Being a first-time home seller can be exhausting, especially if you want to maximize your house's purchase price. Fortunately, we're here to help you understand what it takes to succeed as a home seller, regardless of the real estate market's conditions.
Here are three factors that every first-time home seller needs to consider before adding his or her house to the real estate market:
1. Your Home's Condition
You've completed many home improvement projects over the years, and as such, you may have boosted the value of your house. However, despite these improvements, there may be a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure you're able to generate plenty of interest in your residence among prospective homebuyers.
Getting a home appraisal often serves as a great first step on the home selling journey. A home appraiser will be able to give you a better idea about your house's worth as well as potential areas of improvement.
As a home seller, you'll need to consider the value of any repairs you complete. Ultimately, a home improvement project may help you boost the value of your house, but it also may mean that it takes longer for you to add your house to the real estate market.
Consider the pros and cons of home improvement projects. And if you need extra support, be sure to consult with an experienced real estate agent.
2. Your Home's Price
Are you selling your residence in a seller's or buyer's market? Ideally, you'll want to be able to offer your house in a seller's market, i.e. a period in which there are more homebuyers than home sellers.
Conversely, even if you're selling your house in a buyer's market (a market that includes more home sellers than homebuyers), you may be able to make your house more attractive to potential buyers if you offer a competitive price.
Look at what similar homes in your area have sold for over the past few months. Also, be sure to work with a real estate agent who can provide insights into home selling and homebuying trends in your area. By doing so, you'll be better equipped to list your house for a fair price and improve your chances of a fast sale.
3. Your Post-Sale Plans
If a homebuyer makes an offer on your residence that exceeds your expectations, how will you proceed?
You'll need to consider your post-sale plans, as this will ensure that you're ready for any home selling scenario that comes your way.
You may want to de-clutter your home as much as possible to make it easier to finalize a sale and relocate to a new address. In addition, you should try to work with a real estate agent who can help you sell your current home and find a new one that meets your needs going forward.
Just because you're a first-time home seller doesn't mean you can't prepare like a pro. Consider the aforementioned home selling factors, and you may be able to improve your chances of optimizing the price of your home and speeding up the home selling process.About the Author
Ann Hayward
Born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs, Ann Hayward got her Pennsylvania real estate license at age 18 even before going to college. This second-generation real estate professional followed in the footsteps of her father and two uncles, inheriting their passion for the business. Licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Ann is accomplished in her career, with numerous designations including SFR, SRES, PSA, WHC, and multiunit Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) from the National Development Council. She specializes in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, all jurisdictions where Ann has lived and knows very well. In addition to her professional expertise, she owns and manages personal investment property, understands and has been involved in the renovation/remodeling process, and has great resources which she shares with clients. When you hire Ann to represent you, she will make your buying or selling experience an enjoyable, rewarding one. Her compassion, sensitivity to her clients’ needs, eye for detail, and ability to see the big picture when guiding you through a purchase or sale are unique assets that will ensure your success. A diverse and relevant background also gives Ann a distinct edge. For 30 years, she worked in fast-paced, high-pressure television and theatrical production, attaining the highest achievement – DGA membership as a Director, and as an award-winning staff and freelance writer. Her keen audio visual skills and design sense benefit sellers in marketing their properties, and are invaluable in helping buyers see the potential of space. A true renaissance woman, Ann was also an income tax professional and office manager for H&R Block, so she thoroughly understands the tax and financial implications of acquiring and selling real estate. Her superior organizational skills are further evidenced as owner of a downsizing/professional organizing business, Managed For You, which allows her to connect with everyone from millennials to boomers and seniors, whether for small space planning or assisting with major decluttering and transitioning. Ann holds an AB in American History from Simmons College, Boston, plus attended Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration where she was a candidate for Doctorate. She additionally studied Film Direction at the American Film Institute in LA, and was a Stanford University post-graduate Professional Journalism Fellow. Personally, Ann is an avid if not very good golfer, and the co-founder of a nonprofit 501c3 organization offering educational guidance, tutoring and counseling for youngsters from elementary school through college admission. She sits on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational film production corporation as well. (202) 494-6252 [email protected]