Insider Real Estate Tips: Getting your home ready to sell

Let’s face it, moving is hard. It can be a challenge boxing up a house full of packed closets, overflowing drawers and heavy furniture. It can be even more of a challenge packing up memories and moving forward onto somewhere new. Maybe you are expanding your family and need more room, or perhaps an employment opportunity came along somewhere else.  Maybe the kids have grown up and you’ve decided it’s time to downsize. Whatever the motivation behind the move, here are three tips to make life a little easier, and help you get the fastest and best offers for your home.

Getting Your Home Ready to Sell

1. Consider having a home inspection performed by a professional home inspector before putting it up for sale, and taking care of the more important issues. Most buyers will have an inspection done as part of the contingencies of the offer, and they will appreciate your diligence and willingness to be proactive. This will also help alleviate some of the stress of not knowing what may or may not come to light for both you and the buyers (And believe me, plenty of items will come to light if the inspector is doing his or her job. The key is dealing with the more important ones up front).
2. Ask your favorite realtor to do a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for you, and price your home in the range it will sell. It may be worth a considerably more than you think, or it may be worth a bit less, but a professional realtor has the information needed to give you a solid idea of value. Montana is a “Non-Disclosure” state, which means you won’t find the sales price of homes in your area, only the asking price. Appraisals are based on sales price only, and part of a lender’s due diligence when lending money to a home buyer is to order an appraisal, which will assure the home is worth what the buyer is purchasing it for. Even is a buyer falls in love with your home and offers more than you are asking, the lender will only lend money based on the appraised value.
3. Keep in mind, buying a home (just like selling one) is most often an emotional experience. Buyers are looking for a home that wows them from the second they drive up. Curb appeal, AKA the buyer’s first impression, is important, so make sure the outside is free of clutter and the yard looks nice. When the buyer walks in the door, remember that they are trying to envision themselves in your home. Having very few personal items, which offers the buyer more opportunity to see themselves and their family living there, is key. I can’t tell you how important cute, clean and uncluttered I know the challenges of putting your house up for sale with kids at home (I’ve done it a time or two), but if you want to get the best price and quickest sale, take the time to prep your home before putting it on the market.

From our homes to yours, best of luck in your real estate adventures!

About the author...Aimee has been happy to call Montana home for most of her life, and has found her niche as a real estate agent, helping others live the Montana dream. She began her career in 2010, and currently works with Century 21 Hometown Brokers in Billings.