Facts you must know before you sell your house

monopoly board

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 646,000 houses were sold in the U.S. in June 2019, compared to 618,000 in 2018 of the same month. This is very good news for sellers and buyers alike as it indicates future developments and more options.

Despite that many people think selling is an easy process that just needs a ‘for sale’ sign, which is hardly the case. In fact, only 7% of houses are sold with that sign. It’s never going to be that simple, so for smooth sailing and selling, you have to prepare yourself, the house, and be aware of a few things before actually selling.

This might be your first time selling, so know from now that without preparation, the process of selling your home could warrant for creating stress, hesitation, inconvenience, and other uncomfortable feelings. But knowing these following facts can help minimize all the types of problems that can arise.

You Don’t Need an Agent

Another statistic to know is that only 28% of houses were sold using a real estate agent. But you will need other things besides an agent, starting first with the internet. The National Association of Realtors estimates that 50% of house sales are done through the internet. This means that potential buyers are looking at selling and buying more houses through the internet rather than ads or attending an open house. 

Now is the best time to take advantage of this and learn from the experts at ISoldMyHouse regarding exactly how and what you need to do to sell your own house online and how to list it properly on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) without the use of an agent. The MLS is arguably the best place, of all places, to get both local and national exposure for your for sale property.

Hire a Real Estate Attorney

This is a step that many people overlook or ignore. Mind you, an attorney is not an agent, so they do not have much if anything to do with the deal, but they handle the legal aspects of it since most states require that you have such an attorney to close a deal. It’s also advised to hire an attorney early on in the process because if a legal snag pops up during a deal, it could be very complicated to continue negotiations on the sale of the house and you will lose opportunities.

Prepare The House

Your home is about to be viewed by lots and lots of people, and it’s important to make that great first impression. It’s like a star on stage, so you have to ready your home for viewership. Several things should be examined first by doing a walk-through in your home. Whatever needs fixing, needs to be fixed. This includes all the small things that perhaps you’re living with now, but will affect the selling price, like the busted doorknob of the bathroom door or that broken cabinet handle in the kitchen.

Pre-listing Inspection

When potential buyers know your home has been inspected, this will help in listing the home at a good price. You can hire a professional who is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI). No matter how well-maintained your home is, an inspector will find one if not more problems you aren’t aware of. Buyers will hold up a sale because of things like pests, chimney, plumbing, and electrical problems.

Gather Information

Whether you plan on hiring a home realtor or go about selling on your own, you’re going to need all the information on your home documented. Potential buyers will not take your word for it at face value that everything in the house is functioning. You also need the data to write compelling descriptions when it’s time to list your home. 

Examples of the types of paperwork you need to have could include: Roof, heating and air conditioning age and warranties, certificates of compliance; such as a fence or shed permits if applicable, and dates of home improvement projects, such as a bathroom or kitchen remodeling, or carpet, floor or window installations.

Choosing the Time to Sell

There are always peak times when selling a house. In very general terms, springtime, from March to May, is often the best time to sell. That’s not to say other months can’t play out well for you. Winter buyers, for example, tend to be more serious and usually have deadlines. 

Lots of families will want to move in during summer to a new home before school starts. However, during fall, sellers have less competition, for instance. It really depends on the market you’re selling in, so educate yourself more about the pros and cons of selling in different seasons.

Curb Appeal

We’re always told not to judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to buying a home, you can be sure buyers will judge your home from the outside first. A pretty garden, a path walk free of weeds with a freshly painted fence are some things that you can improve without spending a ton of money.

Depersonalize Your Home

When ready to list, you want potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home. Seeing personal belongings, such as family pictures, wouldn’t be helping you to sell. You want a clean canvas so others can imagine what they would do with the home should they purchase it.

Video Drones

The real estate industry is outpacing almost all other industries in drone usage and is expected to reach 22% of total drone usage by 2020. People like to see an aerial view of the entire property, so this is a great time to consider using a drone to pique interest.

Selling a home is just as big of a step as buying a home. By using a selling platform, you can take control of selling your house under your conditions, and at the time that suits you. Having a real estate agent can be an option for you, but most people will still likely find the house of their choice online. So make sure you are ready when buyers start knocking on your door.

 

Related Articles

Scroll to Top