Thinking of selling your home? Unsure on which avenue to pursue? Whether you list your home with an real estate agent like myself, or want to give it a shot listing it on your own, here is my take on it.
1.) Now is a great time to sell your home in the Prescott and quad cities area.
You might be thinking to yourself, he's just saying that, he'll say that again in a year. To be honest, I might be saying that in a year, but what makes it a great time now is a few different things. The inventory in the Prescott area market is very low. Buyers that are actively shopping for homes like yours don't have a lot to choose from compared to a few years ago. I also think interest rates are fairly low based on how well the economy is doing. The rates might continue to rise and that will hurt your buying power after you sell your current home and purchase a new one. Lastly, mortgages are more accessible to potential buyers than ever before. New programs that are offered allow people that might not have been able to purchase a home a few years ago have the buying power they need to make that big step into a home like yours.
2.) Negotiating Skills
Selling your home is a big task. One of the biggest parts of the process is negotiating a selling price. Studies show that people that try to list their home by themselves generally receive 10-20% less than they would listing it with a Realtor. Being a Realtor means I have to be fluent in a lot of different areas, negotiating is a big one. The ability to negotiate with a buyers agent on the sale of your home can be taxing and challenging. You will be dealing with a professional who does this on a daily basis, it will be tough. If you feel like you are up for the task then be prepared to hold your ground and be able to walk away from the desired terms and price that they are offering.
3.)Are you honest with yourself?
Your home is yours, we understand that. When an agent and their potential buyers come through the door they don't have a biased opinion on your home and the property. They are going to nitpick and want it to be exactly perfect for themselves and their family. This also coincides with listing it at the right price, which we will get into next. Sellers who list the property themselves have a hard time pricing their home in line with the current market. Every seller thinks their home is best and wants the most money in their pocket at the end of the day, which is normal, but when the market doesn't say your home is worth that much your home will sit and not sell. Make sure you have the ability to be honest with yourself about your home and what it is actually worth, this will help you more than you know.
4.)Listing your home for the right price.
When you list your home for a price that is above market value people will overlook the home almost immediately. You have to see what the current inventory is and base your price off of that. Do NOT go off of the Zestimate that Zillow uses. Zillow is a great tool, but it is not an accurate appraisal of your home. The best thing, in my opinion, to get a proper value of your home if you are going to list it yourself is to get an appraisal. The appraisal will be money out of your pocket but you will know exactly where you stand. All in all just make sure you have knowledge of what your home is really worth and you will be better prepared. The good thing when hiring an agent is they can easily tell you what price to list your home at.
5.) Marketing your home
Marketing is a huge factor on getting your home sold. If buyers don't know your home is for sale, are they going to buy it? I know that is a stupid question but it's the reality of it. If your home isn't getting in front of the right people then it will never sell. Putting it on the real estate websites is good but you have to go above and beyond to get your home in front of the eyes of the right people. Taking professional pictures, cleaning and staging your home are all major factors in this process. First, you want the pictures to be good so you will have to declutter and clean the home. If someone can't imagine themselves living in the house because too many of your things are around, then they won't buy it. Buyers have to fall in love with your home and imagine themselves raising their family or having a BBQ in the backyard. I can't tell you how many FSBO listing I see that take pictures with their cell phone and not get good angles or take pictures of the bathrooms without cleaning them first. It blows my mind! To me, if I want to sell something I have to make it desirable and appealing to the people that see it. These are all things a Realtor, like myself, can help with. We are professional marketers and know what it takes to get your home sold.
6.) Putting in the work
Selling your home is a lot of work. You might think that a Realtor comes in and signs the listing and their done, but it is not over there. I pride myself on being there for my clients and making this a smooth process for them. I know what sets me apart from other agents and I know you will see that if you hire me. When someone lists their home they have to be able to do what it takes. It is not for the faint of heart, it can be a taxing process and make it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Make sure you have your goals set out and keep your eye on the prize. If you do take this on, I would love to assist in any way I can, so please, reach out.
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