Just the thought of selling your home can bring stress and anxiety and understanding the value and piece of mind a seasoned realtor brings to the table is often overlooked. To help our clients plan for this both exciting and stressful event we have created a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process.
Three Months Out:
Seek an advisor's help. A typical Charlotte real estate transaction usually exceeds $250,000 and is usually the largest tangible investment most of our clients own. If you had a $250,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $250,000 legal matter, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®. We have been giving homeowners guidance through this process for over 10 years. We are sound real estate advisors that can guide you through selling your home for top dollar. We do all the marketing, analyzing of feedback, negotiating and most of all getting your home to the closing table (all with a focus on the highest ethics). Read our client reviews and get a feel for the value we bring to the sell from past clients.
Establishing the "Sale" calendar. Through years of managing the home sales cycle we understand the time it takes to market a home. Our first meetings usually focus on a list of things to be done to the home prior to beginning to market it. From this list we determine the timing of things such as de-cluttering, repairs, staging and marketing. It is our job to guide you through the process to getting your home sold quickly and for top dollar.
Two Months Out:
Make repairs. Do you need to patch a small hole in the wall or fix some peeling wallpaper? This is the time to make those small fixes. Check the roof, electrical system, plumbing, foundation, drainage and windows and make sure that all are in good condition. Sometimes it may even be beneficial to do a home inspection prior to listing so there are no surprises. These surprises many times cost more to resolve after a home goes "under contract". Either way, these things will reveal themselves in a home inspection, and we have seen contracts not make it to close when sellers fail to make these repairs.
De-clutter and deep clean. Before you list your home, purge all items so your home looks spacious. Many of these Items probably will not make your next move anyway. Wash the floors, scrub the grout, scour the kitchen, dust the blinds, wash the windows and steam clean the carpets. Remove anything you don't absolutely need (consider putting it in storage or stacking it neatly in your garage) and organize the rest. Leave some furniture to define the space for listing photos and tours. People can better visualize how big a room is when key pieces of furniture are left in place.
One Month Out:
Stage your home. Keep your home organized and free of clutter when people are touring it. Think about how to use lighting to show off key features of the home and remove any personal items on display. We will guide you through your homes best features, advising on how to stage properly and what you can do to maximize the appeal of your home during showings.
Get professional listing photos taken. Our experience has shown properties with professional listing photos and virtual tours sell quicker. We are so confident in our findings that we reimburse our clients at closing for professional listing photos if they choose to get them.
One Week Out:
List your home on Wednesday or Thursday. Most homebuyers look at homes online throughout the week and go out to see homes in person on the weekend.
Prepare for your first showing. The idea of having complete strangers walk through your home can be unnerving, but we offer guidance to help put your mind at ease. You will want to put away valuables such as cash, jewelry as well as personal items such as family photos and your personal calendar. No one needs to know when you're out of town.
After Listing Your Home:
Feedback is crucial to getting the home sold. Once your home is on the market, showings should start rolling in. We will give you feedback as soon as we receive it unless you choose otherwise. We send multiple feedback requests to buyers agents who have shown the property. Our experience over the years has created relationships with many of the area realtors that allow us to get solid candid feedback. If your home is overpriced or needs a few simple cosmetic changes we will be able to act on it quickly.
Evaluate and negotiate the offers. We will present all of the offers received, advise you on counteroffers and guide you through negotiating prices and terms. You should consider all the terms of the offer, not just the final listing price, to make sure you get the most for your home. This is where the expertise from a seasoned real estate advisor pays big dividends.
Go to contract and close the deal.
Sign the offer, negotiate and complete inspection repairs, and start packing! Contract to close is when you will be the busiest as you get ready for your move. We pride ourselves on making this process as smooth as possible, handling all the necessary things to successfully close your home so you can focus on the move.
Closing Day! Work with your realtor, lender and the closing attorney to ensure a smooth transfer of ownership to the buyer. Then it's time to celebrate!
Start your process early and contact us today to make your personal home sale time-line.