Tips for Sellers

Tip #1: Hire A Realtor

Selling a house is a stressful enterprise and requires careful preparation as well as flexibility. Hiring a real estate agent is always a good idea and will enable you to maximize your time.

Before anything, choose your realtor yourself and for the right reason. In other words, shop around and let real estate agents compete for your business. If possible, avoid selecting a realtor based on a referral alone. A good realtor should be efficient, professionnal and ethical in particular. Expertise in the area you are interested to purchase your home is a plus but not a requirement.

The agent will typically help you price your home, ensure visibility of your house on the real estate market, assist you with purchase offers from potential buyers and help you finalize all paperwork to complete the sale in a seamless fashion.

Tip #2: Price Your House Right

House prices are determined by external factors such as desirability of the area (proximity to top rated schools), home inventory available in your area at any moment, market conditions, as well as internal factors such as natural light, storage and the floor plan in particular.

The age of your house as well as improvements, renovations you conducted while living in your house will  also weigh in determining the right price for your house.

At the end of the day, the market defines the price, not your real estate agent. 

Tip #3: Invest Wisely To Sell

First impressions generated by curb appeal are critical.

Fresh paint is one of the first improvements you should consider. Keep your front and back yard in good shape. The back yard is of particular importance in sunny California as most buyers look for a place where they can relax and entertain, so make sure it is well tended.

If you plan to do improvements, it is recommended that you start with the kitchen and the bathroom(s), which are generally the two areas that buyers pay the most attention to. Besides the location, home buyers will usually reach a decision based on the number and configuration of the bathrooms, the size and accessibility of the kitchen as well as the quality and age of kitchen appliances.

Tip #4: Help Your Realtor Sell Your House

Share as much as possible with your realtor to equip him with the best sales pitch. Try not to be there during house visits as buyers do not feel comfortable in the presence of sellers and will hesitate to express their opinions to the real estate agent.

If you plan to live in the house until it is sold, you need to minimize clutter to expose as much as possible the inside of your house.

Eventually, and as mentioned previously, be flexible about house visits, which can happen at any time convenient for potential buyers. As a result, make sure that your house is ready for viewing at any moment.