How Do Sell My House?

Some thought should go into the sale of your home. You want to approach the process in a logical way, so you are offering the best possible product at a competitive price, and you have the best marketing plan available.

1 Locate a real estate professional.
You will want to find an agent with whom you are comfortable, who has the knowledge and experience to market your kind of home. You should hire your Realtor just as you would hire an employee at your job. Ask questions which are important to you, and make sure the agent has the answers which make you secure that you are placing this process in the right hands. Then...

2 Trust Your Professional!
It's natural to think your home is the best, worth the most, shows the best, etc. However, you must put yourself in the shows of the buyer. He is looking for not only the best home, but he wants to get the most for his money. Your Realtor will provide you with comparable sales, to help you establish the value of your home. You must listen to the facts - buyers actually paid these prices for these homes. Then you should check on the competition, so your home is "in the running" with the other homes offered for sale. Your pricing may also be influenced by how quickly you need to sell. Even if you are not in a hurry, you must be realistic.

3 Get your home ready to sell.
(Go to the Tools page to help you prepare.) Your Realtor will be able to help you decide the best way to present your home, from removing excess furniture to cleaning out closets. Your Realtor will also help you assess what is worth the investment of making improvements, and what will not bring a higher price. Get everything ready, and then put it on the market!

4 Remember you hired your Realtor.
Remember you hired your Realtor because you believed he or she could do a good job. Trust their advice in terms of marketing. You should have discussed the marketing plan in the interview process. They will know the best way to expose your property.

5 All offers received on your home must be presented to you.
Don't be afraid to ask questions if you do not understand the contract. Be sure the terms, timing, and amenities to be included suit you. Your Realtor should be able to prepare an approximate net amount you will realize from the sale. If everything is not to your liking, you your Realtor will prepare a counterproposal for the buyer to consider.

6 After The Contract.
Once you have the contract in place, you should expect a home inspector to visit. Most buyers today hire someone to inspect the home. The buyer may request that you do certain repairs to the property, or provide a credit in lieu of that. Your Realtor can guide you as to what is reasonable in your particular case.

7 Close!
After the inspection and buyer's loan commitment deadline have passed, you can be fairly certain that things will move to the closing table. Plan about an hour to close in most cases (the buyer will have a lot more documents to sign than you, as he will most likely be acquiring a new loan.) Be sure you are ready to give possession at the time set forth in the contract, and be sure to leave the home in the condition you would like to find it if you were moving in.

You are now ready to move on to your new home, ready for the adventure a new home and sometimes a new life can bring!