Selling your home can be a daunting task – here’s some info to help you get your home sold for top dollar in under 30 days.
Here is a summary of the key steps in the Selling Process:
When do you want to sell?
Determine how soon you want to sell? This week? This month? This year?
Choose a listing agent.
This is the easy part! You have come to the right place.
What’s it worth?
Find out what your home is worth with a current Market Analysis. We’re happy to provide you a free market analysis, just email or give us a call.
Is it ready?
Make sure your house is ready to sell. Walk through your house as if you were a potential buyer, what would you like or dislike? If you see something that doesn’t look right, you should probably fix it. We’re happy to provide you with our professional opinion of what it would take to get your home ready to sell.
The contract.
Negotiate and accept the contract. We will assist you in understanding the pros and cons of particular offers you receive on your home. We will also handle all the negotiating and paperwork. .. the boring part!
The close.
Get ready to close. As soon as the purchase and sale agreement is signed, escrow is set up and working in the background to get your transaction ready to close. Before your sale is scheduled to close, you will need to go into escrow and sign all the necessary documents to transfer title to the Buyer. Once the sale has been recorded with the county, your check will be delivered to you. You are finished!
The move.
Time to move into your next home!
The most important decision you make when selling your home is who you choose to list it.
Here’s why you’ve come to the right place:
Sell More.
In the last 10 years, we’ve sold more homes in Whatcom County than anyone else.
More Experience.
With almost 40 years of experience, it’s clear that we can get your home sold for the most amount of money and in the least amount of time
Three Generations of Realtors.
We are three generations of Whatcom County realtors dedicated full-time to serving you.
Local Experts.
Born and raised in Whatcom County, our roots run deep here and our knowledge of the area and marketplace is second to none.
Preparing For The Sale
When you’re getting ready to sell your home, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Exterior.
Make sure your driveways and walkways are free of moss and dirt. Siding and roofs should be cleaned and inspected to ensure the house is looking as best as possible before your home goes on the market. The front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway into the house. Make sure the entryway to the home is as presentable as possible, first impressions are everything!
Interior.
De-personalizing your house is key. While you may love your child’s fingerpaintings, prospective buyers may not. Make sure your house is clean and tidy from top to bottom. This can take time, but it is worth investing in making sure your home is able to sell for top dollar in the least amount of time. Often it may be worth investing in a small storage unit to store unused personal items to help make your home feel as clean and open as possible.
Landscaping.
Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? Remove dead and dying plants and prune back any bushes that are in the walkways. Trim back ivy that is swallowing your house or a tree that blocks the view of your front door from the street. Make sure your lawn is trimmed and neat.
Windows & Doors.
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, WD-40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your home. Use WD-40 on squeaky doors as well. Test doors to make sure that they open and close easily.
Lighting.
When you know someone is coming by to tour your home, have all the indoor and outdoor lights on – even during the day. At night, a lit house gives a cozy impression when viewed from the street. During the daytime, turning on the lights prevents harsh shadows from sunlight and it brightens up any dim areas. Houses look more cheerful with the lights on. Also make sure the porch light is always left on in the evenings. Besides being more inviting, it allows the agent to use the lockbox more easily.
FAQ (selling)
Here’s a list of some frequently asked questions about selling a home.
What’s a listing agreement?
A Listing Agreement is a contract between the seller, their listing agent and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The Listing Agreement states all pertinent information about the property, including price it will be listed at, any personal property included with the sale, any real property not included with the sale, any special showing arrangements (i.e. hours), amount you agree to pay in commission, duration of Listing contract, permission for your agent to put your home on the MLS and internet, etc.
How much can I afford?
Knowing what you can afford is the first step of home buying, and that depends on how much income and how much debt you have. In general for standard loans, lenders don’t want borrowers to spend more than 36-40 percent of their gross income on debts (including the mortgage payment). This is called the Debt-to-Income ratio. It pays to check with several lenders before you start searching for a home to get quotes on interest rates. Most mortgage brokers will be happy to roughly calculate what you can afford.
Can you sell your home without an agent?
Sure. But generally it is harder, more stressful, will take longer and you won’t get as high of a price; here’s why. Agents representing buyers look on the MLS for homes. If you try to sell your home without an agent, you eliminate access to the MLS and the benefits it provides (like lockboxes allowing agents to get into the homes with their own key). Homes listed on the MLS also have an agreed-upon commission stated up front. If a buyer’s agent shows a home listed by the owner, they could be working for nothing since there is no written sales commission. Being a buyer’s agent on owner listed property always ends up being more work for the buyer’s agent as well. Not only are they educating their own client, many times they end up educating the seller on contracts and the escrow process. And they have to handle every detail from both sides – not just for their own clients. They suddenly doubled their work for the same commission.
When is an appraisal done?
Lenders require appraisals to ensure that they are not loaning too much on your property compared to its value. It is to protect their interest should you default. The appraisal occurs during the time between when the purchase and sale agreement is signed and when the transaction closes.
What about flat rate services?
This is where you pay approximately $500 – $1,000 to rent a lockbox and have your property listed on the MLS. With this option, you would still agree to pay the buyer’s agent commission – typically 3%. This allows your home to be marketed in the MLS. However issues still exist with this option as well and here’s why. Many buyer’s agents have a very poor image of flat listing fee services and will not take their buyers to those listings, so you will still be missing out on some of your market. Next, unless you thoroughly understand all the contracts and escrow process, you can really make drastic mistakes that could cost you serious money. Beyond signing the wrong thing, even saying the wrong thing in front of the buyer’s agent could end up being a liability. Furthermore, unless you hire an agent or an appraiser to give you an estimation of your home’s value, you could price your house too high or too low. That can be much more devastating than one may think.
How do I price my house?
No single factor has more impact on the successful sale of your property than pricing. The price at which you choose to list your home will determine whether or not your home sells in a timely fashion or sits on the market. It’s a given that every home seller wants top dollar for their property, but determining a realistic asking price up front will ensure a quick sale and a great price, and there will also be a greater likelihood of competing offers. A home that’s priced too high will sit on the market and after a while people start to wonder “What’s wrong with that house?” It’s important to choose an expert when deciding what value your house should be listed at.
What’s it worth?
No single factor has more impact on the successful sale of your property than pricing. The price at which you choose to list your home will determine whether or not your home sells in a timely fashion, or sits on the market. It’s a given that every home seller wants top dollar for their property, but determining a realistic asking price up front will ensure a quick sale and a great price, and there will also be a greater likelihood of competing offers. A home that’s priced too high will sit on the market and after a while people start to wonder “What’s wrong with that house?” Contact us today. We will help prepare a CMA to determine the real market value of your home to help you get it sold for the most amount of money in the least amount of time.