If you've never sold a home before, you may picture yourself calling a real estate agent and having the home on the market days later. Sometimes it works this way. But, if you can manage to do so, it's best to slow down and contact a real estate agent a bit earlier — before you absolutely have to list the home. There are a few really helpful things your agent can do during this before period. Take time for these steps, and you may be able to sell the home faster, for more money, or both!
Recommended Updates
There's a common misconception that any improvements you make to the home will raise its price. But this is not quite how things work. Some updates will increase the value of your home, but others won't. Which updates are worthwhile really depends on what buyers are looking for in your area, and what kind of buyer you are marketing your home to. A real estate agent can take a look at your home, specifically, and tell you what updates are worth making and what ones are not. This will keep you from wasting money on updates that don't ultimately raise the value of your home.
Staging
If you get your real estate agent out early, they can make some recommendations for staging your home. This doesn't have to mean you pull everything out and redecorate from scratch. It may just mean you remove certain personal photos from the walls, move a few pieces of furniture, or rearrange some decor. Staging a home can help buyers see the place as their own, which makes them more likely to make an offer — or make a higher offer. The earlier you can get your agent's staging advice, the better, since staging often involves moving things to a storage unit.
Exclusive Video Tours
Especially these days, with the COVID-19 pandemic making it less safe for some to go out in public, buyers are relying on video tours to see homes. If you contact your agent early, they may be able to make a video tour of your home or contract with a videographer who can do the same. This will help more buyers see your home, and it may mean you don't have to deal with as many in-person visitors.
The earlier you can contact your real estate agent and have them start on your home sale process, the better! They can offer some pretty awesome services when given the time. For more information about real estate services, contact a local real estate agent.
