Imagine you’re at a dinner party and someone brings up the topic of plumbing. They’ve had some difficulties with hot water pipes during a renovation and they’re telling the story of what happened. Then, another person in the room says, “I have a friend who’s a plumber. I always call him with my plumbing questions.”

Wouldn’t that make you think it would be nice to have a friend who’s a plumber that you could call? (In fact, you might just have that kind of a friend!)

Well, for valued clients like you, I try to be the kind of friend you’d like to have: Your friend the real estate agent!

I want you to feel comfortable calling me whenever you have a question or concern regarding the housing market, buying or selling a home, or anything else that’s real estate related. Even if you have no plans to move in the foreseeable future, please consider me your source for real estate answers and advice. My handy information:

Cathi Pospisil Cell: 928-273-0538, Email: cathi@myrebroker.com

Every seller wants to make a lot of money on their home, but many don’t know exactly what goes into the pricing of a property and think that their home is worth more than it actually is. Outside factors, like the local market and economic trends, play a large role in the final selling price. But there are also elements that you can control to get a better deal. Here’s what you can do to fix up your home before selling and boost its final value.

View Your Home Through A Buyer’s Lens

Before deciding to make any major changes to your home’s appearance, view it from the perspective of a buyer who has never seen it before. Walk through the property just like you’re attending a showing or open house––visit each room and spend time analyzing it. Look at everything, from the walls, ceiling and floor to the windows and appliances. Even bring a pad of paper or your phone to take notes on what looks good and what needs work. It might sound tedious, but you’ll be surprised at how many observations you make that you wouldn’t have if it weren’t for flipping your perspective.

Plan Out Major Renovations

After you’ve had the chance to look closely at your entire home, you can decide what really needs work and plan for it to happen before you sell. Here are some ways that you can break down the renovation process to make it seem a little less overwhelming.

1) Separate Projects By Room

This is one of the easiest ways you can prioritize what work needs to be done. Write down each room in your home, and then list out the renovations that need to happen in each one. You can then tackle one room at a time. This will ensure that your whole home isn’t under construction at once and it’s still a livable space.

2) Separate Basic Renovations from Fancy Upgrades

You can also get your priorities in line by organizing projects by complexity. Basic renovations have the largest influence on your home’s value and could make or break the sale of your home. These can include repairing plumbing leaks, insulating the attic, and replacing old or leaky windows, just to name a few. Fancier upgrades, on the other hand, aren’t necessarily things that you need to sell your home, but would still boost the home’s value and be in your price range. For example, an energy-efficient property is highly thought of in many markets. Though your home doesn’t require an energy-saving air conditioner or solar-powered water heater, these are things to think about if you have old units that aren’t doing the job. 

3) Tackle the Basics First

Once you’ve separated basic projects from fancy upgrades, you can start to work on some of the items on your list. Depending on your budget, you might not realistically be able to invest in every upgrade you want for your home before selling. So if you’re going to invest anywhere, make sure that you start with the basic renovations that will make the biggest difference in your home’s price.

Do Some Cleaning

Even after you’ve tackled the larger projects, you’re not done! No matter how many upgrades and renovations your home has, it won’t impress anyone if it doesn’t show well. Before letting your agent or prospective buyers check out the property, it’s important to make sure that it looks presentable for visitors. You can do some basic cleaning first and then focus on the presentation so that guests can see everything your home has to offer without distractions.

Basic Cleaning Tips: Go through each room in your home and cover the basics––vacuuming, sweeping, dusting and cleaning off countertops are just a few examples of simple ways you can show off the property to guests.

Presentation Tips: After taking basic measures, think about how the home appears using your five senses. For example, making the beds and letting in natural light can make the home look friendlier. Taking out the trash and adding a candle can make for a pleasant smell. Playing some soft, ambient music can add a nice sound. It’s the little things like these that can make a big difference in how others perceive your home.

Look Outside

The outside of a property is equally as important as the inside! Whether it’s doing major projects or simply touching up your curb appeal, a polished exterior instantly adds value. Think about small ways you can give the outside of your home a glow so that when buyers pull up, they’re instantly impressed. You can add a personal touch with a doormat and wreath on your door or a colorful pot of flowers, for example. Even having a mowed lawn, raked leaves or a shoveled driveway makes a big difference in how your home appears and sells.

Get Help From A Professional

Raising the value of your home isn’t always an easy task. With so many rooms to fix up and renovations to pay for, many sellers get overwhelmed trying to get their property buyer-ready. When you try to manage this on your own, you might end up neglecting an important part of your home or spending money on unnecessary projects. Long story short: the best way to get the most money for your home is to work with a real estate professional. In 2017, the average agent-assisted home sale sold for $25,500 more than those listed for sale by owner.

No, this isn’t a trick question. If you’re selling your home, you might have thought about listing it “for sale by owner” (FSBO). But you might not have taken the time to honestly evaluate if you have what it takes to do it right…  Don’t worry, I’m not trying to judge but understand that FSBOs are a popular choice for many sellers. On the outside, they appear to be everything a seller could want: no commission to pay out to an agent and all of the control. However, when sellers actually dive into the process of a FSBO, they often realize that it isn’t all that it’s made out to be. They miss out on having the help and expertise of an agent, often times causing them to make mistakes that can cost them great amounts of money and peace of mind.  Despite their appearance, FSBOs have several disadvantages that you should consider. As you go through these drawbacks, be honest with yourself and decide if you really can afford to list for sale by owner. You might be surprised.

Disadvantage #1: You’ll Sell For Less

First, let’s talk about pricing your home. Sellers who list FSBO are usually not real estate professionals who know the market inside and out, so it can be difficult for them to accurately price their home from the get-go. Some sellers let their personal feelings take over and think that their home is so special that they end up overpricing it. Others end up underpricing their home by assuming that their home is worth the same as another home that sold near them. Either way, at the end of the day the result is the same: the home sells for less than it’s worth. In 2017, the average FSBO sold for $200,000 compared to $265,500 for agent-assisted home sales. That’s right––even with commission, you could still make more money on your home by working with an agent rather than selling it yourself.

Disadvantage #2: Marketing Can Be Difficult

Before a home can be sold, people have to hear about it and want to take a look. When working with agents, sellers usually don’t have to worry too much about the marketing piece of the transaction because their agent will take care of it for them. But with FSBOs, getting the word out is completely up to the seller. This can be tricky for sellers who don’t know the marketing strategies that have worked best in their market. In the 2018 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the #1 method of FSBO marketing was no marketing at all. Coming in 2nd were yard signs, at 22%. However, only 7% of buyers stated that they found their home from a yard sign. Mistakes like these can cost FSBO sellers time and money down the line when their house doesn’t sell as quickly as they hoped.

Disadvantage #3: So Much Paperwork

When it comes time for their home to actually sell, many FSBO sellers aren’t prepared for the extensive amount of paperwork that comes with it. Depending on the state, there may be several different legal forms to complete which can take time for the seller to understand and fill out properly. Without the help of a professional, this can seem like a daunting task. In fact, understanding paperwork has been proven to be one of the most difficult tasks for FSBO sellers during their transaction.

Disadvantage #4: The Liability Is All On You

One of the more obvious disadvantages of a FSBO is that if you make a mistake at any point during the transaction, you’re the one who has to pay the price. There’s no agent who’s there to check your work and catch your mistakes for you before it’s too late. You might be thinking, “There’s no way I could mess up! I know my home so well.” But it’s important to remember that there are so many working parts of a real estate transaction, and even making a small mistake could create a big cost down the line. From something as big as overpricing the property to something seemingly small like mislabeling the type of flooring your home has, mistakes always happen in a real estate transaction––but in a FSBO, you’re the one who has to deal with all of them because you’re the one who’s on the hook.

Disadvantage #5: Negotiating

Another important point to remember is that the buyer isn’t the only person you’ll be working with during your transaction. On top of all of the responsibilities that come with selling your home, you also have to communicate with several other individuals and affiliated businesses every step of the way. From the buyer’s agent and buyer’s bank to the inspection and title companies, there are various people involved at every point in the sale.

Disadvantage #6: Takes Away Your Time

When sellers decide to list FSBO, they often don’t realize the time commitment it takes until they’re stuck at home all day waiting for potential buyers to show up. When you sell your own home, you don’t have an agent to schedule showings for you. This means that buyers can call you up at any moment wanting to come see your home. If you really want to sell, you’ll have to be available to let them in the property. This required flexibility can take away a lot of your precious time and add unnecessary stress to your life, not to mention that there’s a safety risk involved. When you’re doing everything on your own, you never know who will show up at your door. By hiring an agent, you’ll get more of your time back and not have to worry about the trouble of letting strangers into your home.

From the outside looking in, selling a home looks pretty straightforward, so it’s understandable why you might think you can handle it all on your own. But a real estate transaction is so much more complicated than simply exchanging a home for some money. Before choosing to list FSBO, assess whether or not you have the time and necessary skills to dedicate to the process. If you don’t keep up with the responsibilities, you won’t be successful.

If you’re even slightly unsure that you’d be able to handle the time commitment of a FSBO, please consider calling me!  I can provide exceptional, professional help.  My 31+ years selling residential homes will help you feel much more comfortable and confident through all stages of the transaction, from pricing to marketing to closing the deal and everything in between. I care about you as a person, and we’ll make sure that your home selling experience is the best it can be.   Cathi Pospisil, (928) 273-0538, EM: cathi@myrebroker.com, Blog: myrebroker.com, HomeSmart Chandler, AZ 85248                           Tags:  #myrebroker.com, #chandlerazbroker.com, #realtorchandleraz.com, #sunlakesrealestatebroker.com, #movetosunlakes.com, #realtorsunlakes.com,