I Want to Sell My House. Where Do I Begin?

We are currently in a seller’s market. Home inventory is low and interest rates are, too. You know that this is a good time to sell your house, but you do not know where to begin and the process seems daunting. There seem to be a plethora of real estate agents available; how do you know who is the right choice for you?

Listing Presentation appointments allow you to interview multiple agents for the job of selling your home. Through recommendations from your family and friends, print and online advertisements, or even a business card you stumbled across on the sidewalk, you should be able to narrow the field down to a couple of agents. A good Realtor will guide you in determining what is necessary and what is not before getting your home ready to sell.

I like to call the listing appointment process the 2-step. In the first step, your potential listing agent will come to your house to gain as much information as possible about your specific property. This visit includes taking a lot of pictures, inspecting all of the nooks and crannies of the interior and exterior, asking questions about important features that a potential buyer will care about such as the age of your roof and Heating/AC systems as well as taking note of personal items that will need to be removed from your home while it is being listed and the condition of the kitchen and bathrooms and other features that a prospective buyer considers most when deciding to purchase.

The agent will then compile all of that research to determine what if anything should be done to help sell your house as quickly as possible and for the greatest amount of profit. Before you meet with your potential agent again, she will perform a comparative market analysis to determine the value of your home using recent sales in your neighborhood and other factors such as the size, style and lot, as well as taking an in-depth look at improvements of those comparable properties and adjusting your home’s prospective value accordingly.

Now, both you and your potential agent are ready for the second step. Ultimately, it is your choice what you list your house for since you are the seller. That being said, you do not want to rely exclusively on tax assessments and online estimates that utilize algorithms to determine home prices. In fact, the creator of Zillow sold his own home for 40% less than its Zestimate.

You want an expert opinion on your home’s value, and that is what a good agent will provide. Overpricing a home is the single most detrimental mistake an agent can make when it comes to listing a home since it will affect the final sales price. Along with the potential range of your home’s value, a good agent will come to your second appointment with a personalized marketing plan for you, often in the form of a calendar to help you visualize the timeline for your home’s sale. Included in this presentation will be examples of both digital and print media that will be utilized to broadcast your house to the largest market possible. Information about the importance of staging and its impact on your home’s ability to sell will also be discussed.

The listing agent works for you, so choosing the right one is important. You want someone who is experienced and knowledgeable but treats you as if you are her only client.

Remember, you only have one opportunity to make a great first impression on your future buyer. Be sure to rely on a great Realtor to help you make that impression.

Jean Beatty is a licensed real estate agent in VA, MD, and DC with McEnearney Associates, Inc in McLean, VA. If you would like more information on selling or buying in today’s complex market, contact Jean at 301-641-4149 or visit her website JeanBeatty.com.