before, or it’s your first time selling, this guide can help relieve some anxiety, and help allow you to focus and enjoy the other side more, buying your next home!

First Steps...

Find a Realtor®

Find the right Realtor®, the one that you feel most comfortable working with. You'll be communicating with this person a lot, so you want someone you click with since you are hiring them. We all have access to the same information used to research and price homes, don't over think/analyze this step, you should hire someone who is in the general area and familiar with the city or town, having a realtor from the city/town/neighborhood will not help your home sell for more $, that's just a sales pitch, every realtor helps people buy and sell homes outside of their hometown.

Price/Comps

A good Realtor® will show you the data and explain what the market is saying, it's always changing. The market dictates the price of your home. Correctly pricing a home is extremely important, traditionally a home sells in less than 30 days if priced correctly. Once it goes stale, there's no telling where the bottom could be. However, there are some exceptions.

Listing & Descriptions

Most people are looking online, as are their agents. Listing in MLS will give you the most exposure. It's good to provide useful information and highlight your homes best features. Examples: if you have a septic, get it inspected, mention when ceiling are over 8 ft tall, talk about a room/s more than usual natural light if applicable, recent updates to the home, etc.

Pictures & Video

It's a digital age, as mentioned before most if not all people looking for homes (especially in the northeast) are looking online first....which is why good photos very important. Videos aren't just for the luxury homes anymore, they help create demand and can sometimes show your home better than photos can.

7 easy ways to prep your home to sell

1

Make as many minor repairs as possible

2

Decide if any major repairs need to be made.

3

Improve curb appeal outdoors (ex: landscaping, missing shutters, faded house number, etc)

4

Deep clean your home (ex: wash walls, mop/vacuum floors, dust and/or paint ceiling if needed, clean or replace light fixtures, take care of any lingering smell, etc)

5

Clean your windows (both sides!)

6

Declutter and depersonalize your space (within reason)

7

Neutralize the décor if possible

You may uncover some surprising issues that will discourage or disappoint you, better to find out ahead of time rather than from a buyers inspection. There are times when not everything can be addressed, which is totally fine. You’ll save money and aggravation by being proactive in discussing a plan with your realtor.

Items buyers may try to negotiate

- - - - Home price
        Repairs related to inspection
        Possession or closing date
        Cosmetic updates
        Furnishings
        Household items
        Home warranty premiums
        Percentage of closing costs
        Mortgage loan points

Tips for counteroffers

- - - Don’t be emotional
    - Be realistic
    - Don’t be afraid to get creative
    - Be sure you understand contingency clauses
    - Work with your realtor, that’s why they’re there

Closing Day Reminders

Change of address with subscriptions, credit cards, etc...
Set up mail forwarding
Collect manuals and warranties (leave them out for buyers to see during walkthrough)
Leave all spare keys and garage door openers if applicable
Take your name off all utilities effective the closing date
Bring 1 set of keys to the closing
Leave proof of repairs out where buyers can see it during the walkthrough (if applicable)