Seller’s Checklist

There are a lot of items to consider when preparing to sell your home. Let’s cover a few of those items.

Is your home ready to sell?

• You need to consider the condition of your whole home. Are there repairs that need to be done? Are there problems with any of the mechanicals? What about known issues that have persisted over the years that need correcting. It’s a great idea to have a pre-listing inspection performed in order to prevent any surprises after accepting an offer. The results of the inspection can also help you with pricing your home if you know there are major defects that need to be corrected such as a new roof, water heater, furnace, etc. You would also be surprised what a simple coat of paint can do for a room.

Do you have all the paperwork?

• Do you have all the paperwork for your home? It can be very beneficial for a potential buyer to see that you have all the manuals for your appliances, water heater, etc. It is also great to show the receipts of the work that has been done on your home and help show that you’ve kept-up with maintenance.

Do you want to offer a home warranty?

• Home warranties are a great way to relieve any potential buyer’s concerns. A potential buyer can rest assured that they are protected from many potential issues.

If your home is going to vacant, should you leave some furniture to stage your home?

• While staging can be very beneficial for some potential buyers, it may provide no benefit to others. Sometimes empty spaces allow a potential buyer to determine what use they feel suits the room. However, a well-staged home can also impress potential buyers and make the space feel more like a home.

Open Houses – Yes or No?

• There are many opinions about this topic. Some sellers like the idea of having open houses because they may have had a positive experience with one in the past. Some sellers will not like the idea of having strangers come through their home, especially if they are still living in the home. Some realtors will want to have open houses because it helps them gauge reactions from potential buyers. Other realtors may have experience and knowledge that demonstrates open houses are not beneficial.

How much should I ask for my home?

• This is a very personal decision for many people. The longer you have been in a home, the more personal the decision becomes. It is often difficult for a seller to separate their emotions from the sales statistics. In the end, no matter what one you decide, the sell price ends up being what the potential buyer is willing to offer. It is just a matter of determining what that could end up being.

With these and many more questions sellers have, our agents can help you address them and feel comfortable about your choices.