Your First Home Sale: Tips for a Smooth Sales Process

Well, you probably remember what it felt like to buy your first home. But, what about selling your first home? For whatever reason, there is just never as much emphasis put on helping out first-time home sellers. However, selling your first home can be just as scary and confusing as buying your first home.

So, if you’re planning to list your home on the market for the first time, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve outlined some tips that are sure to help with the selling process:

First and foremost, selling a home is all about setting a price that will attract buyers. Thanks to ever-advancing technology, buyers now become aware of available homes just as soon as they’re put on the market. Homes are in the spotlight for the first few weeks that they’re listed, which is why pricing your home reasonably is so crucial. You’ve heard the phrase, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression,” and it rings true when it comes to real estate. By comparing your home to similar homes that are on the market or that have recently sold, you can help set a fair price for your home. Your real estate agent can complete a comparative market analysis for you that will outline this information.

Once you’ve set the right price for your home, you’ve got to think about the right way to reach prospective buyers. Many of today’s younger buyers embrace technology, so they’ll want to search for your home online and on the latest mobile devices. But, remember, older buyers may prefer picking up the phone to schedule an appointment to see your home. Make sure that your marketing efforts are reaching every prospective buyer out there.

Speaking of reaching prospective buyers… it is unlikely that that a buyer’s first glimpse of your home will be as they are driving by. You’ll want to showcase your home by taking crisp, well-lit, professional-quality photos that properly illustrate your home’s best assets. While you may not need to have your home professionally staged, you’ll want to clear unsightly clutter and possibly remove family photos and other personal items.

When your home is on the market, cleaning and decluttering for photo purposes is just the first step. The reality is that your home should be rather tidy the entire time it is listed. In fact, it may even be a good idea to replace old carpeting or add a fresh coat of paint in places before you list your home. You really want to do everything you can to make your home appear move-in ready. Simply put, you just never know when a showing may pop up. So, while your home is on the market, it is important to always be prepared to show it off.

In addition to keeping your home clutter-free during the sales process, motivated sellers also need to keep their schedules fairly clutter-free. To accommodate a prospective buyer’s schedule, it may be necessary to vacate your home with notice of just a half an hour or so. That is, unless you want to turn away an interested buyer!

As prospective buyers are touring through a seller’s home, they may notice some things that particularly catch their eyes. Remember those “oh-so-right” curtains that you found for the family room, the new washer and dryer that you scoured Black Friday sales to buy or even that counter-height kitchen table that completes your breakfast nook? Prospective buyers may admire some of your decorating choices so much that they’ll inquire about including some of your personal items in the sales contract. Depending on how badly you’d like to make a sale, you may have to part ways with a few of your favorite things!

To recap, first-time sellers, pricing, marketing, promoting, de-cluttering and remaining flexible are all important parts of the real estate sales process. But, there is a tie that binds these aspects all together… a trusted real estate agent. Working closely with a real estate agent can help you throughout the entire home sale process. Find a real estate agent you can trust with the sale of your first home by contacting Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty today.