Home Selling Tips

Are you ready to sell your home?

On average, today’s homeowners only stay in their houses for 6 years, even though most homes are financed with longer loan terms. Many homeowners sell their houses sooner because they either outgrow the space, need to relocate due to employment changes, or simply desire a change of scenery.

If you think you’re ready to move on to a different house, there are some things you should consider before seeking a new mortgage.

Listing Price

If you’ve financed your home, you likely still owe on your mortgage at the time you wish to purchase a new home. Most buyers aren’t able to budget two mortgages, so you will need to sell your current home before you buy another. It’s important that you sell your home for a price that allows you to pay off your existing mortgage. Most sellers also want funds leftover for lingering closing costs or expenses related to your new home purchase. You have to be cautious in choosing a price when listing your home. You may not be able to sell it for what you paid, especially if the average home prices in your neighborhood have decreased. Lenders usually require a home to undergo an appraisal before lending funds to a new buyer. Appraisals take your home’s condition as well as surrounding conditions into consideration when determining a value. If your listing price is more than the appraised amount, the lender may not loan the money to the new buyer.

If you know there are things that can be repaired or changed to increase your home’s appraised value, you should address them before putting your house on the market. You can even hire a home inspector prior to listing to help you identify necessary repairs and upgrades. Sometimes things like a new roof, upgraded HVAC, or fresh paint can increase your home’s value. Previous sales records are public knowledge, so keep in mind that the price you paid for your home is viewable to new buyers, real estate agents, and mortgage professionals.

Many buyers choose to make a down payment when purchasing a home because it ensures them equity, which can be beneficial when eventually selling and gives them added protection from becoming underwater on their mortgage.

Listing Agent

Buyers often list their homes themselves, but more they more often use a listing agent to help sell their home. If you list your home as a For Sale By Owner, you may not be able to focus enough attention on fielding requests and showings and, if an offer is made, you may not be knowledgable on negotiating the right price and selling terms. By using a real estate agent to list your home, you and sit back and let a professional handle the difficult parts of selling your home.

Not only will a listing agent professionally handle financial matters, they also have more resources available for promoting your home on the market. If the real estate agent works for an agency, they may have a website or printed publication that interested buyers can browse. They also often link their listings to popular websites like Zillow, homes.com, and Trulia. These resources ensure your home is accessible to thousands of shoppers.

A listing agent will also help you sell your home for a fair price and will negotiate any offers presented by willing buyers. Since their income depends on your home selling, you can feel confident knowing they have your best interest in mind.

Staging Your Home

People are visual buyers. If they can imagine themselves living in a home, they’re more likely to buy. If you still own your home at the time you list it, you can use this to your advantage.

Try to eliminate clutter as much as possible when preparing to list or show your home. You will probably want to take photos to post online or in a printed publication, so you need to present your home as an inviting, homey space. If possible, keep color schemes neutral and walls bare so people can visualize their own art hanging and imagine the color scheme they desire.

If you’re planning on showing your home in person, you can take measures to make your home welcoming. Lighting a subtly-scented candle or utilizing a fragrant wall plugin can make your home more appealing. You should also try to remove any child’s toys, pet products or animal hair, and kitchen and bathroom products. It’s important that buyers are able to imagine themselves living in the home, so eliminating as much of your personal items as possible can help you sell your home faster.

It may also help to plan to be away from your home at the time the listing agent is showing it. This will allow for the buyers to envision themselves as the owners.

Making the decision to move can be difficult, with all that is required to sell and buy a house; however, you can take measures to reduce the stress of selling your home. Hiring a real estate professional and ensuring your home is in excellent shape before listing will greatly improve your chances of selling. Necessary repairs that go unaddressed can terminate a home loan. Sometimes spending a little money can ensure a greater return upon selling.

It’s an exciting time to be a new homebuyer. Houses are generally staying on the market for shorter periods of time and more buyers are being approved for home loans.