Seller Information
Selling Your Home
Looking to sell your home, and not sure where to begin? Welcome to my resource center to get your house ready to sell! Here you will find information that will make this process easier. If you can’t find what you are looking for, feel free to contact me so I can help.
SELLERS TIMELINE
- SELLER SIGNS LISTING AGREEMENT
- SELLER PREPARES HOME FOR SHOWING USING AGENT RECOMMENDATIONS
- AGENT SCHEDULES PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
- AGENT TAKES MEASUREMENTS OF ROOMS
- AGENT PLACES A LOCKBOX ACCESSIBLE FOR SHOWINGS
- AGENT MARKETS LISTING VIA MLS, INTERNET, MAILINGS & NETWORKING
- AGENT SCHEDULES AN OPEN HOUSE IF REQUESTED
- A POTENTIAL BUYER MAKES AN OFFER
- AGENT PRESENTS OFFER TO SELLER
- SELLER DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT, REJECT OR MAKE A COUNTER OFFER
- TITLE COMPANY RECEIVES INITIAL DEPOSIT AND CLOSING IS SCHEDULED
- APPRAISAL TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 5 DAYS OF CONTRACT TO ENSURE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IS AT OR ABOVE PURCHASE PRICE
- BUYER HAS 15 DAYS TO OBTAIN FINANCING, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AND CONDUCT HOME INSPECTIONS BY A CERTIFIED
- AGENT NEGOTIATES ANY FINDINGS FROM INSPECTIONS, IF NEEDED. MOST COMMON ARE: HOME INSPECTION, RADON, AND WDO (WOOD DESTROYING ORGANISM).
- GO TO CLOSING!
Helpful Hints to Sell Your Home
Selling your home is going to take some work, but it does not mean it needs to be any harder than necessary. By being smart about how you use your time and energy, you can smooth the way for a sale that satisfies your goals and lets you realize the full potential of your property. Here are some quick helpful suggestions to get you ahead of the game.
Curb Appeal, Curb Appeal, CURB APPEAL
- Buyers buy what they see, and the first thing a prospective buyer sees is your home’s exterior. From this first look, a buyer will decide whether they want to look inside the house or not. We want them to!!
- Trim lawn and make sure landscaping looks neat and manageable, edge sidewalks and driveway and keep both swept off.
- A fresh coat of paint goes a long way, touch up exterior trim, shutters, drains, A new coat of paint on the front door could give you that eye-catching pop buyers are looking for.
- Keep exterior lighting in working order, replace any old bulbs and wipe off those cobwebs.
- Wash all windows, inside and out!
- Clean out the garage, buyers like to envision what they would do with every space of the room, including the garage. Make sure to clean up any oil spots and de-clutter walls.
- Replace old or dirty welcome mats, this is a small feature that means a lot when welcoming a buyer into your home.
- Hang easy-to-read house numbers, making them as visible as possible from the street.
Make the Interior a Welcoming Experience!
- Keep it clean, wash dishes and make beds Having a clean home will allow buyers to envision themselves and their things in the space.
- “Thin out” your belongings, fewer furnishings give the appearance of more space. The same holds true for your pantry, laundry, and closets. Organizing and thinning out these spaces will show how much room is available.
- Kitchens and bathrooms, pay special attention to these spaces as they sell more homes than any other feature. Store small appliances and keep counters clean and clear. Beware of any odors that may linger!
- Fix leaky faucets, loose door knobs, stuck drawers, and warped cabinets.
- Fresh paint and new carpets are among the easiest ways to sell your home quickly and for more money. Even if you aren’t replacing, make sure walls are unmarked and carpets are freshly cleaned.
- Unclutter your home, keep stairways and hallways clear to avoid any accidents. Make sure all counters are cleared and bookshelves don’t appear overwhelming.
- Before your home is shown, bake cookies or a cake for great “homey” aromas, and let the light in! Open window coverings and turn on lights in each room. Make sure to empty any trash and hide dirty laundry, litter boxes or dirty dog beds.
9 Deadly Mistakes of Sellers
You want to sell your home quickly, at a good price and with minimum problems. It’s possible, but you’ve got to know the secrets that a real estate professional knows. Here are nine common and costly mistakes that sellers make that you can avoid.
DEADLY MISTAKES OF SELLERS
You want to sell your home quickly, at a good price and with minimum problems. It’s possible, but you’ve got to know the secrets that a real estate professional knows. Here are nine common
and costly mistakes that sellers make that you can avoid.
By: Armor Realty of Tallahassee, Inc.
- Not Preparing the Home For Sale
“Curb appeal” is critical. The pro knows you can’t sell ’em if you can’t get ’em inside. You should mow and edge the lawn; trim the bushes; sweep the roof; weed, mulch and plant flowers in the
beds. Inside, clean up the clutter and clear all counters. Concentrate especially on the kitchen (you did clean the oven, didn’t you?), master bedroom and bathrooms – they must sparkle!
- Not “Staging” the Home for Showing
When the buyer comes, “It’s Showtime!” The home must show to its best advantage. Open all window blinds and drapes and turn on the lights. Most buyers today want “light and airy.” Turn
off the TV; turn on some easy listening music at a low volume. Everyone should clear out, including pets and children so the buyer feels at ease.
- Improper Pricing
The old adage is: “a home properly priced is half sold.” Over pricing (not uncommon) or underpricing is a big mistake. Many sellers think that a lender’s appraisal for refinancing
purposes are frequently on the high side since lenders have good customers and want to make the loan. An appraisal is a guide and homes frequently sell lower and occasionally higher
than the appraisal price.
- Not Making the Home Easy to Show
You need to make your home available for showing at all hours of the day or early evening. Buyers have dozens of homes to look at. If yours cannot be seen, they’ll move on and may
never see it. A lockbox with the key inside is a big help in getting your home shown. Although it may be inconvenient at times, you need to have as many qualified buyers as possible see it in
order to sell for top dollar.
- Not Understanding Financing
Many “sales” fall through today because the buyer couldn’t qualify to borrow the money to buy. Frequently the buyer has said: “I’m pre-qualified.” This just means they have spoken with a
lender to get a general idea of how much they can borrow. It is not a loan commitment. A “preapproved” buyer, on the other hand, has made a full loan application, had a credit report done
and has already been approved for the necessary loan. Which prospective purchaser would you rather deal with?
- Not Being Familiar with Inspections & Repairs
Most buyers today order and pay for a full home inspection. The inspector checks the construction, appliances and systems and notes any deficiencies. Typically, the seller will repair
any appliances or systems (plumbing, heating, cooling, electrical) not in good working order. The wood-destroying organism report should reveal any infestation and/or damage. The seller
usually treats any infestation and repairs the damage. Some repairs are “negotiable” but most buyers who are buying a problem will expect to get a very good deal because
of the extra hassle.
- Not Knowing about Lead-Based Paint Hazards
Homes built prior to 1978 frequently have lead-based paint. This can be hazardous if ingested. There are inspection companies who can determine if lead-based paint is present and there are
companies who specialize in abatement. If you know or suspect your home has lead-based paint, you should reveal this to your buyer. The buyer typically has 10 days to have the home
inspected and if the risk is too high, will cancel the contract.
- Not Using Proper Paperwork
Selling your home is a complicated, legal transaction. Each party has rights and responsibilities. The sales contract and other forms spell out these obligations . The sale itself is only as good as
the paperwork. All necessary forms should be used and should be properly filled out. A mistake here can have disastrous results.
- Not Using a Competent, Professional Agent
Selling your home is a complex, time-consuming process. There are many pitfalls, especially if you are not familiar with the necessary requirements and forms. A good real estate agent will
help you every step of the way. He or she will help you prepare the home for sale, show you how best to stage it for showing, assist you in pricing and understanding financing, make it easy
to show your home, assist you with all inspections and repairs, help you with negotiating a sale, completing the paperwork and help get your sale CLOSED.
Pricing Your Home Right!
Our price MUST be “COMPELLING,” not just “competitive.” We want to make sure the next buyer looking in our particular market segment is compelled to buy your listing over the other choices.