What to Expect when Selling your Home

No matter how well you maintain your home, the bottom line is that there are going to be some things that need to be repaired, and this can put a nice dent in your savings.  Fixing problems, however, can make it easier to sell your home in the long run and save money when it comes to your profit margin.

Listings

Listing your home, either with a real estate agent or on your own is a critical part of selling it.  It is also the most tiresome part of selling it.  You might not think that this would be on the what to expect when selling your home list, but getting your house out there and visible to the public means that you will have to make sure that it is clean, and photo ready, and it takes a lot of time and energy.

Showings

When you have showings of your house, it can place a burden on the whole family.  If someone wants to see your home in, say a half hour, it’s up to you to make sure the place is clean and ready to look at.  You have to have a place to go, and if you have pets it will be necessary to take them with you.  It’s also tiresome keeping your home in a condition that is ready to show at any time, especially when you have children.  Aside from the time it takes to get your home marketed, showings are part of selling a house that can become the most tiresome to a seller.

Potential buyers

This part is tricky because most potential buyers are pretty picky.  They want to know that their money means something to you and that their investment will be a good one.  You were a buyer once; how did you feel?  It’s the same thing, except now the shoe is on the other foot.  Understand that no home is perfect, and that potential buyers will always find something wrong with every home, no matter how perfect it is.  Don’t take it personally.

Having a bottom line and sticking to it can help potential buyers to avoid placing low-ball offers on your house that are simply insulting.  You can make sure to express this before a buyer places a bid by telling any realtor that you will not entertain offers lower than the amount of your bottom line, or you can say something like, serious offers only.

Nobody ever honestly tells you what to expect when selling your home, but by being prepared, you can offset some of the potential pitfalls and have an easier time making a decent sale, for the amount that you truly want.