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Getting Ready
Seasons for Selling PDF Print E-mail
Selling a Home - Getting Ready

Many sellers don't have much choice about what time of year they'll be selling their home. Job offers and transfers aren't often very flexible. Many parents try to time their move with the start of their children's school year.

Spring

Spring has long been the busiest season for buying or selling a home, and it still is. Since the buying/selling process usually takes a few months, the timing is good for changing homes before children start a new school year. Spring cleaning is good preparation for showing your home. The weather is neither too cold nor too hot; the weather doesn't draw attention to a draft or a lack of central air-conditioning.

Summer

Summer is a bit less busy. If your home has a lovely garden, this is a good time to show it off. If you have kids, make sure they are occupied elsewhere when you're showing your home. Because so many people take their vacations during the summer, you can be a little more certain that the people looking at your place are serious about buying.

Fall

Fall sees a leveling off of the market. It also sees a lot of leaves falling, depending on your part of the country, which can mean extra work in keeping your yard presentable. With kids back in school, arranging daytime showings can be easier. Because of tax benefits, buyers may be eager to close deals by Dec. 31. But sellers often pull houses off the market during the holidays. Houses that don't sell in the fall can be stigmatized by being held over into the new year.

Winter

Winter sees a lot fewer sellers and buyers, but the total number of sales barely drops below the monthly average for the rest of the year, according to brokers. Only the most motivated buyers and sellers are active during this time of year. This may mean having to show your house at odd hours or during holiday family gatherings. In cold-weather climes, expect prospective buyers to track mud, snow, and salt through your house. Keep your holiday decorations to a minimum. The smells of baking, however, add a welcome homey touch to a showing, without excessively heating up your house.

Agents may know the particulars for your area, including the best month within a season. But no matter the season, this generally applies: If you price your home under the market, you should have an offer within three to four weeks. If you price close to market value, you should have one within one to three months. If you overprice, you could wait a long, long time.

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Prelisting or Seller's Inspection PDF Print E-mail
Selling a Home - Getting Ready

A seller's inspection is a chance for you to find what's wrong before the buyer's inspector does. This gives you a chance to make repairs or to adjust your asking price accordingly. Many states require sellers to make full disclosure of any problems with the house.

Your inspection results may surprise you. Older homes may have asbestos, lead pipes, or lead paint. Pests, especially termites, can do lot of damage before they are discovered.

To find a good inspector, ask friends and colleagues who have sold homes in the area. When you call prospective inspectors:

  • Compare fees. They should range from $150 to $500, depending on the size or price of the home.The inspector should be bonded, licensed, and insured.
  • Ask what kind of written documentation you'll receive afterward.
  • Ask for references. Call them. Asking for the last three clients is even more useful; the inspector can't stack the deck.

You should try to pick a full-time inspector. Inspectors who are also contractors may be inclined to find things to fix that don't need fixing.

You should tag along during the inspection. A typical inspection should take two to three hours.

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If You Are Vacating Your Home First PDF Print E-mail
Selling a Home - Getting Ready

Most brokers say it's harder to sell a vacant home than one that's still being lived in. But some buyers prefer vacant homes. Of course, the choice whether or not to still live in the house during the selling process is usually made for you by circumstance: job transfers, divorce, etc.

Managing the sale of your home after you've left the area can be more difficult, but less intrusive, than on on-premises seller. You may find these suggestions helpful:

  • Clean. Furniture and footpaths leave their mark on floors. The same goes for pictures hung on walls.
  • Keep utilities going. No place looks homey in the dark, or feels homey when it's cold. Provide standing lamps for rooms without ceiling lights. Prospective sellers like to turn on faucets. In colder areas, pipes can burst in an unheated house.
  • Maintain the exterior. Make sure the lawn is periodically groomed, and garbage or debris are taken away. A garden can turn into a jungle over a summer.

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Repairs, Renovations, and Touch-ups PDF Print E-mail
Selling a Home - Getting Ready

Repairs, renovations, remodelling and touch-upsRenovating your kitchen usually nets enough extra money in the sale to recoup the cost and then some, but not always. Be sure you're prepared to go months without the use of your kitchen. Make sure the mess of an ongoing kitchen and/or bathroom renovation doesn't interfere with showing your home.

 

And always be sure any renovations you undertake yourself are fully compliant with building codes.

The most cost-effective changes you can make are a fresh coat of white or neutral paint on the walls and touching up the floors -- either sanding down and varnishing wood floors or steam-cleaning or replacing carpets.

Make sure everything -- switches, faucets, toilets, etc. -- works. If a potential buyer notices one little thing in poor repair, they may wonder what else is wrong. Replacing worn bathroom fixtures, resealing a tub, and regrouting go a long way toward making a bathroom sparkle again.

Remember, touching up does not relieve you from the responsibilities of seller disclosure. Painting over a dark spot from a leaky roof doesn't mean you don't have to mention the leaky roof. You just don't have to advertise it with a dark spot.

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Preparing Your House for Sale PDF Print E-mail
Selling a Home - Getting Ready

Unclutter your house for selling.Unclutter

Houses look smaller with a lot of stuff in them. People can't envision themselves living in a place that's full of you. It shouldn't look empty, unless you need to move out early.

It should look clean and neutral but lived-in. It should have the potential to look the way the buyer will want it to look after the sale. Some people are looking for a new home because they've outgrown their old one; let them see the space in yours.

Show off your house's best features. If there's a view, clear a straight path to the window. Empty out half of each closet so people can see the space. Give away or throw out old, broken, or excess items; you're probably going to get rid of a lot of them when you move, anyway.

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