Selling a home you’ve lived in and loved over the years isn’t exactly easy. It’s oftentimes hard and emotionally taxing. And above all else, it’s complicated. A million questions will likely pop into your head throughout the process—and possibly keep you up at night. Some of the following may be questions that you’ve asked while thinking about selling:
Q: How much needs to be done to my house before putting it on the market?
There is no need to fret over this. Many times owners feel that more needs to be done than necessary. So before spending months and millions (figuratively) upgrading your place or just throwing up your hands and giving up before you begin, contact a Realtor® to view the home for you and make recommendations. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Q: How much is my house worth?
While the current average sales price in Tallahassee is $204,010, the exact price of your own home will depend on its size, neighborhood, and lots of other factors. Further complicating matters is your own skewed perspective: We tend to mentally inflate our home’s positives and airbrush out the flaws that are all too apparent to the cold, calculating eyes of buyers. Instead, look at the prices of similarly sized homes that have recently sold in your area—data that agents call comparative market analysis, or “comps.” The key is strategically pricing your home to SELL.
Q: How long will it take to sell my home?
Right now, houses spend around 99 days on the market before they sell in the Tallahassee area. So, price competitively and make sure that you and your Realtor are getting the place in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Spread the word through your own social networks, both real ones and virtual ones.
Q: Is staging really important?
On average, a staged home sells 88% faster—and for 20% more money—than a home that’s left as is. The reason it works, of course, is it gives buyers a “stage” onto which they can play out their home-owning fantasies and envision themselves living in your home. It’s important to choose neutral paint colors and remove as many personal photos as possible. Give would-be homeowners a blank canvass that they can mentally fill with their loved ones and themselves.
Q: Should I be present when buyers view my house?
“NO!” There is not any situation in which this is appropriate. Having the owner in the house makes the buyers uncomfortable. They feel as though they can’t make comments or ask questions that could be offensive. The owner, who has a history and attachment to the house, has the tendency to argue if a potential buyer makes a comment that could be a little negative.
Q: What is the agent’s commission?
While the commission can vary, it is typically 6% of a home’s sale price, and that’s usually shared with the buyer’s agent. For every hour an agent spends with a client, he or she will typically spend nine hours on average working on that client’s behalf doing everything from networking to finding potential buyers to filling out paperwork. You want to choose a knowledgeable and skilled agent. It is very important that you trust that person and that you are comfortable with them.
