Stop and Look Before You List

Putting your home on the market is a big project with a lot of different steps along the path to “SOLD!” But if you take the time and effort to make sure some key pieces are in place, the transition to the new homeowner can be swift and smooth.

Prepare yourself

Over the years spent in your home, you will likely accumulate a mountain of paperwork. Even if you are super organized and have everything carefully sorted and filed, it is still a lot to gather together when the time comes to pass it all along.

Your buyers may want to carefully review HOA documents and accumulated addenda to be sure they understand the ins and outs of the community rules and procedures. In some cases, pet restrictions, visitor guidelines or the approvals process for home décor and improvements might influence potential homebuyers in the decision to relocate to your particular neighborhood. This is important information to provide upfront.

It is helpful to have appliance manuals and warranty information on hand as well. Notes on any service calls or brochures for replacement parts will aid your home’s new occupants. Records of repairs may also be needed to verify information that is relayed to the potential home buyer. Plumbing or electrical issues that have been addressed should have backup paperwork with detailed information regarding the contractor (in case future issues arise), the scope of work performed and the cost.

The survey of your property is another important document that can provide the potential new homeowner with a plethora of information. It will note if any portion of the property is in a flood zone for insurance purposes, as well as indicate property lines and setbacks so that designs for a pool or fence can be correctly laid out while still in the planning phase.

Prepare your house

There are a number of reasonably quick and inexpensive upgrades that can make a big impact on your home’s selling power. By addressing the more obvious issues upfront, you will be ahead of the game when the ball really gets rolling.

Take care of any obvious concerns such as a leaky roof or loose pavers that should be fairly simple fixes, especially if you are pretty certain they will be noticed during a first showing. You want your home to make an excellent first impression, so get those problems out of the way immediately.

Ensure that the house will photograph well. Remove any overhanging tree limbs that obstruct a nice view of the façade. A fresh coat of paint will work wonders in giving your residence an instant facelift. That first shot of the exterior is the image that will greet visitors to your listing and hopefully entice them enough to look into your property further, so do what you can to make it beautiful at first glance.

Prepping yourself and your house in these ways during the early stages of listing your home will help make the entire selling process as stress- and hassle-free as possible.

Post created By Adam| February 6, 2018 | View Full article