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Finding the Right Agent to Sell Your Home
Selling your home is a collaborative effort between you and your real estate agent. As you prepare to sell your home, it’s crucial to find an agent who not only can answer your questions throughout the selling process but also understands your unique goals and values the happiness of you and your household.
Before You Begin Your Agent Search
Once you’ve decided to sell, there are some things to consider before selecting an agent to work with.
Communicate Your Reason for Selling
- Behind every homeowner who decides to sell their home, there’s a story, and every story is unique. In the early stages of working together, your agent will be processing a lot of information about your timeline and financial goals. Having these details ironed out and ready to communicate will help them understand your motives and guide the process effectively.
Think About Selling Strategy
- Part of a real estate agent’s expertise is knowing the optimal selling strategy to pursue, but no one knows your home better than you. Putting time and effort into thinking about things like how your home will be marketed and how showings will be conducted will help inform your agent’s strategic advice.
Finding the Right Agent for You
You and your agent will be communicating throughout the process of selling your home. You’ll be relying on them for updates and information each step of the way. Though your goal in working together is ultimately the sale of your home, your agent’s ability to connect with you on a human level through the emotional ups and downs of the selling process is just as important as their professional attributes. Accordingly, you’ll want to consider what qualities you’re looking for in an agent.
To set yourself up for identifying good candidates, talk to people you trust who know your personality and goals. Get referrals from your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. If they recommend someone, follow up with that agent to see if they are a good fit for you.
Searching for an Agent
To give yourself the best pool of potential agents, conduct your search both online and in person. Exploring an agent’s social media profiles and reading reviews online can help assess whether they’re someone you want to work with. If in-person showings and open houses are occurring in your market, consider dropping by to get a chance to interact with the agent first-hand. After you have narrowed your agent search, ask for client references to get more insights into what it’s like to work with them.
Agent Certifications
Some agents choose to earn additional certifications or designations that showcase their commitment to further training, coursework, and learning, helping them specialize and advance their capabilities. Depending on your specific needs, certain designations may appeal to you as you go about finding the right agent to sell your home. The National Association of REALTORS® offers the largest number of professional designations. Explore them here: NAR Designations and Certifications.
For help finding the right agent for you, we’re happy to connect you with an agent below:
A Step-by-Step Guide to a Smooth and Successful Sale
Navigating everything involved with selling your home can seem intimidating. Breaking the process down step by step will keep you organized and ready to work with your agent toward a successful home sale.
1. Choose an Agent
A lot goes into choosing the right agent. If you’re unsure where to start, get referrals from trusted friends, family, and neighbors. Although the ultimate goal is the sale, think about your compatibility outside of the transaction. Their ability to connect with you on a human level through the ups and downs of a home sale is just as important as their expertise and knowledge of the market.
Pro tip: Look for someone who communicates the way you do—whether that’s testing, emailing, or good old-fashioned phone calls. Feeling heard and understood can make all the difference in building trust and making the process more enjoyable.
2. Set a Timeline
Depending on your local housing market conditions, your timeline for selling your home may vary. However, a timeline is valuable in that it will keep you organized throughout the selling process and allows you to adjust if circumstances change. Your agent will work with you to build the ideal timeline, one that reflects your personal goals, the local marketplace, and any milestones you may be working around. Having a clear plan reduces stress and ensures everyone is on the same page.
3. What is Your Home Worth?
The key to selling quickly is correctly pricing your home from the first day it hits the market. In particular, overpricing can lead to serious complications in the selling process. Your agent can provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to better determine the best price of your home. CMAs provide information on comparable home sales in your area, both pending and sold, within the past six months.
While an agent will always have the best information, you can also explore your home’s potential value with our real-time automated value estimate tool before connecting with your agent. Our seller page features home values and market information about what buyers are looking for in your area.
4. Repair & Upgrade
Now it’s time to get to work on the house! This is the perfect time to tackle any and all outstanding projects or repairs. Create a list separating which repairs can be done yourself and which need professional attention. This is also a great opportunity to consider a pre-sale home inspection to identify structural and mechanical issues or outdated features that could benefit from attention. Even small updates can go a long way—especially those that boost energy efficiency or add smart home appeal.
5. Make the Best First Impression
Creating a strong first impression can have a lasting impact on buyers, so roll up your sleeves and prepare to check off that to-do-list. Start by cleaning up the garden and lawn, clearing out gutters, and adding color to your flower beds. Apply a fresh coat of paint anywhere you spot peeling or cracked paint. A great way to make an impact is by staging your home, with the goal of making each room feel as spacious and welcoming as possible. Professional photography and even a little social media buzz can make your home stand out from the start.
6. Show Your Home
Discuss virtual home tour options with your agent and other ways to generate maximum buyer interest. Consider 3D tours, virtual staging, or even drone footage if your property has outdoor highlights. These features can help your home stand out online and attract more attention, especially as many buyers now begin their home search digitally. For in-person showings, it’s best that you leave the premises so the buyer can freely ask their agent questions and visualize the home as their own.
7. Offers & Negotiation
If you are in a seller’s market—defined by low inventory and high buyer competition—it is likely that you will receive offers at – or above – asking price. You can respond to an offer by a) accepting the offer, b) making a counteroffer, or c) rejecting the offer. Counteroffers should always be made in writing and provide a short window of time for the potential buyer to respond. If you are selling in a buyer’s market, you may have to be more open to negotiation. Discuss negotiation strategies with your agent to work toward a satisfying final price.
8. Prepare for Closing Costs
There are costs throughout the selling process, and as the close date approaches, that remains true. Be sure to budget for your real estate agent’s commission, and other common seller’s costs like title insurance, recording fees, and government transfer tax, among others.
9. Home Inspection
Buyer offers are usually contingent upon a professional home inspection. Ask your agent for a home inspection checklist, so you know what the inspector is looking for ahead of time. They typically inspect the home’s foundation, structure, roof, plumbing and electrical systems, floors, windows, doors, and more for signs of damage and weathering. Some buyers now opt for additional specialized inspections—like sewer scopes or radon testing—so it’s helpful to be prepared in advance for what might come up.
10. Closing Time
Congratulations! Your home is sold, but there are still some final steps before the deal is done. This is the time to ask the buyer to release any contingencies, sign the title, and close escrow before handing over the keys. Consult your real estate agent for any questions about legal documentation and settlement costs.
Whether you’re just starting to think about selling or ready to take on the next step, a Windermere agent is here to guide you. Click the button below to connect today.
When is the Best Time to Buy a House?
There’s a factor of the home buying process that can often be the catalyst for everything that follows. That factor is timing. Much of the dialogue—rightfully so—around buying a home is focused on the “what.” However, it’s often the case that the “when” is just as important.
So, when is the best time to buy a house? The answer is simple: the best time to buy is the right time for you. Fortunately, knowing when the time is right isn’t some sixth sense; it’s much more concrete. It’s a matter of understanding local market conditions, your financial situation, the status of mortgage rates, and how those factors fit in with your lifestyle changes and your motive for moving.
When is the Best Time to Buy a House?
With so much subjectivity in the decision-making process, it can be helpful to look at cold, hard facts to determine whether it’s the right time to buy. Although every real estate transaction is different, your local market conditions will give you a good sense of how to approach the housing market. There are two basic categories: a buyer’s market and a seller’s market. In short, the characteristics of a buyer’s market—high inventory, fewer buyers, lower competition—favors buyers, and the characteristics of a seller’s market—low inventory, many buyers, high competition—favors sellers. You may be in a position where you’re able to wait for favorable buying conditions, or you may be thrust into a highly competitive market due to external factors pushing the agenda of your move, such as a career change or starting a family. Regardless of the market conditions you face as a buyer, work with a buyer’s agent is critical to efficiently navigate your local housing market and prepare a winning offer when the time comes.
Which homes can you afford?
Your financial situation also looms large when deciding whether it’s the right time to buy a house. Before you start looking for homes, assess your buying power. Having greater buying power will show the seller that you’re fully capable of purchasing the home and may vault your offer over others.
To get an idea of what you can afford, use our free Home Monthly Payment Calculator by clicking the button below. With current rates based on national averages and customizable mortgage terms, you can experiment with different values to get an estimate of your monthly payment for any listing price. Using the Home Monthly Payment Calculator, you can make a well-informed estimation of whether it’s the right time to buy.
The Home Buying Process
Moving often goes hand in hand with lifestyle changes. As you’re preparing to buy a house, you may be juggling an employment change, the birth of a child, or any combination of other life-altering events. Buying a home takes time, and although an agent will streamline the buying process, it will inevitably impact your day-to-day schedule. Here’s a quick glance at the steps in the home-buying process.
- Find the right agent
- Get pre-approved for a mortgage
- Search for homes
- Attend open houses and showings
- Make an offer and negotiate
- Put down earnest money
- Appraisal/Inspection
- Closing process
- Move into your new home
For helpful resources on the home buying process from start to finish, visit our website:
Buyer Basics – Your Guide to Buying a Home
Seasonality
You’ve undoubtedly heard the age-old real estate maxims about buying in different seasons and how to use the calendar to your advantage to score a good deal on your next home. There’s an element of truth to these sayings, but the best way to grasp the effects of seasonality in your area is to work with an experienced local real estate agent. Their expertise and access to data and tools will be your ultimate resource in tailoring your buying strategy to your local housing market. Connect with an experienced Windermere agent to begin your home-buying journey:
The Biggest Home Buying and Selling Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
There’s nothing more exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling than buying a home. However, it’s a complex transaction, and there are a number of steps along the path that can confuse, betwixt, and befuddle even the most seasoned buyers and sellers.
How can you avoid those potential pitfalls and common mistakes? Look to your real estate professional for advice and keep these guidelines in mind:
Deciding to Sell Your Home
Deciding when to sell your home can depend on a variety of factors. Perhaps your local market conditions are favorable to sellers, or you’ve recently changed jobs, or your family is growing and you need to upsize. Whatever the case may be, making the decision to sell your home is the first step in your selling journey.
Deciding to Sell Your Home
Once you know it’s time to sell your home, it’s natural to feel a wave of emotions. A home is an integral part of a homeowner’s life. They provide countless memories and, for many homeowners, are their greatest investment. But once you’ve decided to sell, it’s important to look at your home with an objective eye to appeal to a wide variety of buyers.
Which repairs should I make before selling my home?
To get your house in top selling shape, identify its outstanding repairs. As you fill out your list, separate the projects into categories which are DIY-eligible and which require a professional. This will help you to budget for your overall repair expenses and build a reasonable timeline. Some of the most important repairs to make before listing your home include fixing appliances, making sure your sinks and faucets work properly, repairing any cracks or holes in the walls, fixing all leaks and water damage, and ensuring that all systems in the home are functioning properly. Making repairs before you list your home will bode well for home inspections, negotiations, and can even give your home an advantage over other listings. Your agent may suggest a pre-listing inspection to make your home more competitive in a seller’s market.
Which upgrades should I make before selling my home?
When you sell your home, you’re inevitably competing against other listings in your area. The aesthetics of a house play a significant role in its ability to catch buyer’s attention, which emphasizes the importance of improving your curb appeal as you prepare to hit the market. Landscaping projects, new exterior paint, and upgrading your front entry are just a few ways you can spruce up the outside of your home.
And what about the interior? Consider upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, which are known for their high ROI potential. This is a great time to repaint your home’s interior as well. Consider using a neutral color palette to make it as appealing as possible to a wide-array of buyers. It’s also a good idea to identify rooms in which the flooring should be replaced or repaired. When remodeling your home’s flooring, choose a material that is within budget and has good resale value.
- High ROI Remodeling Projects to Increase Home Value
- Remodeling Projects to Avoid When Selling Your Home
Working With an Agent
Listing agents are trained professionals who work with homeowners to sell their homes. Your listing agent will be there to answer any questions you may have throughout the selling process and will negotiate with buyer’s agents to get the best price for your home. But their value doesn’t stop there. A listing agent will list the home, coordinate showings and open houses, and market the home. When searching for a real estate agent, find someone with whom you are compatible both emotionally and professionally, and who cares about the goals of you and your household.
What’s my home worth?
Homeowners can get a general idea of how much their home is worth by using online home value estimators, like Windermere’s free Home Worth Calculator. Though these tools can provide some context behind the value of your home, nothing compares to the in-depth analysis of an agent’s Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). Using a CMA, an agent can accurately price your home to get it sold quickly.
For more information on your local housing market and how to sell your home, connect with a Windermere agent today by clicking on the button below.
Featured Image Source: Getty Images – Image Credit: Inside Creative House
How to Price Your Home for Sale
It’s natural for sellers to want to get every step of the selling process right, but a successful home sale depends on an accurate listing price. Your agent will work closely with you to set the price, but in the meantime, you can use the following information to better understand what goes into this process.
- Understanding the Value of Your Home: Market Value vs. Assessed Value and More
- The Difference Between a Comparative Market Analysis and an Appraisal
What’s your home worth?
Nothing can replace the professional knowledge and local expertise of a real estate agent, but automated valuation models (AVMs) can be a helpful first step in determining what your home is worth. Like comps, AVMs assess your home by comparing its information with the listings in your area. Windermere’s Home Worth Calculator evaluates your property and the surrounding market to give you an idea of how much it’s worth. Try it here:
What factors influence home prices?
Understanding what factors influence home prices will give you a deeper knowledge of the market, give clarity to the selling process, and help you work with your agent to accurately price your home.
Comparable Home Sales
Comparable home sales—or “comps”—have a major impact on the price of your home. Comps refer to the comparable homes in your area, both pending and sold, within the last six months. Your Windermere agent can provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to better determine the price of your home. CMAs factor in aspects such as square footage, age, and lot size compared to other homes in your area, to determine how your home should be priced among the competition.
Your Home’s Location
Naturally, your home’s location plays a significant role in its asking price. Depending on the market conditions in your area, whether you reside in a metropolitan, suburban, or rural location, and the home’s proximity to amenities, schools, and entertainment all contribute to the price.
Image Source: Getty Images – Image Credit: VioletaStoimenova
Your Home’s Condition
If you have recently invested in upgrades or other remodeling projects for your home, they could increase your asking price. However, the price increase potential depends on the kind of renovation, its ROI, and how valuable it is to buyers in your area. If the home needs repair, it will likely generate less interest from buyers than better maintained homes at your price point. Any outstanding repairs or projects looming overhead will make the home less attractive to buyers and could lead to a low appraisal.
Seasonality
Any factors that impact market supply and demand are worth taking into consideration when preparing to price your home, and seasonality is one that cannot be overlooked. Typically, market activity slows in the winter and picks up during the spring and summer months. However, market seasonality varies region to region. Talk to your Windermere agent about the seasonality trends in your area and how they factor into your asking price.
Market Conditions
Naturally, all sellers want to price their home competitively, but what a competitive price looks like depends on the market conditions, such as whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market. Some sellers think that pricing their home over market value means they’ll sell for more money, but the opposite can often be true. Overpricing your home presents various dangers such as sitting on the market too long, which can result in selling for well below what it’s worth.
Periodic Price Adjustments
Pricing a home isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it proposal. As with any strategy, you need to be prepared to adapt to fast-changing market conditions, new competition, a lack of offers, and other outside factors.
These are the basic tenets for understanding what goes into the price of a home. When you’re ready, a Windermere agent will interpret and expand on this information, perform a CMA for your home, and guide you throughout your selling journey.
Featured Image Source: Getty Images – Image Credit: SDI Productions
Make Your Move
Moving is stressful, whether it is across town or cross-country. Once you have closed on your house, the reality of packing, moving, and setting up a new home can become overwhelming. While no list can make a move “stress-free”, planning ahead and staying organized can help make your move a little smoother. Here is our list of tips:
Buying and Selling a Home at the Same Time
Successfully selling a home and buying a home are significant accomplishments on their own, but when their timelines cross it can be difficult to manage both. If you’re thinking about doing both simultaneously, it’s equally important to understand the steps you can take to make the process go smoothly as it is to have a backup plan in case it doesn’t. Above all, the balancing act required to pull off both deals highlights the importance of working closely with a trusted and experienced real estate agent.
Do I buy or sell first?
One can imagine a perfect world in which the two transactions go through one right after the other. However, this is not usually the case. So, should you list your current home first or start by putting in offers on a new one? There are pros and cons to both.
Selling your current home first allows you to make offers on a new home with cash in your pocket, increases your buying power, and avoids having to juggle two mortgages simultaneously. On the other hand, it creates a gap of residence, often leaving homeowners wondering where they’ll stay until they move into their new home or whether they may need to rent before they can buy again. Sellers may also negotiate a rent-back agreement with the buyers, allowing them to rent the house from the new owners before they move in.
Buying before selling solves the need for any temporary housing and makes the overall moving process much easier. Having a residence established ahead of time means you’ll only have to move once, which can save you some serious stress during this time of transition. Oppositely, buying a new home before you sell your current one will put an added strain on your finances. Having two concurrent mortgages equates to taking on more debt, which could result in less-than-favorable loan terms for purchasing your new home. Without the lump sum generated by a home sale in your pocket, coming up with enough money for a down payment may be a challenge and obtaining private mortgage insurance (PMI) may be in the cards. Finally, buying before selling comes with an obvious assumption—that your current house will sell.
Ultimately, the order of operations depends on your situation. Perhaps you’re moving due to a change of employment, and you need to direct all your energy toward buying a new home by a certain date before you can even think about selling your current one. No matter which route you take, it’s important to communicate your timeline to your listing agent or your buyer’s agent so they can strategize accordingly.
Buying and Selling a Home at the Same Time
Local Market Conditions
Buying and selling at the same time will come with a certain duality: at each step in the process, you’ll have to balance your responsibilities as both a buyer and a seller. For example, when assessing your local market conditions, you’ll be looking at not one, but two housing markets.
- Seller’s Market: Selling in a seller’s market means that that you’ll need to be prepared to move once you list, since you could be looking at a short selling timeline. However, relying too heavily on the assumption that your house will sell quickly could make things dicey down the road. If you’re buying in a seller’s market, finding a new home may take longer than expected. You could potentially be waiting weeks or months for an offer to get accepted.
- Buyer’s Market: Selling in a buyer’s market typically means that homes stay on the market longer. If you proceed with a new home purchase just after you’ve listed your current house, know that it may take a while to sell. If you’re buying in a buyer’s market you can afford to be picky, knowing that time is on your side. With fewer people buying homes, sellers will be more flexible, giving you leverage to negotiate your contingencies.
Having a Backup Plan
If only you could wave a magic wand and make both transactions go through as planned. That’s why it’s important to have a backup plan in place to right the ship should things go sideways at any point in the buying or selling process. Talk to your agent about which options may be right for you. Here are a few:
- Sales Contingency: Buying your new home with a sales contingency allows you to opt out of the purchase contract if your home doesn’t sell by a specified date. Purchasing contingent on the sale is rare in highly competitive markets.
- Bridge Loan: If your current home hasn’t sold yet and you’re not able to afford the down payment on a new home, a bridge loan may be a fitting solution. Bridge loans can be used to cover the down payment on a new house and are repaid once your existing home has sold.
- Rent-Back Agreement: A rent-back agreement is a clause in the sales contract that allows the seller to rent their old home from the buyer for an agreed-upon period of time before the buyer moves in. This can be especially helpful in situations when the seller is having trouble finding a new home.
For more information on buying and selling a home at the same time, connect with an experienced Windermere Real Estate agent today by clicking on the button below.
What is a Seller’s Market?
When the housing market favors sellers, a seller can expect ideal conditions for selling their home. However, that’s not to say that a seller’s market doesn’t come with its own unique set of challenges for parties on both sides of the transaction. That’s why it’s critical for buyers and sellers to work with an agent who not only understands their wants and needs but who can also help them navigate highly competitive market conditions.
What is a Seller’s Market?
A seller’s market occurs when demand exceeds supply. When inventory is limited, competition amongst buyers is fierce. Median sales prices increase, days on market decrease, and homes commonly receive multiple offers, often over their original asking price.
Selling in a Seller’s Market
Though demand is high in a seller’s market, staging and making any necessary repairs are still important steps to take before hitting the market. An agent can help a seller make important decisions about which repairs and updates help add value to the home.
When it comes to offers and negotiations in a seller’s market, sellers have the leverage. It’s common for homes to fetch more than their asking price with multiple offers on the table. Though prices are being driven up by demand, a seller may choose to list their home at or just below fair market value with the hopes of starting a bidding war. Because competition is so high, buyers may be willing to waive an inspection contingency to help make their offer stand out. Agents can help sellers decide whether they should conduct a pre-listing inspection, which sometimes helps the seller get more offers and command a higher price.
With multiple offers on the table, it may be tempting to simply choose the one with the highest figure; however, the best offer is also the one that removes risk and aligns with the seller’s goals. Whether that entails waived contingencies, a shorter closing window, or an all-cash offer, in a seller’s market, the seller has the power to choose. Sellers should fully review each offer with the help of their agent before proceeding.
Buying in a Seller’s Market
Buyers in a seller’s market must act fast. Due to the high level of competition, they must be prepared for a frustrating scenario where their offers may not win out. This emphasizes the importance of working with a buyer’s agent. In a seller’s market, it’s more likely that the buying process will include such factors as seller review dates and escalation clauses. A buyer’s agent will help navigate these challenges while working with their client to make their offer stand out. They will formulate a strategy, comparing their client’s wish list and budget against the limited number of homes available and proceeding accordingly. A buyer’s agent will also set the expectation that, due to the competitive nature of the market, finding the right home may take longer than expected.
In a seller’s market, the buyer is at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiations. The chance of getting a contingent offer is minimal and pushing for certain closing dates and specific repairs may do more harm than good to their offer. A cash offer has significant power in a seller’s market. If a buyer can make a cash-heavy or even all-cash offer, it is likely to stand out to the seller. It gives the buyer more buying power and greatly increases their chances of winning a bidding war.
Knowing When to Sell Your Home
Of all the components involved in a successful home sale, there is perhaps no greater contributing factor than timing. Knowing when to sell your house gives you the best chance to make an impact when you hit the market. Every seller’s situation is unique but choosing when to sell comes down to how prepared you are, finding the right agent, and local market conditions. Once you’ve got a grasp of these elements, then you can decide if it’s the right time to sell.
Are You Ready to Sell?
Before you sell your home, your finances must be in order. Equity is a natural starting point for assessing your financial health. To calculate your equity, you’ll need to know your home’s market value. Your real estate agent can help you determine this by conducting a comparative market analysis (CMA), which involves comparing your home to others in your area by such characteristics as square footage, the number of bedrooms/bathrooms, age, and lot size. Once you know your home’s market value, subtract your current mortgage balance from that number and you’ll have your current home equity. If your equity is negative, then it may not be the best time to sell.
Beyond your home equity, there are plenty of other financial factors to consider when preparing to sell. Selling a home does not come without its own set of costs. Commission fees, home repairs, inspections, and staging are just some of the expenses you can expect to incur. For more information on the costs involved with selling your home, talk to your Windermere agent.
Selling a home is an emotional process that comes with significant lifestyle changes, so it’s important to make sure it’s the right time for you and everyone in your household. Part of a real estate agent’s’ role is understanding how the varying emotions of the selling process apply to different people. For every fear, worry, and hesitancy you may experience when trying to decide if it’s the right time to sell, your agent can share similar experiences while working with past clients.
Local Market Conditions
The state of the real estate market in your area could dictate whether it’s the right time to sell. Various factors affect local market conditions like inventory, seasonality, mortgage rates, and home price growth. Talk to your real estate agent about what the local conditions mean for your selling strategy and what kind of buyer negotiations you can expect to encounter. Agents have the tools and know-how to perform a complete analysis of the market to help you decide when the right time is to sell.
Find the Right Agent
Real estate agents are the catalyst for a successful home sale. They not only bring a wealth of resources to the table, but they can also offer helpful advice on the optimal time to sell. Agents can assess your goals for selling your home, how that aligns with your budget, and how those factors fit into the context of current local market conditions.
To truly know whether it’s the right time to sell, it’s important to find the right agent who understands the needs of your household. The more an agent knows about your situation, the better they can formulate a selling strategy. This also allows them to understand what the best offer for your home looks like. When searching for an agent, ask for referrals from your inner circle. Interview multiple agents to get an idea of their qualities, and select the one that makes the most sense for you.
When you’re ready to sell, or if you have any questions about the selling process, talk to an experienced Windermere agent here:
