Image via WikipediaSelling a home is as vital as buying one. Even if you plan on hiring some professional help, it would be best for you to understand the different elements add to a successful sale. The more knowledge you gain into the conducts of making a sale, the more money you’ll make in the end. Think of it as your money in the bank. Here are some ways from professional Granada Hills Realtors that will help you make a sale.
Be prepared
1. Determine whether you need professional help or not. If you do, a selling agent normally asks 2.5 to 3 percent of the sale price. In return, he/she would work aggressively on the background so that you can make a sale quickly, like listing your property in the Listings Services (MLS) so that other agents can view it. But if you don’t then you would be able to keep several thousand for yourself.
2. Ask for some advice from satisfied friends and associates. You can also interview some real estate agents who specialize in your particular neighborhood or area. Determine their ways and how proactive they are in marketing your home. Ask them to outline their possible marketing strategy to make your home as appealing as possible.
3. Research about the current listings in your area and setup a strategic asking price. Ask your agent, if you have one, to do a comparative study of the prices on nearby homes and do a market analysis considering the following: size, location, condition and other elements, so that you can set the asking price accurately.
4. Check whether your house is listed in the MLS. This will determine whether your house is present on the internet and that a professional-looking fact sheet is ready to assist in marketing the house.
5. Tell your neighbors that you are marketing your house. Get them to join a pre-open house tour in your house and don’t hesitate to ask them whether they know someone who is planning to buy a house. Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth; many homes are sold through it.
Prepare for the show
1. Do all the necessary repairs both on the interior and exterior of your home. Repaint the house, if necessary. Doing these may be the only difference between making a successful sale or successful blow-off of your buyer.
2. Make your house as appealing as possible. Be sure to impress all of the visitors on your open house and leave the best first impression to them as possible. Don’t forget that a clean windows or a fresh cut grass in the lawn can attract buyers as well.
3. Remove unnecessary things. Extra furniture, wall hangings, anything that may distract your potential buyers must be removed. Remember, when it comes to homes, sometimes having less means having more. Give that wall some fresh coat of neutral paint. Give your home a competitive edge. This will help you make the sale more quickly.
4. Put a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn. This may be old fashioned but it still works!
5. Do an open house. This is a regular practice performed by real estate agents. Your agent will be the one making all the necessary preparations at the same time handle the actual open house. This is a great way to not only attract possible buyers but also to let other agents see what you have on the market. If you are attending the open house, let your agent do all the talking.
6. Buyers usually put as little as half an hour touring your house. So, make sure that your house is spotless.
7. Strictly no pets allowed during the open house. Sure they are adorable but some of the people in the open house may not like their presence.
Make the deal
1. Determine how much you are willing to cut down from your asking price. Don’t be greedy; be flexible especially when you only got a few nibbles. Also, if the market is hot prepare yourself for multiple offers. Finance the sale if possible.
2. Depending on the condition of local market, often times you may not get the full asking price you wanted. You need to decide what is more important for you and get the most out of the deal you are making. That being said, the first offer is usually the best offer, so don’t be difficult to deal with. Don’t set your price too high, this could cause your home to be on the market for some time.
3. When you have multiple offers, weigh each pros and cons. Take some time to think about their offering price and determine how stable the buyer’s financial status is, whether the sale is subjected to the sale of the buyer’s house, and the move-out date. Your agent should be able to advise you on this one.
4. Be prepared to slash down your asking price if you don’t have a lot of offers. Begin by dropping your asking price by 5 percent and see if this changes anything.
