No Regrets: Strategize Before You Sell

We ALL know the saying that 'hindsight is 20/20', and the old adage is true in matters big and small. But when it comes to selling your home…having as few regrets as possible is paramount to your personal and financial well-being. It’s easy to assume that in a seller’s market you can’t go wrong because your home is in demand…but obtaining the best return on your investment and selecting the appropriate buyer can have critical repercussions in any market.

Based on our own decades of experience (we started at the age of 3 right?!), and a seasonal guide from Realtor.com on ‘The Biggest Regrets of Real-Life Home Sellers’, check out these seller confessions to help you minimize regrets.

#1: Not Fully Preparing The Home For Sale. ‘Good enough’ isn’t a phrase that should be used when prepping your home for sale. If you want to truly highlight your home’s best features, minor repairs can make a major impact in how well-kept the home appears. Thinking that you are saving time by omitting some arguably minor improvement s could cost you precious time and money in the end.

#2: Being Your Buyer’s BFF. It’s easy to get attached to your home…and even harder to let go after you move. But don’t open the door to being accessible to your buyer long after the sale closes. Giving a few tips on those wacky outdoor lightbulbs or your favorite pool man is one thing, getting a phone call for every leaky faucet and floor board creak is another story.

#3: Selecting A Buyer Based On Price Alone. Forgive us for being blunt…but have you heard the one about ‘putting lipstick on a pig’? Sometimes the highest offer is just as it appears, but other times it is a sign of other complicating factors that are being compensated for by price. Be sure to work with your agent on reviewing all aspects of an offer including contingencies, pre-approval status and other conditions of the offer as a whole.

#4: Omitting Critical Communication. Selling your home is stressful for many reasons…and those reasons are as important to your agent as they are to you (or at least they should be). If you need to move by a certain date due to work commitments or relocation, or are willing to consider temporary housing to wait for THE perfect home – be sure to let your agent know. We also take great pride in being our client’s voice, so if there is something you want – let us ask for it for you. But we can only do that if we know what it is you need or hope for!

#5: Skipping A Step. We know that prepping, packing and preparing to move is a LOT of work. At some point, it’s easy to throw in the towel and set an offer deadline (before perhaps you should) or forego one more open house. But if you have committed to the process, let yourself take advantage of every step. Don’t give in to crazy buyer demands just to 'get it done'; we always help our clients stick to their guns – even when they’d rather not!

These are just a few of the many, many tips for making the sale of your home as successful as possible. We are always happy to chat about the selling process and implications for your particular situation, as well as what we can do to make it easier. Our experience, our connections and our resources have only one priority in mind – and it isn’t us! This is one case where it really is ‘all about you’!

Cheers,

Mark & Jason

team@homesofsv.com

Resource Used:

http://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/home-sellers-biggest-regrets/