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Things to Consider When Preparing to Sell Your Home

For sale sign in front of a house
  • Written on November 21, 2022 By Stanley Martin Homes

So you’re ready to sell your home – congratulations! If you’re already feeling a bit overwhelmed about the process, we’re here to help. Just relax, take a deep breath and read through our list of things to consider when selling your home.

  1. Are you planning on staging your home? Staging your home is a great way to make it look as appealing and move-in ready as possible while potentially increasing your home’s offer price up to 20%. When staging your home, make sure to cut down on clutter as much as possible – the less amount of décor, the better for buyers to see the “bones” of the home! Move away any furniture that blocks the windows, as that will make the room appear darker than usual. A tip to make your rooms look bigger: move furniture like couches and chairs away from the walls!
  2. How do you want to sell your home? Today there are so many ways you can sell your home! You can take the reins and sell it yourself or rely on a trusted real estate agent to do all the leg work – just remember that using a real estate agent can incur additional costs. You may be required to make repairs on the home for the real estate agent to get the best deal, and you may not be able to close on a date that works for your future living situation. Instead of navigating these additional steps, you can use technology to your advantage and work with an iBuyer like Opendoor to sell your home. With this option, you don’t need to prep or deal with listings. Instead, you sell the home directly to the iBuyer – with some websites, you can even “trade-in” your old home for a new one!
  3. What price are you thinking of selling your home for? Figuring out pricing early in the game can feel a bit backward, but it helps to have a range in mind as early as possible. Even though people are looking to purchase homes now, setting an unrealistic price for your home will delay the process and slow down offers. Overpricing is one of the biggest mistakes that sellers make. Make sure to do your research and set a fair price based on other homes in your area.
  4. When are you selling your home?Unless you need to be out of your home ASAP for a job or a big move, we strongly recommend being strategic when you sell your home. Winter is typically a slower time for home sales, especially around the holidays, with people being busy with family travel. If you have the time, it’s best to wait until the weather warms up.
  5. Are there repairs you’ve been holding off on? Selling your home is already a process, and we don’t want to add more to your plate, but it’s finally time to get to those repairs you’ve been putting off. If you’re not using an iBuyer like Opendoor, all those little scratches, stains and broken knobs will affect your home’s selling price and interest level. Take time to look around your house and list what repairs need to be made.
  6. How is your curb appeal looking?First impressions matter, especially when selling your home! Take some time to inspect your front yard, garden and your home’s façade. Your home may need a little touch-up on the exterior or more flowers around the deck.

We hope this list helps you feel better about the home selling process and that you have some ideas on where to start. Happy selling!