When you’re selling your first house, it’s important to be prepared for everything. From pricing to negotiating to closing, there are a lot of things that go into a successful sale. Here are some tips to help make the process easier for you.
Selling your house without a realtor
Selling your house directly to the buyer can be a daunting task, even for someone who has been through the process before. This is because you will not be able to depend on the realtor’s experience and expertise, as well as connections with other agents, lenders, and investors. There are many potential buyers out there that are looking for homes like yours. However, they may not take the time to look it up on the internet and search the local realty offices to find it.
That is why you need to do what realtors do: advertise. Put an ad in the paper, post flyers around your neighborhood, and submit for magazine listings. The more people who see your home, the more likely it will be that someone will buy it. The folks behind highestcashoffer.com also noted that you can contact cash buying companies to get an offer for your home. These companies have money ready to purchase homes quickly, so you won’t have to worry about unnecessary waiting.
Have your paperwork ready before you start showing it to buyers. You will need the title, proof of insurance, and a copy of your property tax statement. When you are meeting with prospective buyers, be dressed professionally and answer all their questions about the house politely.
Tidy up the house
Cleaning the house before showing it to anybody is a must. Buyers want to be given an idea of what their new house will look like when they move in, and it will be hard for them to do that if the downstairs is a mess.
Clean out your furniture before you start showing the house. Get rid of any clutter that might make the rooms look smaller or give potential buyers the wrong impression of the house’s size.
Make sure to take down any pictures or decorative items that give away your profession, hobbies, or family members’ names. Potential buyers need to see your home as a blank canvas for their own memories. Prominently displayed awards and trophies are definitely out because these might alienate the buyer.
Make the necessary repairs
If the house has any damage or minor repairs that need to be done, do them as soon as possible. It is not a good idea to let buyers see the house with hinged doors, broken windows, or misshapen counters. If there is a bigger issue with some areas of the house, make sure to hire contractors to make the necessary repairs.
You don’t want to fix things that you are not trained to do yourself, or else you might make the situation worse. This will only waste your time and money, as well as the potential buyers’ time if they have to come back another day because you can’t get it right.
Freshen up the house
A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for the look of your house. However, if you are planning to sell it in a short amount of time, do not take on any major renovations or repairs before you put it up for sale. This will only waste more time and money, especially if these improvements are costly.
Make sure to repaint or change light fixtures that are outdated. Sometimes, all it takes is to paint the front door or some of the rooms with a bright color to turn things around. You don’t have to go the whole nine yards on renovations before you sell, just do enough so that potential buyers can see what your house could look like if they were willing to put in more time and effort into it.
Improve the curb appeal of your home
The main reason why you are selling is that you want to buy another house, so it makes sense to try and find a buyer who wants to do the same thing. Unless you plan on staying in your current house forever, look for someone who will appreciate how much more living space they would get after tearing down your house and building a new one in its place.
Make the yard look as attractive as possible by pruning trees and plants that can obstruct buyers’ views of the house and open space for their own gardens or fruit trees. Maintaining the appearance of your house is what will make it stand out from others on the market.
Be open to negotiation
You may not have asked for a specific price when you listed your house for sale because you want potential buyers to tell you what they think it’s worth. That is why it is always a good idea to keep your doors open and listen to what they have to say.
Do some research on the selling prices of properties in your area, so you’ll know how much buyers should offer you. You can also give them a ballpark figure if they don’t want to go out and do some research themselves. If buyers ask for too low a price, you can always counteroffer by giving details about what improvements you have made to the house and how much it will cost them over the years.
Hire a lawyer before you have any offers
You don’t want to sign anything that has been written by a potential buyer just because they say it is the standard contract used by realtors. If something looks suspicious to you, it would be better to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate law.
A good way to know if you are in safe hands is to see if the lawyer charges you by the hour or for completing tasks such as looking over contracts, preparing paperwork, and filing forms with different government agencies. If they only charge you a flat rate, it may be a better investment to hire another lawyer who can give you a comprehensive consultation about what your options are.
Read through everything carefully yourself before signing, and be willing to ask the lawyer questions if anything is unclear to you. If buyers give you a bad contract or try to strong-arm you into signing something that makes you uncomfortable, it is better to have legal advice before you allow things to go too far.
When selling your house, it is important to be open to negotiations and listen to what potential buyers have to say. You should also make sure that you are aware of the selling prices of properties in your area, so you can set a price that is fair for both you and the buyer. It is also advisable to hire a lawyer who can help you review any contracts before signing. This will help ensure that you are getting a good deal for yourself. Finally, always read through any paperwork carefully before signing anything!
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks