Selling your home is a major decision, and it involves a lot of preparation. A home selling checklist can help you in preparing for the sale so you can get the best deal for your property. Read on to know the things you must include in your checklist.
Know What The Property’s Worth
This is the most important element of any property selling checklist, and there are two ways you can go about it. You can either rely on a real estate agent, or you can go down the DIY route to figure out how much your property’s worth. If you’re opting for the latter, you need to take the following into consideration.
Equity Determination
Calculate the amount of your personal investment in your house by reducing the total of your mortgage balance and/or liens from the fair market value you estimated via your market comparison analysis. What is the significance of this at this stage? Any closing expenses or fees will be deducted from your equity when your house is sold, leaving you with your real profit.
Location
You already know where your neighborhood ends and what houses are comparable to yours. Sources like Redfin and Zillow, which include For Sale By Owner listings, previously sold properties, and other items for comparison, should give you a fair idea of how much you should ask for from buyers. Don’t forget to use the maps to find neighborhoods that are comparable to yours – don’t be afraid to drive about while you’re researching. Another excellent strategy to get information before the listing is to attend open houses.
Condition Of The Property
You could be in luck if you live in an area where most properties are sold with an extra bedroom or a kitchen that needs to be upgraded. Getting ahead of the curve is one method to get more money up front – or you might leave it to the next owner who would ask for less. House inspections before to listing are a sensible way to avoid unpleasant surprises. This way, any problems you’re unaware of may be rectified before they become a problem – and it’s a great way to show potential buyers that you’re serious about selling.
The Real Estate Market
The real estate market varies greatly depending on the geography and city. One-size-fits-all advice, like “Sell in the Spring!” may not be applicable in your location. Keep in mind that emerging sectors, local incentives, and other factors might have an impact on purchasing decisions. If you’ve noticed a lot of “For Sale” signs lately, it’s worth looking into what’s driving the market.
Get Your Finances In Order
After you’ve determined how much your property is worth in its existing condition, it’s time to turn your attention towards your finances. You need to keep the following costs in mind:
- Repair costs: An experienced real estate agent can inspect your property and give you a fair estimate regarding the repair and renovation costs.
- Staging costs: Staging your property well can increase the appeal of your property to prospective buyers. You may need to buy new accessories or hire painting services.
- Title insurance costs: If title insurance is mandatory in your state, you will need to cover the title insurance of the buyer at the time of closing.
- Mortgage payoff costs: These costs are for paying off your mortgage balance along with document preparation fees and other associated charges.
Prepare The Property For Staging
To prepare your property for staging, you’ll need to consider the following aspects.
Repairs
If you have put in time and effort to maintain your property, you probably won’t need to spend too much money on repairs. However, if there are structural issues, you should get them sorted before the staging. Take a close look at every nook and corner of the property to see if there’s anything that prospective buyers may view negatively.
Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the first impression that a potential buyer has of your property’s exterior. We recommend investing in painting and landscaping to increase curb appeal.
Deep Cleaning
Deep cleaning services can ensure that buyers aren’t able to pinpoint any dirty corners in the property. Even the slightest hint of dirt and uncleanliness can be dealt with through deep cleaning.
Photographer
A professional real estate photographer can capture images and videos of your property through the best angles. This will allow you to list your property on various listing websites with high-quality images and videos.
Show The Property
The last piece of advice on this home selling checklist involves the showing of the property to potential buyers. Remove all personal stuff from all family members to depersonalize. With a fresh slate, it’s simpler for potential buyers to visualize themselves living in your property. Fill your suitcase with as many photographs and other items as you can.
Another component of providing a blank slate for purchasers is fresh paint in a neutral hue. It’s also a simple approach to freshen up the whole house because it hides the signs of a full life!
Conclusion
Selling property should not be an inconvenience. Following a guided process can ease the stress and make it a good experience.
