The time has come for one of life’s biggest changes: it’s time to move. Maybe you need to get a bigger house, maybe you need to move to a different city or even state, or maybe it’s just time for a change.
No matter what the case is, in order to get to your new home, you’re going to need to sell your current one.
If you don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. But we’re going to clear a few things up for you, showing you a step-by-step guide on how to sell a house.
1. Decide If You Want a Real Estate Agent or to Sell By Yourself
The first thing you need to do is decide whether you want to sell your house through a real estate agent or try and do it on your own. You should weigh the positives and negatives of each to find out which option is going to be best for you.
1.5. Find a Real Estate Agent
If you have decided to go with a real estate agent, now is the time to find one.
Do some research and find one that knows the market where you’re living and has a lot of experience.
2. Determine the Market Price for Listing Your Home
Next, you’re going to want to take a look at what the other houses in your area are selling for. This can help you figure out what you should be putting your house on the market for.
If you have a real estate agent, they can use their knowledge to help come up with the perfect number to list your house at.
3. Have a Pre-Sale Inspection
It’s a good idea to have an inspector come in and make an assessment of your house. They can ensure that everything is up to code and that there are no serious issues that could prevent you from selling your house.
4. Prepare Your Home for Sale
Now that you know what your house needs to be sellable, it’s time to prepare that house so that you can put it on the market.
Here’s a good checklist to follow when preparing your house for sale.
Do a Deep Clean
When you go to view a new house, you want it to be clean, right?
Well, your potential buyers are going to want the same. Do a super deep clean of every room in the house, making sure it’s sparkly clean before any showings.
Fix Minor Issues/Do Repairs
If there’s anything that wasn’t up to code, or if you have outdated appliances that need some fixing, now is the time to address these issues.
You may want to throw on a fresh coat of paint or fill in holes from nails that you used to hang pictures.
5. Do Showings
Now that your house is ready to go, it’s time to show that baby off. Get together with your real estate agent to set a schedule of showings, or schedule them yourself.
You want to get as many eyes on it as possible to make sure you get the right buyer.
6. Compare and Negotiate Offers
Once you have enough offers, sit down and take a look at what you’re working with offer-wise. If none of them are quite up to where you need them to be, have yourself or your real estate agent negotiate with the buyers to come up with something that you and the buyer like.
7. Go Through With the Close
Now it’s time to close. You’ll need to make sure you file all of the necessary paperwork and pay for closing costs.
8. Sit Back and Relax
And you’re done! Now all you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy moving into your new place.