Make necessary repairs

1. Determine your home's value in today's marketplace
2. Find out what is currently available for sale in your area or neighborhood
3. Estimate the proceeds from selling your home
4. Determine what needs to be repaired or upgraded before you sell
5. Make necessary repairs – find qualified contractors
6. What's the best way to sell your home?
7. Decide whether and how to use an agent or sell your home yourself
8. Determine your sales price
9. Sign a listing agreement with a real estate agent
10. Create a proactive home marketing plan
11. How to handle showing your house to potential buyers
12. Get showing feedback
13. Provide property disclosures
14. Continue home marketing efforts & price adjustments
15. How to negotiate home selling price upon receiving an offer
16. Sign all real estate contract documents
17. Order title insurance commitment
18. The mortgage application process: track the buyer's progress
19. The home inspection process
20. The title process & closing the sale of your home

Getting your home ready for showings

Before your house is ready for showings, address everything that a potential buyer can see, hear or smell. Homes that look great are proven to sell faster and for more money. You don't have to spend a fortune or buy the best new finishes to make buyers want to buy your house at full market value or more. Just do what is needed to dress up your house to make it look most appealing to buyers.

Make a great first impression with a well-landscaped front yard

Improving your front exterior landscaping can really help sell your house. Do everything you can to make the landscaping look perfect. Add flowers and a small sitting area with table and chair to the front entry. Your front landscaping is likely the first thing potential buyers will see when they arrive at your home. Make sure your home's presentation impresses those buyers.

 

Get your home in shape

See the beginning of section # 5 regarding determining what to repair or replace. The advice of a real estate professional, one who spends every day looking at houses in your market, can make a real difference here. Their knowledge of the market potential of your home can help you select the right finishes (granite countertops, tile, etc.) that can help your home sell faster. You don't have to hire a full-service listing agent to sell your house for you, but you may want to consider hiring a real estate consultant to give your house the 'once-over' before you put it on the market. HomePoint.com works with a network of real estate consultants who can provide this service for a very low fee. Call us at 1-800-416-7949 to learn more, or visit our page explaining more about real estate consulting. Next Step: What's the best way to sell your home?