The home selling process can be overwhelming—after all, there are many different aspects and steps to consider even before the home goes on the market. Because the process can be so hectic, it’s easy to forget some important steps early on in the process. Here are three of the most important.
1. Research Your Own Home
Many sellers don’t think to Google their own address before a sale. Try checking out the information about your property that already exists online. This information will most likely be viewed by prospective buyers during their own internet searches.
For example, does the estimated value of the home look very different from the current asking price? Many buyers see these price discrepancies as a red flag. However, it’s also possible that tax records contain incorrect information about the home’s number of bedrooms or bathrooms. This easily corrected issue could be severely skewing the estimated value. Similarly, if you discover that Google’s street view is out of date and doesn’t show some important updates regarding your home, make sure you describe these changes in the listing.
2. Research Your Realtor
Before hiring a real estate agent, sellers should practice their due diligence to request and check references. Unfortunately, if a real estate agent isn’t able to perform their job like you’d expected, or if they engage in unethical or otherwise poor behavior, they can cost the seller both time and money. This loss could have been avoided if the seller did their due diligence and checked their agent’s references. In addition, you should always confirm that your agent has an up-to-date real estate license, and that they don’t currently have complaints filed against them.
Be Upfront With Buyers
Sellers should remember to inform buyers about any issues they’ve faced with the home, even if those problems have long since been repaired. For example, if you had to deal with water damage at any point while owning the home, make sure that prospective buyers are aware of this. The same logic applies to flooding, chimney fires, and more.
If you’d like to learn more about selling a home with ease, reach out to us for more information.