Selling Your Home for the First Time: What to Expect

Selling your first home can be overwhelming and emotional. It holds a lot of memories, time, and effort. It is okay to feel this way, but it is also vital to keep your emotions in check. Otherwise, they may cloud some crucial aspects you should not overlook.

Once you decide to sell your house, think of yourself as a salesperson rather than a homeowner. It will help if you look at the exercise from a purely financial perspective. Remember that you are not selling memories but a piece of property. When you have your emotions in check, here are a few other things to expect.

Most Buyers Will Be in an Emotional State

Keeping your emotions in check will help you deal with emotional buyers. Remember your feelings when shopping for a home and engage them on that level. You will also need to put in extra effort and do some staging and minor remodeling. It will help the buyers picture the home they want better, without minor issues getting in the way.

Hire an Agent

A good agent will be with you through the thick and thin of selling the house, so choose wisely. A trusted agent with lots of experience and happy clients will sell your home for more money. They will maximize the returns on investment on your home and advise you on staging, negotiation, and pricing. They will also help you close.

Be Flexible on Home Showings

Be ready to be flexible on home showings. Some potential buyers will want to see the home in the evening after work. Others will want to do it on the weekend when you think you will have some time with your family. If you feel the showings will be too much of an imposition, consider going away for the first weekend.

Get Professionals to Stage and Take Photos

Many buyers will start their buying journey online, so sellers post many home photos. You will do yourself a disservice if you post poor-quality photographs. Take good quality pictures. They will set your listing apart and help you generate extra interest. Take photos during the day when there is plenty of natural light.

Staging your home will bring out its best assets. It makes it more appealing to buyers and helps you declutter. It keeps buyers' eyes from wandering and helps make your rooms look spacious and vibrant.

Closing Can Take More Time Than You Think

It can take more than a month to finalize the sale. However, there are a few things that you and the buyer must complete. Even though there are all these things to complete, you need to plan. Avoid looking for where to live next at the final hour. Think about whether you may need interim housing before closing and plan for it.

You May Not See a Full Return-on-investment on All Home Upgrades

Home improvements and additions sometimes do not yield the target return on investment. You can recoup some of the costs, but do not expect to get back every coin you put into the upgrades.

Conclusion

Selling your home could see you put in a lot of work. So do your homework to prevent key details from slipping through the cracks. Have realistic expectations and get a good agent. They will help you get the best deal from the sale.

For more information on selling your home, visit Blue Horizon Realty and Lending, Inc. at our office in Escondido, California. You can call (760) 237-4092 today to schedule an appointment.