First-Time Home Sellers: The Tips YOU Need to Know

Whether you’ve owned your first home for six months or six years, when it comes to selling it, the process can be overwhelming if you don’t know the best strategies to sell it and sell it fast. Our managing broker, Louis Guillama of Daymark Realty, wrote about the various reasons now is a good time to sell in the Triangle market in his latest blog post. Today, we want to focus on our BEST tips for you that will help make the selling process less daunting and more achievable.

Tip #1 – Enlist the Help of an Experienced Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent knows the market – the trends, your home’s comparable value, what buyers expect, the list goes on. He or she has the ability to price your home to sell for the best price possible based on current market data and various factors that you might not be privy to. A smart real estate agent will also possess the outstanding marketing skills necessary in which they utilize the latest marketing tools to ensure your property is marketed properly to a wide range of potential clients.

Tip #2 – Get Your Home Ready to Sell

First impressions mean everything when it comes to listing your home for sale. You want buyers to be able to see themselves in your home, making wonderful memories just as you have. Now is the time to declutter and clean as well as make any necessary repairs. Don’t forget the outside too! Landscaping is important even if it’s minimal, like freshening up the mulch. The important thing is to make your home look so amazing that buyers can’t wait to make their offer!

Tip #3 – Make It Available

We know that can be tough, especially when you have a family, kids, pets, etc. BUT, do the best you can to keep your home neat and tidy, and when your agent calls to let you know a showing has been scheduled, be ready to vacate to allow him or her to show it. Of course, you can provide parameters for this (such as no showings after 7pm, for instance). Work with your agent to put the best plan in place that works for the both of you.

Tip #4 – Be Ready to Move When Your House is Sold

First-time home sellers often forget that this is an important step to take, especially in this market. With inventory so low, buyers are racing to place offers on the homes of their choosing sometimes to the point of engaging in a bidding war to make the purchase. Translation – homes are selling fast. So, be ready! Have a plan in place for your next move. Whether that’s purchasing another home just as quickly or moving into a rental until you find just the right place to call home, whatever you do, just be ready.

Tip #5 – Know Your Closing Expenses

Now that you have accepted an offer on your home, know the costs associated with its closing. This is yet another reason to enlist the assistance of a professional real estate agent who can help you through this process seamlessly. Some costs can be negotiable too. Talk to your agent to learn which ones and how to negotiate them.

Those are our top 5 tips for first-time home sellers. Of course, there is so much more to know. If you’re thinking about selling your home, talk to one of our agents today to learn how they can assist you.