Selling your home may seem like a relatively simple process. You hire an agent, let them take pictures and show the house to prospective buyers, accept an offer, and then close… right?
In reality, there’s a lot that goes into the selling process; especially if you want to have a smooth home sale.
Matters are further complicated by hr fact that most sellers are also in the process of buying, closing, and moving into their new home.
To make the most of your time in the weeks or months leading up to your sale, I’ve put together a list of tips that you can use to get ahead of the curve, making your sale as problem-free and simple as possible.
One of the most important lessons homeowners learn when they sell their first home is how quickly moving day creeps up on them. Make a list of all of the things you need to do before you hand over the keys, and set dates and reminders in your calendar for those tasks.
You can do this if you’re in the beginning stages of finding out when you want to sell by, or if you’re in the final stages of packing and moving your belongings to your new home. Regardless of where you are in the home sale process, you can always benefit from preparedness.
To get the ball rolling, reach out to a real estate agent sooner rather than later. They’ve been through this process several times before and will be able to give you advice that is catered to your specific situation.
We all love our homes and value the time and effort we put into them. But, to get top dollar for your home and ensure a smooth sale, you’ll probably need to do some work.
This can include getting an inspection to ensure that the vital components of your home are working properly. Knowing this now can save you time and headaches if a buyer’s inspector finds an issue with your home that you weren’t aware of.
Similarly, you’ll want to make your home move-in ready by making small repairs, putting a fresh coat of paint, and cleaning up the exterior of the home.
Setting the price of a home is not a road you want to take shortcuts on. Research prices for comparable homes in your area, consider recent repairs you made, and value the home at what you think is a fair price.
However, don’t get too attached to one number and be prepared to adapt based on the offers you receive.
Planning for moving day could be its own separate blog post. You’ll want to start packing things you don’t need early on in the process. Then, make arrangements for young children or pets, so that you can focus on the move rather than keeping track of everyone else.
I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.
Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.
Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.
John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.
