If you are like most Florida homeowners then you likely have built a good amount of equity in your home over the past several years. This combined with the persistently low inventory of homes for sale may make this a great time to list your home for sale. Of course, there are some crucial steps that you must take prior to listing your home for sale. We share a few of these steps below.
Key steps prior to listing your home for sale
- Hire the right real estate agent: The first step that you should take when considering listing your home for sale is to hire the right real estate agent. Although it may be tempting to take the “for sale by owner” route, the data consistently show that homes listed for sale with a real estate agent sell for more money. Not hiring a local and knowledgeable real estate agent will likely end up costing you thousands of dollars in the end.
- Improve the home’s curb appeal: You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. This could not be more true than with selling a home. Oftentimes, buyers will form an opinion of a home before even stepping foot into it. In some cases, buyers may drive up to a home with poor curb appeal only to moving along to the next property on their list of showings for the day. Needless to say, a fresh coat of paint on the home along with a well manicured front lawn can go a long way in improving curb appeal.
- De-clutter the home: Perhaps one of the most basic steps that must be taken prior to listing a home for sale is to de-clutter. One common mistake that homeowners make when trying to de-clutter a home is to simply stuff the items into a closet. It is important to remember that prospective buyers will also be looking in the closets as well in order to determine storage space. If these closets are cluttered, they will not be able to determine the available space.
- Inspect your title & permit history: Although it is easy to assume that your home will have no issues with the title or permit history, there are often unforeseen surprises. For example, it can be a long-forgotten lien against your home or perhaps a person trying to commit fraud. Since it is recommended that you hire a real estate attorney for the transaction anyways, it is important that he/she confirms that there are no issues with the title for the home.
- Clean the property: Although it may seem elementary to ensure that the home is clean at all times when listing a home for sale, this basic rule is not always adhered to by sellers. This is particularly true for sellers that also happen to be pet owners. One of the most common turn offs for prospective buyers viewing a home is an unpleasant odor. Pet odor is consistently cited as a major reason that many buyers lose interest in a home.
- Hide your valuables prior to showings: Unfortunately, you don’t always know who will be walking through your home during showings. With this said, you can never be too safe with your valuables in the home during these showings. Items such as jewelry, artwork, or heirlooms may need to be stored elsewhere in advance of showings or open houses. Like any valuables that may be left in a vehicle or a home, it is important to not display them as temptation for theft to occur.
Summary
A thorough plan when developing a marketing plan for your home will likely result in a quicker sale for more money. As we have seen the housing market slow down during this year, this has become even more important. Of course, a proper and disciplined approach to marketing a home can result in a quick sale in any market. As always, hiring a local and knowledgeable real estate agent should be your first and most important step in this process.
Are you looking to sell your home in the South Florida market? We can help! Contact Natasha at Live South Florida Realty, Inc. today! In addition, don’t forget to download the free Florida Home Search app for your mobile device to gain access to the entire South Florida MLS.
