If you’re following along with our “Sell Your House” series, then hopefully you’ve chosen a realtor to help you with this next step and on. Missed our Part 1? Catch up HERE.
There are three factors that have big impact on how fast a house sells: price, location, and condition. While you can’t change the location, you can change the condition (which ultimately affects price and will be discussed in our next post). A good realtor will do a thorough walk-through of your home and guide you in making repairs and upgrades to get the best price for your home in the current market.
Before this appointment with your realtor, it’s helpful to prepare a list of any maintenance work, improvements, or remodeling you’ve done as the homeowner. It’s easy to see the major remodeling done, but homeowners often overlook the smaller things done over the years such as regular HVAC check-ups or duct-work cleaning. Add to that list the age of different parts of your home – roof, furnace, air-conditioner, water heater, etc. As you’re completing your list, you’ll probably come across the owner’s manuals and warranty info for parts of your home. Gather them up into a folder or binder so they are ready for the next owner!
At the appointment with your realtor, you’ll explore your home top to bottom and inside and out, not only looking for areas of improvement, but also identifying your home’s best features (which will come in handy when it’s time to market your home – also to be discussed in a later post). It’s not often that we recommend clients make a big financial investment and instead focus on shining up what you already have – touch up paint, replace the hinge on the squeaky door, clean the carpets. While there are some upgrades you can do that will help make your house more appealing to buyers, very few offer a high return on investment. An honest conversation with your realtor about your motivation and timeline for making a move will help in determining where to invest your money when preparing your home for sale.
Email sellmyhouse@janeschmidthomes.com to get your FREE “Getting Your House in Top Selling Condition” checklist!
Ready for more? Find Part 3: Is the price right? here
