A ROADMAP TO SELLING YOUR HOME
Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Successful & Profitable Sale
Selling your home is a journey, and the more informed you are about what to do and expect, the more successful your home sale will be. Ideally, you want that journey to end with your property selling quickly and for the best price possible.
This roadmap will get you there. And please think of me as your expert guide along the way. If you have any questions, just ask.
STEP 1. GETTING READY FOR SUCCESS
The first step in the journey is to simply get started. Studies show that the earlier you begin the process of selling your home, the more successful you will be.
So where do you begin?
Start by educating yourself on how the selling process works. Getting the facts will demystify things, make it easier and less intimidating, and help ensure you make the right decisions.
The important thing is to get the ball rolling. Make the decision to list. Even if your planned move is months away, now is always the best time to begin. And remember. You don’t have to go at it alone. Your home is probably the biggest asset you will ever sell, and the most complicated. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do everything yourself. Talk to a good agent.
STEP 2. WORKING WITH THE RIGHT AGENT
Most sellers use a real estate agent. And for good reason! A skilled agent can ensure your home sells quickly and for the best price, while making the entire process much easier for you.
Consider this:
Pricing is a real art. The biggest factor in determining how quickly your home sells is the price, and deciding that price is trickier than it seems. It takes experience and even 1% more for your home can mean thousands to your bottom line.
Negotiating is hard. Not just hard to do, but it can feel uncomfortable. If you want someone to negotiate fearlessly on your behalf, you need an agent.
Marketing today is much more than MLS®. To get the most for your home, you need qualified buyers to see it. That requires an agent who knows how to create a marketing plan to get as many qualified buyers as possible to find out about and view your property.
Showings are a pain. Showing your own home is not only a huge inconvenience to you, it’s important to know that most buyers feel uncomfortable viewing a home with the homeowner present.
Paperwork takes expertise. If you think doing your own taxes is a challenge, try navigating the paperwork for a real estate transaction! It takes experience and expertise to make sure everything is done correctly.
Need Help?
Choosing the right agent is an important decision. Contact me any time to ask questions or set up a get-acquainted meeting.
STEP 3. PRICE SMART
Setting the list price of your home is an art. Too low and you leave money on the table — perhaps thousands. Too high and you scare away buyers — perhaps forever.
To complicate this, your home is an emotional asset. It’s hard to see it objectively, as a “product” for sale. Finding the optimal price requires a combination of expertise, analysis, and old-fashioned street smarts.
Great agents are incredibly savvy at setting a price that maximizes the price and minimizes the time it takes to sell.
In fact, pricing is something agents spend their careers mastering. They combine intimate local and national market knowledge, an exhaustive study of similar homes for sale, and an analysis of past sales to arrive at the optimal list price.
And then they combine that with your unique needs to pick a price that fits you. It’s no easy task, but it’s a critical one. Pricing your home right the first time results in more showings, more offers and ultimately the highest price for you home. If you want to get as much for your home as possible within a reasonable time frame, you need to get the price right.
Need Help?
Want to find out what your home will likely sell for on today’s market? Contact me to request a free home evaluation.
STEP 4. PREPARING TO WOW BUYERS
Once you have set the price, your next step in the journey is preparing your property so that it looks attractive to buyers. Ideally, you want your home to look like a showcase. This is more important than you might think. REALTORS® repeatedly find that people can’t visualize the potential of a home. They have to see it. That means that how your home shows — today — is how people see themselves in it. They can’t see past the chips, leaks, clutter and stains. In fact, they tend to focus even more on those things.
Need Help?
I would be happy to help give you a few staging tips and ideas. Reach out any time. 250-575-6038
STEP 5. GETTING THE WORD OUT
Now that you have made your property look its best, you want as many qualified buyers as possible to see it. In other words, you want to get the word out. To everyone.
These days, marketing requires more than an MLS® listing and lawn sign. You need a strategic action plan to promote your listing so that all the right buyers find out about it, get excited about it, and — most importantly — come to see it.
Homes that sell fast tend and for the most money tend to use a combination of marketing strategies including: Professional Photos, Property Websites, Social Media Marketing, Open Houses and Print Advertising. Your agent can prepare a customized marketing plan designed to reach as many potential buyers as possible.
Need Help?
Want some initial ideas on how to get qualified buyers flocking to see your home? I can help. Get in touch.
STEP 6. SHOWING IT OFF
At this stage in the journey, it’s getting exciting! You have qualified buyers coming to see your property. One or more may fall in love with your home and make an offer.
How do you turn lookers into buyers? Follow these guidelines:
Don’t be there. Buyers want to feel free to look around and discuss your home candidly. That’s why, according to the research, they prefer to see a home with an agent rather than the homeowner. If you’re at home during a showing, buyers may not feel comfortable viewing your property thoroughly and, as a result, not come to appreciate all your property has to offer. So go for a walk, have lunch out, anything. Just be away when a buyer sees your home.
Be flexible when scheduling. Restricting viewings to “Saturdays 3-6” will seriously limit the number of buyers able to see your home. Yes, showings can sometimes be a pain, but the potential is getting an offer. So be flexible. Schedule viewings as often as possible. Also, be willing to have a buyer see your home on short notice. (They are often the most eager to buy.)
Make your home inviting. Ever notice how model homes are always neat and tidy — and never have closed doors! That’s because the more inviting a home is the more likely the buyer is to make an offer.
You don’t have to do much to prepare. Make sure your home is clean. Put away personal items like family pictures (that way a buyer can imagine themselves living there.) Leave lights on and open curtains and blinds, where appropriate. Make sure pets are cordoned off or, better still, take them out. And don’t forget the yard. Cut the grass, trim the hedges, and sweep the walkway. Often, buyers will form an initial “good or bad” impression by the time they have entered your front door.
Have helpful information available. These include property brochures, floor plans and contact information. If you are selling your home in the winter, summer pictures help buyers visualize how great your home looks in the sunshine. Got a great neighbourhood? A list of area features — parks, schools, running paths — will give buyers a clearer picture.
Need Help?
If you would like some practical ideas for making your viewings more successful, give me a call anytime. 250-575-6038
STEP 7. NEGOTIATIONS
When you get an offer — or ideally multiple offers — you are this close to selling your home. But, as they say, close only counts in horseshoes! Skilled negotiation is required to ensure that the deal is made for the highest price possible, with ideal terms and conditions.
Negotiating is a skillset that is difficult to master. That is why it is important that you have a skilled agent handle this for you — someone who works in your best interests. Chances are, an offer will be higher or lower than your asking price. Don’t be concerned or offended. It’s normal. In fact, the best way to think about an offer is as a starting point to a conversation. The buyer is interested. They have proposed a price. The conversation has begun.
Once you agree on the terms of the sale, the buyer provides a deposit cheque to be held in trust until conditions are met and title has transferred. The conditions usually have a set time for removal, and usually include things like a home inspection and financing.
Once the conditions are met, the buyer signs a waiver and the deal becomes firm and just waits on the closing date.
Need Help?
It’s important not to underestimate the power of a skilled negotiator. If you have any questions about the process, I’m here to help. Call or text 250-575-6038
STEP 8. WRAPPING UP THE DETAILS
Once the deal is made, your journey isn’t over. There is still paperwork to be done and calculations to be made. If you are working with a great agent, they will handle all those details for you, and ensure everything is done properly, including coordinating with your real estate lawyer.
So although there are many t’s to cross and i’s to dot, a great agent will take care of those details. What a load off your shoulders!
Need help?
Step-by-step, I stay by my seller’s side to ensure everything goes smoothly before, during and long after the sale. To learn more about my approach to working with clients, give me a call. 250-575-6038
AN EXPERT BY YOUR SIDE
As you have discovered, selling your home can be an exciting and rewarding journey — if you do the right things.
That’s where I can help. If you would like to discuss selling your home, please feel free to give me a call. I will provide you with a complimentary market evaluation (so you know what your home will sell for on today’s market), and answer any other questions you have.
By the way, by having this initial conversation you are under no obligation to hire me as your REALTOR®. So let's talk. Find out how you can sell your home quickly and for the best price possible.
