Selling a home can be overwhelming and exciting! Whether it's a first or not, selling a home comes with a lot of preparation and planning. Sellers can benefit from an agent who is able to support them through the process of selling a home!
#1: Help them detach from the home.
It's normal for sellers to feel sad or have second thoughts when deciding to sell their homes. So as a seller's agent, help them remove any emotional connection to the house. Why? Home sellers must be mentally and emotionally prepared to leave and sell the house. Not just for themselves but the sake of the sale can even depend on it - wishy-washy sellers are a hindrance to everyone! Emotional attachment may lead to delays because of indecisiveness.
#2: Lead them in knowing their home’s worth.
Competitive pricing is key when it comes to selling a property. Priced too high and the sale might stall out. Priced too low? Well that's just not good for a seller or their agent. The best way to counter this is to educate sellers on the market and local trends of home prices in the area. A comparative market analysis is a great place to start. Assist sellers in understanding the difference between a hot, neutral, and cold real estate market.
#3: Inform them about the expenses they have to cover.
The relationship of a realtor and home seller must be transparent—especially in terms of financial matters. As a realtor, never forget that sellers must know the expenses they need to shoulder before selling a house.
Aside from the renovation expenses, there are still many things to consider. Let home sellers know these:
- Capital gains tax
- Home staging expenses
- Transfer tax
- Mortgage payoff
- Title insurance
- Broker/commission fee
- Home inspection fee
#4: Use their guidance in writing the listing description - they know their home best!
There are many details to gather to market a property successfully. Therefore, realtors must help home sellers secure a complete detail of their home’s size and key features. Such details are square footage, lot size, and the number of beds and baths. The listing description should also include the year their property was built, heating and cooling features, and other amenities.
#5: Look at all offers and be ready to negotiate.
The secret that realtors and home sellers need to keep is, "There are multiple offers, don't ignore one." Check every offer and determine which are legitimate options and decide when to counteroffer. Remember, home sellers want to sell their house at the most valuable price possible. Thus, let them understand how the real estate market works. Teach them the full-price counteroffer and the right of first refusal.
#6: Create a marketing plan.
A marketing plan is vital for home selling. It is a game-changer in terms of speed, searchability, and market reach. Therefore, it's beneficial to introduce real estate marketing among home sellers. For instance, listing on the MLS is often just the first step! Agents can use their own social media platforms and so can the sellers, to share the listing to the public.
Introduce them to big real estate sites like Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and Realtor.com. Creating a game plan for home selling is essential because it will lead buyers to the home.
#7: Prepare them for a home inspection.
Inspection is always in the home sellers' checklists. Buyers would typically schedule a home inspection. As a result, a home seller should do it before selling to have enough time to fix what needs to be fixed. It saves time, money, and effort—a higher chance of selling the house!
#8: The curb appeal.
Home sellers should know that a first impression is always crucial. Thus, ensure that potential home buyers will remember the house's curb appeal. For instance, simple landscaping like putting colorful flowers and repainting the front door/gate will go a long way!
#9: Prepare them for pre-closing.
Remind home sellers they need to be present up to the closing stage. Let them know the importance of an Escrow Agent because they will act as a neutral third-party during the sale transaction. Walking them through this process can help mitigate confusion and stress while navigating all the paperwork that comes with closing escrow.
The bottom line:
Selling a house can be both exhausting and exciting. Through the right partnership of the realtor and home seller, all else will be fast and easy! Just remember this guide in preparing sellers in selling their homes to speed up the real estate game!
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