Are you thinking of listing your home for sale? If selling is on your mind, these are the 9 steps to list a house for sale BEFORE publishing your listing.
1. Know Why You Really Want To Go
Some reasons are obvious, such as the need to sell if you’re moving to another city or putting in an offer on a new home.
Other needs may be less definite, such as outgrowing your space or concerns about cash flow. Having a strong case to list your house for sale will make the selling process easier. Remember, you still have to find a place to live so you’re managing two transactions at once—it can be a bit stressful.
When I chat with clients about selling, we assess financing options and the costs of moving against the costs of staying to make the best choice. Sometimes selling may end up costing more than staying!
2. Set Your Expectations
Get a professional assessment of your home’s value to help you determine reasonable price expectations before you even list your home. Your city’s property assessment isn’t always accurate, since they can’t see if you’ve done any upgrades to the inside of the home.
This is especially important if you’re planning to finance a new home.
3. See Your Home Through Others’ Eyes
Try to see your home through a stranger’s critical eyes. Make a list of major or minor improvements to make.
You can also ask your real estate team for advice as well. After buying, renovating, and selling a few homes myself, I can spot the things that might trip up a buyer! Always look to your team for advice.
4. Do Your Fix-ups
Repaint or at least touch up interior and exterior paint for a fresh, polished look. Replace items that show wear and tear.
You can instantly modernize a room with upgrades to faucets or drawer pulls. Make sure light fixtures and windows are clean and bright to cast a good light on your home.
5. Maintain The Mechanicals
It’s not quite the glamorous stuff of décor magazines, but your home’s mechanical systems can make or break a sale with some buyers.
Have the chimney and furnace inspected and cleaned. Check drains and ductwork. Fix any plumbing problems. Energy-efficient systems may increase your home’s appeal as well. All the sexy stuff of homeownership!
6. Clean and Declutter
You can’t hear this too many times. An open room will help buyers picture their own belongings in the space.
Cleaning and decluttering is also a huge stress reliever!
7. Have A Copy of Your Property Survey
A Real Property Report (RPR) can be a plus for marketing your property in a competitive market.
An existing RPR should suffice, depending on when it was completed or what physical changes have been made on your property. However, if you’ve made changes on your property, it’s a good idea to get an updated report. You don’t want to list your property for sale only to find out your fence isn’t in the right spot or your neighbour is encroaching on your property.
Some buyers may need this to meet their lender’s requirement of a survey before approving a mortgage loan on a property.
8. Brush Up Your Curb Appeal
First impressions are everything in a competitive housing market, so show off your home’s best face. Tidy up the landscaping, invest in high-quality porch lights or house numbers, and choose a few tasteful accessories to create an inviting entranceway.
9. Count On A Pro
The most crucial step to list your home for sale is to work with a trusted team. I do not recommend trying to sell your home yourself if you don’t have experience doing so.
As a mortgage broker, I can help you figure out the financing of selling your home and buying a new one. There are potential options for porting your mortgage, maybe refinancing to buy your new home, etc.
A real estate professional will help you to target potential buyers and get you serious offers on your home when you’re ready to list. You can also count on realtors to help you negotiate and close the deal (a huge relief in this fast-moving market!)
There are also your lawyers, appraisers, inspectors, and more who you need on your team to get your home ready to list for sale.
However, if you’re considering selling, I recommend getting in touch with me to see what’s financially possible.