Selling, a famous salesman once said, is essentially a transfer of feelings.
You love and cherish your home. You want the next owner to fall in love with it, too — through photos, through words, and through the experience of walking through your front door. But, perhaps most, you want to get the price you want.
This isn’t a small task. Selling a home requires work. It requires time. The journey isn’t always easy. There will be frustrations. But when you seal the deal and move on to your next chapter — wow, what a blissful feeling.
Below, we’ll discuss how to know what you want (and what your partner wants, if you’re selling together). How to understand the market, and ways to make a plan. And most importantly? How to create relationships with experts and trust them to help you get the job done.
Now, let’s talk about selling your house.
Know, Exactly, What You Want
First things first: You need to know what you want (and what your partner wants) in order to sell your home with minimum frustration. Why are you moving? What do you expect from the process? When, exactly, should you put that For Sale sign in the yard? We can help you get your thoughts in order with this home selling worksheet. Your listing agent will also be able to help you make some of these decisions about when/how to get your home on the market.
Interview and Select an Agent
This is the most important relationship you’ll form on your home selling journey. Pick the right agent and you’ll likely get a better sales price for your house. It’s important to be sure you’re working with someone you can trust. The Killebrew RE Team prides itself on providing great customer service to our clients and fostering a real relationship with each individual we meet. Check out our list of agents today to get to know us a little better.
Price Your Home
How much is your home worth? That’s the … $300,000 question. Whatever the number, you need to know it. The housing market where you live can greatly impact your pricing strategy.
If you’re in a seller’s market, where demand from buyers outpaces the number of homes for sale, you may be able to price your home slightly higher than market value. And right now, Springfield and the surrounding areas are a seller’s market! Inventory is low and buyers are willing to up their offers in hopes of snagging their dream home. Your realtor should come prepared to your listing meeting with information on past sales in your neighborhood and what kind of prices you can expect to see.
Prep Your Home for Sale
Today, homebuyers have unfettered access to property listings online, so you have to make a great first impression — on the internet and IRL. That means you’ll have to declutter all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years, make any necessary repairs, and get your home in swoon-worthy condition. Our friends over at Design Eyes Photography offer walk-through consultations, owner-occupied staging and vacant home staging to ensure your home is ready to be shown to the world.
Market Your Home
Homebuyers look at countless listings online. The best-marketed homes have beautiful photos and compelling property descriptions, so they can get likes — which can amount to buyer interest — on social media. Some agents are even using videos, virtual tours, texts, and audio messages. Luckily, the Killebrew RE Team at The Real Estate Group has two full-time marketing specialists on staff to ensure your home will get in front of as many faces as possible.
Receive Offers
Yes, you might get offers plural, depending on your market. Assuming you’ve collaborated with your agent, you’ve likely positioned yourself to receive attractive bids. Your agent will review each offer with you to determine which is best for you.
Negotiate With the Buyer
To get the best deal for you, you’ll likely have to do some negotiating. Your agent will help you craft a strategic counteroffer to the buyer’s offer, factoring in not only money but contingencies, etc.
Negotiate Home Inspection Repairs
Ah, the home inspection. It’s as much a source of anxiety for buyers as it is for sellers. Nonetheless, most purchase agreements are contingent on a home inspection (plus an appraisal, which will be managed by the buyer’s lender). This gives the buyer the ability to inspect the home from top to bottom and request repairs — some even could be required per building codes. The upshot: You have some room to negotiate, including about certain repairs. Once again, your agent will be there to help you effectively communicate with the buyer.
Close the Sale
Settlement, or closing, is the last step in the home selling process. This is where you sign the final paperwork, make this whole thing official, and collect your check. Before that can happen though, you’ll have to prepare your home for the buyer’s final walk-through and troubleshoot any last-minute issues. Your agent will be there every step of the way. Killebrew RE at The Real Estate Group can provide you will a full seller’s timeline to help guide you through the process and help keep you on track.
Selling your home can be a scary experience and seem overwhelming, but with the help of the right agent, you don’t have to stress about prices and negotiations. With inventory down across Central Illinois, now is the time to get your home on the market! You can get your FREE Home Valuation Report from our website and then give us a call at 217.546.1234 or shoot an email to killebrewlistings@gmail.com to get started putting your home on the market today!