There are so many factors that go into selling a home and a lot of to work to do before you even begin the process of selling the home. There are certain questions that you should be asking from the very beginning to set yourself up for a successful experience.
Read on to find out what some of these questions are, and why it is important to ask them.
Why are you selling your home?
There are a lot of questions you can ask about selling a home, and the reason you are selling your home is a good place to start. The personal reasons you have for selling your home are just as important as the more technical questions because it allows you to really consider if you are making the right decision at the best time.
Consider your plans for the future such as whether you want to upsize or downsize and how much you want to spend on your next down payment. Questions like these help to determine when you should sell and how much to sell for.
When is the best time to sell your home?
While you can technically sell your home at any time of the year, generally the spring and summer months are the best time to sell. You should also consider where you are selling in a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. A seller’s market is ideal for getting the best price for your house. Whereas in a buyers market, you may have to make more negotiations on your price than you would like.
Should you hire a real estate agent?
A real estate agent can provide a lot of benefit to you in the selling process. They can guide you in the home sale and provide services such as listing your home, coordinating photos and showings, marketing, and walking you through the closing process. Agents also have access to local market data which helps you to price your home accurately.
At the end of the process you will have to pay the real estate agent’s commission, which is usually 5-6% of the profit. Although selling on your own means that you will be able to keep all of the money at the end of the sale, hiring an agent can guarantee that your home will sell quickly, efficiently, and at the highest price possible.
How much is your home worth?
It is very important to determine how much your home is actually worth as you embark on your journey of selling. There are various factors that go into determining your home’s value: the location of the home, its condition, the age of the home, and the level of demand for homes like it. You can get a professional appraisal or a comparative market analysis done by a real estate agent which will compare it to similar homes nearby that have recently sold.
How much will it cost to sell your home?
While you will inevitably be turning some kind of profit by the time your home is officially sold, there are still out of pocket costs that come with selling your home, most of which will come out of your proceeds at closing.
Some of these out of pocket costs include:
Your real estate agent’s commission
Staging and prepping your home
Professional photographs
Landscaping
Repair costs
Closing costs
In general, you can expect to be paying about 10% of your home's final sales price in fees and expenses. Before you even begin to sell your home, consider the cost and whether you can afford to sell at that time.
What is the condition of your home?
You want to make sure you are making the best impression of your home to prospective buyers. Take a good look at your home and see if there are any ways you can fix it up before putting it on the market.
Most buyers are looking for a home that is ready for them to move in and are wary of a home that needs a lot of work. Smaller repairs that you can do on your own make your home more appealing to buyers. For larger repairs, such as a damaged roof, you can also make these repairs yourself before selling or otherwise adjust the price on your home accordingly. Whatever repairs you make before selling make your home more marketable and add value, especially for an older home.
How long will it take to sell your home?
There are a lot of factors that go into the length of time it will take to sell your home, mainly where you live and the condition of the local housing market. Other factors that go into it are your listing price, the condition of your home, and how good you are at marketing and staging your home.
On average, a home will stay on the market for about 62 days. What if your home is taking longer than this to sell? There could be a few reasons for this:
Your home is too overpriced for the market
Needed repairs could be holding it back
Your marketing strategy is not working
The local market conditions are bad
If any of these reasons are affecting you, then it might be time to reevaluate your selling strategy. Also consider that it may not be a good time to sell your home and it would be better to put off the sale for a different time.
Should you get an inspection?
While getting an inspection before you start to sell your home is not required, it is worth considering. If you get a pre-inspection, you can get a professional opinion on the condition of your home and any problems you can fix beforehand. This could be especially beneficial if you live in an older house where some of the problems might not be as apparent.
What can you take with you after selling?
As a general rule, anything that is attached to the house such as light fixtures, built-in shelves, or blinds stay in the house after the sale. If there is anything that you know you will want to take with you, be transparent by labeling it as soon as your house goes on the market and include it in your sales contract. However, leaving certain items in the home such as kitchen appliances or a plasma screen TV can be a major selling point for your home. Weigh your options and make a concrete decision on what stays and what goes before you start selling.
Ready to Sell in Houston?
If you’ve read this entire article, then you are serious about selling. Contact Keith E. Ford at 832-788-7037 to learn more about selling in Houston!
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