Step 1: Before the Offer

TLDR: Preparing your property for sale, determining the correct list price, and then marketing it are the keys to receiving an offer. 

So, you've decided to say sayonara to your house, townhome, condo, plot of land, castle, tent, insert-other-property-type-here. What are some tips for selling your home, what should you know about the process, and how can you get the biggest buck upon the sale of your investment? We're so glad you asked! Because we're like you and we like easy steps, we've broken the process into three steps: Before the Offer, The Offer, and After Offer Acceptance. Each step includes suggestions and tasks that you can read up on in advance, and we highly recommend doing so. Your familiarity with the process will save you muchas moolah in commissions. 

Tip

If you want top dollar, you'll need to get the property in tip top shape, which doesn't have to break the bank. For Step 1, you'll: 

Fun Fact: Buyers Think Like You

Put yourself in their shoes. Just like you, they're searching for a good deal. 

Think of the last time you bought a TV. You probably went online and shopped around for similarly priced TVs, weighing the pros and cons of each. Unsurprisingly, the one with the most features for the lowest price is the one you’re most likely to purchase. The same thought process is true for when buyers are looking at houses: they're comparing similar homes and will make an offer on the house that is the best value for the price. 

If you're selling your property for $210,000 but there's a similar property right down the street that's listed for $200,000, which one do you think buyers are going to make an offer on? It's for this reason that it's imperative to do your research on local prices before listing your home (“Decide on a Sales Price"). If you don't adequately research the market and overprice your home, your home could end up *shudder* not selling. 

An Overview of Step 1

Step 1 is about preparing to sell your home, including deciding whether to hire a cleaner, conducting repairs, and having your house staged and photographed. Like it or not, curb appeal and first impressions matter tremendously. Last, and perhaps most importantly, you'll learn how to research the market and price your home so that it sells quickly once it hits the market.

Next Steps

Once you've received an offer, you'll move on to Step 2. Feel free to read ahead for what to expect in an offer.