21 Tips You Should Know To Get Your
Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar
This report is courtesy of:
Century 21 Power Realty Ltd.
Because your home may well be your largest asset, selling it is probably
one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. To better
understand the home selling process, a guide has been prepared from
current industry insider reports. Through these 21 tips you will discover
how to protect and capitalize on your most important investment, reduce
stress, be in control of your situation, and make the most profit possible.
1. Understand Why You Are Selling Your Home
Your motivation to sell is the determining factor as to how you will approach the
process. It affects everything from what you set your asking price at to how much
time, money and effort you're willing to invest in order to prepare your home for
sale. For example, if your goal is for a quick sale, this would determine one
approach. If you want to maximize your profit, the sales process might take longer
thus determining a different approach.
2. Keep the Reason(s) You are Selling to Yourself
The reason(s) you are selling your home will affect the way you negotiate its
sale. By keeping this to yourself you don't provide ammunition to your prospective
buyers. For example, should they learn that you must move quickly, you could be
placed at a disadvantage in the negotiation process. When asked, simply say that
your housing needs have changed. Remember, the reason( s) you are selling is only
for you to know.
3. Before Setting a Price - Do Your Homework
When you set your price, you make buyers aware of the absolute maximum they
have to pay for your home. As a seller, you will want to get a selling price as close to
the list price as possible. If you start out by pricing too high you run the risk of not
being taken seriously by buyers and their agents. If you are pricing too low it can
result in selling for much less than you were hoping for.
Setting Your Home's Sale Price
If You Live in a Subdivision - If your home is comprised of similar or identical
floor plans, built in the same period, simply look at recent sales in your
neighbourhood subdivision to give you a good idea of what your home is worth.
If You Live in An Older Neighbourhood - As neighbourhoods change over time
each home may be different in minor or substantial ways and you will probably find
that there aren't many homes truly comparable to your own. In this case you may
want to consider seeking a Realtor ® to help you with the pricing process.
If You Decide to Sell On Your Own - A good way to establish a value is to look at
homes that have sold in your neighbourhood within the past 6 months, including
those now on the market. This is how prospective buyers will assess the worth of
your home. Also a trip to City Hall can provide you with home sale information in its
public records, for most communities.
4. Do Some "Home Shopping" Yourself
The best way to learn about your competition and discover what turns buyers off
is to check out other open houses. Note floor plans, condition, appearance, size of
lot, location and other features. Particularly note, not only the asking prices but what
they are actually selling for. Remember, if you're serious about getting your home
sold fast, don't price it higher than your neighbour’s.
5. When Getting an Appraisal is a Benefit
Sometimes a good appraisal can be a benefit in marketing your home. Getting
an appraisal is a good way to let prospective buyers know that your home can be
financed. However, an appraisal does cost money, has a limited life, and there’s no
guarantee you’ll like the figure you hear.
6. Tax Assessments - What They Really Mean
Some people think that tax assessments are a way of evaluating a home. The
difficulty here is that assessments are based on a number of criteria that may not be
related to property values, so they may not necessarily reflect your home's true
value.
7. Deciding Upon a Realtor®
According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly two-thirds of the people
surveyed who sell their own homes say they wouldn't do it again themselves.
Primary reasons included setting a price, marketing handicaps, liability concerns, and
time constraints. When deciding upon a Realtor®, consider two or three. Be as wary
of quotes that are too low as those that are too high.
All Realtors® are not the same! A professional Realtor® knows the market and
has information on past sales, current listings, a marketing plan, and will provide
their background and references. Evaluate each candidate carefully on the basis of
their experience, qualifications, enthusiasm and personality. Be sure you choose
someone that you trust and feel confident that they will do a good job on your
behalf.
If you choose to sell on your own, you can still talk to a Realtor®. Many are
more than willing to help do-it-your-selfers with paperwork, contracts, etc. and
should problems arise, you now have someone you can readily call upon.
8. Ensure You Have Room to Negotiate
Before settling on your asking price make sure you leave yourself enough room
in which to bargain. For example, set your lowest and highest selling price. Then
check your priorities to know if you'll price high to maximize your profit or price
closer to market value if you want sell quickly.
9. Appearances Do Matter - Make them Count!
Appearance is so critical that it would be unwise to ignore this when selling your
home. The look and "feel" of your home will generate a greater emotional response
than any other factor. Prospective buyers react to what they see, hear, feel, and
smell even though you may have priced your home to sell.
Scrub, scour, tidy up, straighten, get rid of the clutter, declare war on dust,
repair squeaks, the light switch that doesn't work, and the tiny crack in the bathroom
mirror because these can be deal-killers and you'll never know what turns buyers off.
Remember, you're not just competing with other resale homes, but brand-new ones
as well.
10. Invite the Honest Opinions of Others
The biggest mistake you can make at this point is to rely solely on your own
judgment. Don't be shy about seeking the honest opinions of others. You need to be
objective about your home's good points as well as bad. Fortunately, your Realtor®
will be unabashed about discussing what should be done to make your home more
marketable.
11. Allow Prospective Buyers to Visualize Themselves in Your Home
The last thing you want prospective buyers to feel when viewing your home is
that they may be intruding into someone's life. Avoid clutter such as too many knickknacks, etc. Decorate in neutral colors, like white or beige and place a few carefully chosen items to add warmth and character. You can enhance the attractiveness of your home with a well-placed vase of flowers or potpourri in the bathroom. Homedecor magazines are great for tips.
12. Deal Killer – Odours Must Go!
You may not realize but odd smells like traces of food, pets and smoking odours
can kill deals quickly. If prospective buyers know you have a dog, or that you smoke,
they'll start being aware of odours and seeing stains that may not even exist. Don't
leave any clues.
13. Be a Smart Seller - Disclose Everything
Smart sellers are proactive in disclosing all known defects to their buyers in
writing. This can reduce liability and prevent lawsuits later on.
14. It's Better With More Prospects
When you maximize your home's marketability, you will most likely attract more
than one prospective buyer. It is much better to have several buyers because they
will compete with each other; a single buyer will end up competing with you.
15. Keep Emotions in Check During Negotiations
Let go of the emotion you've invested in your home. Be detached, using a
business-like manner in your negotiations. You'll definitely have an advantage over
those who get caught up emotionally in the situation.
16. Learn Why Your Buyer is Motivated
The better you know your buyers the better you can use the negotiation process
to your advantage. This allows you to control the pace and duration of the process.
As a rule, buyers are looking to purchase the best affordable property for the
least amount of money. Knowing what motivates them enables you to negotiate
more effectively. For example, does your buyer need to move quickly. Armed with
this information you are in a better position to bargain.
17. When the Buyer Would Like to Close
Quite often, when buyers would "like" to close is when they need to close.
Knowledge of their deadlines for completing negotiations again creates a negotiating
advantage for you.
18. Never Sign a Deal on Your Next Home Until You Sell Your Current
Home
Beware of closing on your new home while you're still making mortgage
payments on the old one or you might end up becoming a seller who is eager (even
desperate) for the first deal that comes along. Also, don't try to sell by a certain date. This adds unnecessary pressure and is a serious disadvantage in negotiations.
19. Moving Out Before You Sell Can Put You at a Disadvantage
It has been proven that it's more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it
becomes forlorn looking, forgotten, no longer an appealing sight. Buyers start
getting the message that you have another home and are probably motivated to sell.
This could cost you thousands of dollars.
20. A Low Offer - Don't Take It Personally
Invariably the initial offer is below what both you and the buyer know he'll pay
for your property. Don't be upset, evaluate the offer objectively. Ensure it spells out
the offering price, sufficient deposit, amount of down payment, mortgage amount, a
closing date and any special requests. This can simply provide a starting point from
which you can negotiate.
You can counter a low offer or even an offer that’s just under your asking price.
This lets the buyer know that the first offer isn’t seen as being a serious one. Now
you’ll be negotiating only with buyers with serious offers.
21. Ensure the Contract is Complete
To avoid problems, ensure that all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled
out in the contract of sale. It should include such items as the date it was made,
names of parties involved, address of property being sold, purchase price, where
deposit monies will be held, date for loan approval, date and place of closing, type of
deed, including any contingencies that remain to be settled and what personal
property is included (or not) in the sale.
Also, resist deviating from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no and that you’ve been advised against it. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.