Selling a luxury home is a huge decision and one that often causes stress and anxiety. Choosing a fair market price and getting your home ready for market can be overwhelming. The following home seller’s checklist can help you get all of your proverbial ducks in a row, organize the sale process, and make you feel better about your decisions in the end.
#1 – Hire the Right Real Estate Agent
The absolute best thing you can do to make the process of selling your executive home simpler involves hiring a real estate agent who will act as your advocate throughout the process. Your agent needs to be knowledgeable of the market in your local area, and he or she should be able to provide references.
#2 – Pack and Plan Early
Another bit of good advice involves planning your move and packing for your move early. Weeding out the things you own is a great way to organize for staging, and you can even host a yard sale or make tax-deductible charitable donations through local organizations.
#3 – Discover the Problems with Your Home
It is imperative to repair any issues that may exist with your existing home if you want to sell it for full market value. You must disclose any problems according to the law, so things like termites, asbestos, lead paint, dry rot, and even a new highway planned nearby can all have serious effects on the sale. Repairing these issues not only removes them from the disclosure list and makes your house seem like a bargain, but it also drives up property value and saves you from legal action.
#4 – Choose What You Will Sell with the Home
Will you sell only the home with none of the appliances? Conversely, will you sell your home in move-in condition, including all of the appliances and perhaps even the furniture? It is necessary to make this decision before listing your home. In some cases, the inclusion of appliances and even furniture drive up value and make your home appealing.
#5 – Improve the Interior
Before showing your home, it is important to scrub, clean, polish, and/or shampoo every single surface. A smudge here or a speck of dirt there is enough to throw off a prospective buyer. Cosmetic improvements are also welcome so long as they do not include bold statements. Neutral is often best.
#6 – Improve the Exterior
Some of the things to consider before marketing your home include repainting (or at least touching up) the exterior paint, mowing and trimming the lawn, sweeping sidewalks, trimming shrubbery, and perhaps even planting flowers to give your home a lived-in feel. You should also keep downspouts, shutters, and other outdoor accessories in good repair.
#7 – Look for a New Home
Once your home is on the market and you feel confident that you are moving toward a successful closing, it is time to look for a new home of your own. Your real estate agent, lawyer, and other advisors can provide you with valuable advice here. Although timing two closings is stressful, it is certainly possible, and it is better than missing the chance to buy your dream home.
Selling your home is a process that often takes some time. The best way to make things simpler and easier – and to help mitigate much of the stress – is to hire a professional real estate agent who is familiar with the Denver housing market. This way, you can work together to sell your home to the right buyer and for the right price.