In today’s competitive market, selling your home at the right price, within your desired time frame is as important as ever. We are constantly reviewing market trends to ensure our clients get top dollar for their home in the most reasonable time possible. We provide knowledgeable price suggestions, so your home is priced right when introduced to the market. We will present staging options to make sure your home looks it best creating a good first impression and use savvy marketing tools to get your home top-tier exposure.
TEN STEPS TO SELLING YOUR HOME.
First step is the consultation!
Schedule your consultation with an Exquisite Homes Atlanta (EH-Atlanta) agent. During your consultation we will go over the home selling process. We will also ask your questions about your home and your expectations during the process. At this time, you may ask any questions you have regarding the process to sell your home. Your agent will also ask you to give them a tour of your home. During the consultation you will receive our detailed Seller’s Guide.
Second step is preparing your home!
Before your put your home on the market it is important to get your home market ready and make it appealing to majority of Buyers. Remember when a buyer comes to view your home, they start by looking at the outside so your home should be inviting even before they set foot in your home. Give your home a thorough deep clean, paint if needed and fix items that have been on your to do list that will be a concern of Buyers. If you are not sure what needs to be done hiring a home inspector to see what are the key issues that need to be addressed is a good idea. This will also help you to address big ticket items and safety concern items in advance, that may be of major concern to potential buyers. Making updates and repairs will give you an advantage and may even increase your overall price. Sometimes small changes could make a big difference. Your Exquisite Homes Atlanta agent would have discussed some of these items with you during your consultation. If you would like to do some upgrades but do not have funds available to do those updates before selling them ask you Exquisite Homes Atlanta agent about available options.
Third step is pricing your home!
Pricing is one of the most important factors in selling your home. If you over price it then you will have less interest and miss a pool of buyers. There are pros and cons to different pricing strategy. If you price below market you could increase your chance of getting multiple offers. It is important to price your home based on your current market. Tolls to help you determine price;
- Appraisal- You could get a pre-listing appraisal which will let you know your home’s value based on comparable properties in the neighborhood.
- Get a comparative market analysis (CMA) from your agent. A CMA will show you properties that have recently sold, that are pending and active. It will also tell you how many days those properties were on the market. This will give you an idea of a price range for your home.
Selling your home in today’s Atlanta market will require pricing you home right the first time so you do not have to go back and reduce the price later. Pricing your home at fair market value typically result in faster sale. Some Sellers believe they should price high and buyers will still look at their property and they can negotiate later. This is a bad strategy which research has shown to actually increase your days on market. The longer days on market, the fewer interested buyers and eventually home sells for less than if it was priced right to begin with. Listen to the advice of your agent as they are the professionally and they have your best interest in mind.
Fourth step is marketing your home!
Marketing your home very important step in getting Buyers interested in seeing your home. Our Seller’s Guide will provide you a more detailed picture of some of the ways in which we will market your home. Here are a few key tools we use when marketing homes;
Staging will allow your home to be shown in a way that allows Buyers to envision themselves living in your home. A well-staged home also highlights the home’s best features and use of each space. Staging your home will also help it sell faster.
Professional photographs. Most Buyers start their home search online so it is important to have professional photos that will get the attention of Buyers and make them want to see your home in person.
Social media. We will also market your home on social media platforms to get you more exposure in-front potential buyers.
Fifth step is receiving & accepting offer!
We use an esign system which is convenient, simply and easy to use. You can receive your offer, make a counteroffer and sign all your required documents anywhere from your smart phone, tablet, ipad or labtop. You have received, negotiated and now accepted an offer. Now congrats, you are under contract.
Sixth step is Buyer Inspections!
In most cases the Buyer will get a home inspection. Once the home inspection is scheduled make sure all the utilities are turned on, light bulbs are all working, attics are accessible, under sinks are clutter free and accessible (remove items from under sink), items with remotes that remain with the sale of the home are available and in working condition and electrical panels are accessible (if electrical panel is located in a closet remove clothes or other items in-front it so inspector can access it freely.
Once the inspection is completed, the buyer may present Seller with an amendment to address their concerns. During this time Buyer and Seller will negotiate any items in need of repair or replacement. Items agreed upon between Buyer and Seller to be repaired or replaced should be done prior to closing as agreed upon.
Seventh step is the Buyer’s appraisal!
If Buyer is getting a loan the lender will require an appraisal to ensure the value is at least that of the contract sales price. If buyer is a cash Buyer, the Buyer may also get an appraisal for the same reason.
Eight step is loan approval & clear to close!
Once the Buyer’s loan has completed final underwriting and the lender says file is cleared to close then the lender will send closing package to the closing attorney to prepare for closing.
Ninth step is Buyer’s final walk through!
The Buyer will conduct a final walk through after you have moved out all your belongings as agreed upon to ensure the property is in similar condition and that all items that were supposed to remain with the sale are have remained.
Tenth step is Closing!
Congratulations! It is time to close. Closings in Georgia are done by an attorney. On the day of closing, you will sign your closing documents at which time the deed will transfer from your name to the Buyer. You will hand over keys, remotes, access fobs and gate codes if applicable, warranty information if applicable to Buyer. You will also receive your proceeds from the sale if applicable. Attorneys typically reserve an hour time slot for closing. Also remember to transfer all your utilities for property you are selling from your name effective closing date, unless your agreed to something else with Buyer.