The home selling process can sometimes feel a little overwhelming. The key to keeping things running smoothly? Taking a step-by-step approach! Our team at United Realty Group has compiled tried and proven steps to ensure you stay on track.
Get a comparative market analysis (CMA) for your house
One of the first things you’ll need to do is find out how much your home is worth. Your agent will provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA), which will help you gauge its value. A CMA compares the final sales price and listing price of similar homes that have recently sold in your neighborhood.
These comparable homes will have features similar to yours, including square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, year built, floor plan, and so on. Because of the range of variables, it’s better to leave it to a real estate professional rather than attempting to do a CMA on your own.
This leads us to the next step.
Hire a knowledgeable real estate agent
Working with a United Realty Group agent is one of the best decisions you’ll make if you want to sell your house fast in the metro Chicago area. Aside from doing a CMA for you, we will make sure that your entire home selling process will be hassle-free. We will help you market your property, negotiate with buyers, and take care of the finer details during escrow and closing.
Spend on needed repairs
Don’t wait until the closing stage for buyers to discover problems with your home. Messed-up electrical wiring, an unstable foundation, and a leaking roof are the kinds of issues you don’t want to see on a home inspection report.
Make sure to get major repairs done before you officially list your home. Conduct your own pre-sale inspection to find out if there are underlying problems you need to take care of – especially if they aren’t readily visible (foundation, HVAC system, etc.).
While you do have to spend for repairs, keep in mind that the additional expense can get you much closer to your ideal asking price.
Spruce up
Aside from ensuring that the home is structurally sound, it pays to make sure that it captures the imagination of buyers. Make it look desirable, take care of cosmetic issues, and you stand a much better chance of getting offers that are close to your asking price or better.
There’s a ton of ways to do this, ranging from quick fixes such as changing out cabinet handles to more expensive but price-boosting add-ons like smart home upgrades. You can fix squeaky hinges, boost curb appeal with landscaping, or add a new coat of paint to your walls.
Present your home in the best light possible
Home staging not only makes your home look presentable; it also helps potential buyers see themselves in a new space. And that can be half the battle.
Some sellers go all out and stage their entire home, but that’s not always necessary. You can limit staging to the top features today’s homebuyers are looking for – an updated kitchen, a modern bathroom (include the living room since it’s often adjacent to the kitchen), and a functional backyard.
If you need help preparing your home for the market, our team at United Realty Group will be more than happy to lend a hand.
