Selling a home is a big undertaking, but it needn’t be fraught with missteps and pitfalls. On the contrary, with the right tactics in place, your home sale can and should go smoothly.
From choosing the right agent to negotiating the best offer, these ten steps are essential for a successful home sale, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.
1) Choose the right real estate agent
It’s important to find an agent who understands your goals and who you feel comfortable working with. When interviewing candidates, ask about their experience with your type of property and neighborhood and what strategies they plan on using to get it sold. Then, when you’re ready to sign an Exclusive Agreement to Sell, make sure you read and understand the entire document first.
2) Prepare the home
Before they can make an offer on your home, buyers need to imagine themselves living there. This is hard to do when the home is cluttered or in need of too many repairs. So start by decluttering and storing away extra items. Then, deep clean each room or hire someone who can take the legwork out of it. You might also consider staging the home virtually or traditionally with furniture for buyers to picture their belongings in the space.3) Discuss a pricing strategy
Your agent will help you come up with a price that strikes a balance between getting your home sold quickly and maximizing your profits. You don’t want to set the price too high and scare off buyers, but you also don’t want to undercut yourself. Discussing your options with your agent is the best way to come up with a strategy that works for you.4) Create a marketing strategy with collateral
Once you’ve settled on a price and spruced up your home, it’s time to start marketing it to potential buyers. A great agent will put together a comprehensive marketing plan that includes everything from listing and syndicating your home to creating top-tier collateral and feature-worthy photography. Some marketing materials that may attract and retain the buyer’s interest include add-ons like 3D tours and video content. These can be sprinkled on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram and used in email campaigns targeted to buyers.5) Pre-market to other agents
Another benefit of working with an excellent real estate advisor is that they can utilize their network to market your property to fellow agents. In real estate, this “sphere of influence” is key to getting the right buyers in front of your home. A savvy agent will work diligently to identify and reach out to agents who may already have the perfect buyer lined up.6) List and advertise the home
Putting your home on the market is a huge step and one that’s necessary if you want to find a buyer. Thankfully, with the help of your agent, this process can be completely streamlined. From engaging property descriptions to compelling photos, the right agent will assist in creating a great first impression on buyers. Plus, once the listing goes live, they can keep an eye on the traffic and activity. Any feedback can be immediately used to tweak the listing and further market your home as needed.7) Execute a robust marketing strategy
Now that your home’s officially listed, it’s time for your agent to put the pedal to the metal and go all out with their marketing efforts. This means ramping up the frequency of their social media posts, mailing lists, and email blasts. It also means getting creative with how they promote your home. For example, a great agent will plan the perfect open house that will leave buyers scrambling to make an offer. They’ll also have a solid strategy for reaching out to buyers who may have missed the listing the first time around and following up with those who have already expressed interest.8) Show the property
It’s not enough to just list your home and hope for the best. A good agent will be proactive about scheduling showings with interested buyers and their agents. This requires coordination and constant communication on behalf of your agent so that you’re never left wondering when people are going to be in and out of your home.9) Negotiate with potential buyers
This is where your agent’s expertise really comes in handy. If negotiations are mishandled, interested buyers may back out. On the other hand, if the process is handled with finesse, you could end up with a much better deal. A top agent can help you navigate these tricky waters with ease, so you can submit a counteroffer with confidence.10) Sign a contract with a qualified buyer
Once negotiations have been finalized, it’s time to sign a contract with a qualified buyer. This is yet another milestone in the home selling process that’s crucial for a successful sale. If all goes as planned, your agent will guide you through the contract signing process and make sure that everything is in order. Then, once all contingencies have been removed, you’ll be well on your way to closing the deal.Why Work With Elegran?
At Elegran, we have over 200,000 consumer contacts, AI-powered marketing, dedicated internal marketing, massive syndication (to over 200 sites worldwide), trusted and trained agents and a collaborative mindset that ties it all together.
It’s why we sell homes 20% faster than our competitors, at 97.2% of the asking price on average.
For more information, and to find the best agent for your needs, reach out to an Elegran advisor today.
