There is more to selling a home than you might think. After hearing stories from friends and reading the news, it’s easy to think that homes sell themselves. Put a price on it; photograph it; put a sign in the yard; and voila – you sold your home….right? But, with closer look, there’s a lot more to the story.
There’s a quick sale, then there’s making the most of your sale. Maximizing your profits. With that goal in mind, the best agents will go through their pre-marketing strategy to prepare your home to sell for top dollar – no matter what market conditions are.
Long before the home goes on the market, your agent will develop a detailed value analysis and pricing study based on the rhythm of the current market. Similar homes in size, price, proximity, and condition. In any kind of market, an overpriced home will sit longer than the competition. The longer it stays on the market, buyers and agents will wonder if there is something wrong with the house.
A Pre-Market Preparation List will be a detailed over-view of the best way to present your home to the market. This may involve minor repairs, painting, landscape spruce up, a declutter plan and staging. First impressions are made online and they matter …a lot. From there, the presentation is a key element. Your agent will study the details of your home – asking for history, improvements, status of systems in the house – every detail they can find. In the end, your agent will know your home as well as you do – maybe more.
Starting with the question, Who is our most likely Buyer? A successful marketing plan answers that question and includes a strategic plan to target the marketing to reach that Buyer. A comprehensive strategy that blends state of the art technology together with traditional marketing.
Professional photography is essential and should be considered base-line. A professionally produced video showcasing the best of what your home has to offer will be the first opportunity for Home Buyers to tour your home. A fast paced video with lively music has a psychological effect on anyone watching – it should draw your potential Buyer in, with them asking for more by booking a private showing.
These photographs and video will be the keystone of the marketing campaigns exposing your home to the open market-place. Exposing your home to the open market is essential when working for top dollar. Cutting corners on any of the above steps or not giving your home enough time exposed to the open market can potentially reduce what your home could sell for.
Among the most important value a great agent brings to the table is their negotiation experience. Every phase of the sale involves negotiation and the position of a third-party negotiator eliminates potentially compromising situations for sellers dealing directly with buyers, other agents, appraisers, vendors, inspectors, and lenders. Your listing agent will be your champion.
We’ve prepared a Home Seller Guide that will answer many of your questions about getting your home ready to sell and what you need to think about as you go through the process.