Seller Information

7 Steps to Selling your Home

So, you are ready to sell your home.  If this is the first time you’re selling a property or if it’s been a while since your last sale please read over the 7 Steps to Selling your Home.  It never hurts to review the process.

To ensure that you get the full market value for you home and to avoid many of the hassles involved with selling your home check out our Links to find the resources you need to make informed decisions. Finally, get prepared for your move.

A Schwind Realty Realtor can always assist you by saving you time and money throughout the process.  After all, selling homes is what we do best.

Get Your Home in Selling Shape

Schwind Realty Marketing Plan

7 Steps to Selling your Home

1. Pricing

2. Preparing your Property

3. Marketing Strategy

4. Receiving an Offer

5. Repairing your Property

6. Closing

7. Congratulations!

1. Pricing

It is important that you remain reasonable about the price you expect to receive for your home.  There are many factors to consider when setting the price.  It is important to find out what your home is worth, this can be done by taking into account the local market, the state of your home, and sales of comparable homes.  An appraiser can give you an objective opinion about the worth of your home.

Setting a reasonable price will ensure that your home will not remain on the market for too long.  By remaining on the market for too long buyers may assume that something is wrong with your home and you could possibly end up getting a less than realistic price.

An agent can create a comparative market analysis for you to review that takes into account market trends, the state of your home, and comparable sales.  The experience that an agent has will help you set the right asking price for your home.

2. Preparing your Property

Getting your home into showing/selling condition is essential.  First impressions are important and will impact how quickly your home sells.  Here are some tips for making that first impression perfect:

Curb to Door: The presentation of the outside of your home is just important as the inside.  Make sure the lawn is tidy, the house is repainted if need be, and the potential buyers have a clear path to the front door.

Spacious: Organization and clutter removal is the key here.  Straighten out closets, cabinets, and doors, remove any furniture that makes room navigation difficult.  Make storage spaces look presentable by organizing.  For daytime showings open blinds and curtains to let the light in naturally.  For evening showings turn all of the lights on to create an inviting interior.

Personality: If your home has elements that mark your personality you may have a difficult time selling.  Potential buyers need to be able to envision your home filled with their possessions.  Remove anything that will detract from the structure and natural charm of your home.  You don’t want buyers leaving and remembering that colorful accessory but forgetting about the big picture window in the living room.

3. Marketing Strategy

Your realtor will have a marketing strategy that will be tailored to your home.  Your realtor will able to to bring qualified buyers to your home by getting the word out that your home is for sale.  The first 3-6 weeks should be the busiest.  Please click on the link below to see a potential marketing strategy for your home.

Schwind Realty Marketing Strategy

4. Receiving an Offer

An offer will be presented when a buyer has decided that they want to purchase your home.  Since you have already purchased a home you are familiar with this process.  It is best to only accept an offer from a buyer that has been prequalified.  As the seller you are responsible for paying for the sale of the home, this is usually a percentage of the purchase price.

As with most contracts negotiation will occur.  The most common things that will be negotiated at this point is: the price, financing, closing costs, repairs that need to be done, appliances and fixtures, landscaping, painting, and occupancy time frame.

Your realtor will guide you through this process by reviewing the contract and representing you through the offer, negotiation, and acceptance process.  Your agent will be keeping your best interests in mind.

5. Repairing your Property

You will most likely have a list of repairs that need to be completed prior to the closing.  This repair list will be a part of the contract.  The buyer’s mortgager will require that an inspection be done on the house to verify the value.  At this phase of the process it will be important that both you and the buyer are upholding their end of the contract in order to ensure a successful closing.

Your realtor can coordinate all of these details and make sure they are completed on time.  Having an agent will be an invaluable time saver at this point of the process.

6. Closing

After all of your obligations and the obligations of the buyer have been completed the deal can be closed.  The ownership of the property will be transferred on this day.  The closing will take place at either the title company or the lawyers office.  It will include a formal meeting of all parties involved including attorneys and real estate agents.  The closing will go smoothly if each party brings the necessary documentation including any related fees that need to be paid.  Your realtor will ensure that you have the necessary documentation and fees needed in addition to managing any unexpected details that my arise before closing.

7. Congratulations!

I hope you found this information helpful.  For further information contact a Schwind Realty Realtor and get started on this exciting process so that we can congratulate you on your new sale.