4 Must-Dos Before Listing Your Home on the Market

Making the decision to sell your home is no small matter.

Maybe you’ve decided downsizing from your house to an apartment makes financial sense, or maybe you have the goal of selling your house and continuing to live in it. Whatever motivates your decision to list your house on the market, one thing remains the same: the non-negotiable steps you need to take before putting your property up for sale.

If you want to get top dollar from your real estate transaction, don’t gloss over these must-do tasks. Keep reading to learn what could make or break your deal.

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1. Fix all mandatory repairs

You’ve finally found a qualified buyer with an offer at full-asking price; the last thing you want is for escrow to fall apart during the home inspection because you neglected the most important home repairs. After all that time you spent trying to close the deal, you’d be devastated if a damaged roof or cracked slab sends you all the way back to the drawing board.

To avoid low ball offers and flopped deals, you absolutely must make the following repairs, if necessary:

• Cracked/broken shingles or a “sagging” roof
• Interior and exterior water damage to floors, walls, and ceilings
• Damaged walls and structural issues
• Broken windows
• Flooring problems

If you don’t want to invest the time or the money into fixing these issues and making the necessary renovations, you can sell your home to a real estate investor for a quick close—but be prepared to lose out on a substantial chunk of money. Investors – by definition – are looking to put in their work to churn a profit. If a house is move in ready for an owner occupant, that’s definitely the most profitable option.

Check out this chart re: the benefits/disadvantages of using a real estate investor:

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2. Make cosmetic upgrades

You might think your home is perfect as-is, and in your eyes, it very well might be! But prepare for potential buyers to be extremely nit-picky when it comes down to aesthetics. It’s worth your investment to spend a little upfront and give your home a face lift; if it appears like-new, you’ll position yourself head and shoulders above the competition.

If it’s within your budget, give these projects some careful consideration:

• Fresh interior and exterior paint job
• New carpeting
• Landscaping
• Repaved driveway
• Upgraded hardware fixtures
• Energy-efficient appliances
• New doors and windows

Odds are that you won’t be able to afford all of these cosmetic improvements, so pour your energy (and money) into the areas that need the most TLC.

One option is skipping out repairs altogether. Check out House Heroes Sell a House AS-IS: The Interactive Guide for a full breakdown of all the need to know on selling property in need work/TLC.

Not sure how to pay for home improvements? You might be surprised by the number of home improvement financing options available! Keep in mind that many of these repairs might also be tax deductible, meaning you can potentially save money by lowering your tax obligation. A curbside drive-by will be the first impression a buyer has of your home; make sure it’s up to par and screams “Buy Me!” to anyone who lays eyes on it.

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3. Find a realtor

Got a house in premium retail condition?

Our team always recommends taking it on market with an agent to help negotiate highest possible price.

Ask family and friends for referrals you can trust and interview multiple realtors before making your final decision. You might cringe at that 3% commission fee now, but your future self will surely thank you when you receive multiple offers above ask.

You might be under the impression that you totally have this real estate thing down pat, but without enlisting the help of a professional, you’ll put the sale of your home in jeopardy. Not only will For Sale by Owners (FBSOs) receive offers far under asking price—assuming the seller doesn’t know how to negotiate—but without an agent who will gather all your escrow documents, your deal can fall right through that floor you worked so hard to repair.

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4. Stage the property

If you’re trying to sell a home you’ve already moved out of, it’s in your best interest refill the property with furniture by a staging expert. You need to make sure curious buyers can walk inside and instantly envision themselves at home; well-thought out décor conveys this much better than a blank canvas.

Do you still live in the home that you want to put on the market? You still might want to have your property staged by an unbiased third party. No offense to your taste in furniture, but buyers will want to see the space filled with modern pieces—not sun-faded paintings and torn sofa couches.

Why is home staging so important?

According to Barbara Brock of the Cooperator:

Home staging is effective because it emphasizes a property’s strengths and minimizes its weak points. It allows your home to be shown at  its maximum potential. Presenting a well-cared for home and creating a property that gives a positive  first impression. It attracts the attention and admiration of prospective  buyers, and encourages them to consider how your property fits their  requirements.

After you’ve completed these four steps, you or your realtor will be ready to place your home up for sale. May your offers be large and plentiful!

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We Buy Houses (In Any Condition)

Call Us (954) 676-1846 Send Text or Fill Out This Form For Your FAIR Offer.