When it comes time to sell their home, many homeowners have trouble looking objectively at their beloved abode. This lack of insight can lead to problems later on, such as unforeseen repairs, poor interior design, and impractical pricing. Rather than dive into the process with unrealistic expectations, sellers should do their best to prepare for the sale, and one of the best ways to do this is to seek outside opinions. In this post, I've outlined four different sources for honest assessments of your home!
Real Estate Agents
If you're planning on selling in the near future, the first step is to talk with agents. This doesn't just give you an idea of which one you'd like to hire; it also allows you to tap into expert opinions about your home! Ask for their thoughts about wall colors, your local housing market, and, of course, your home's value. We have a long list of accomplished professionals that would love to help you today!
A Home Inspector
It is often a wise idea to hire a home inspector to do a thorough pre-inspection prior to putting your home on the market. Why have a pre-inspection if the buyers will do one later anyway? For one thing, even small issues can have a huge negative effect on the impression your home makes on potential buyers. For another, repairing issues in advance is generally cheaper than factoring their repair into a purchase agreement. At the very least, a pre-inspection will allow you to go into the process with a firm idea of any defects in your home and the cost associated with having them fixed.
A Home Stager
For relatively little money, a home stager can prepare a report about the design changes that should be made to your home in order to attract the greatest number of potential buyers. Afterward, you can complete these changes yourself or hire the stager to do it for you! Things such as furniture placement, wall color, area rugs, and bathroom fixtures may not seem like a big deal to you, but they are often the difference makers when it comes to making a good impression during walkthroughs and open houses.
Your Friends and Family!
Your friends and family can be a valuable resource when it comes to preparing your home to sell! For instance, if you're a senior looking to sell your home in a neighborhood full of young parents, ask your nephew and his wife to walk through the house. Afterward, ask them for honest feedback about the layout and features of the property. Similarly, you could post photos of the house on social media and ask people if they have any thoughts about improvements! You'll be surprised by the insights that a fresh set of eyes can immediately recognize.
