These days, selling a home is no longer as simply putting up a FOR SALE sign in front of the property, or placing an ad for it in the local dailies. In today’s competitive real estate markets, maximum exposure is the only way to go for sellers. This rings true for Denver’s exclusive real estate market, which is one of the most competitive in the entire country. Mile High Home Pro recognizes the demands of today’s real estate market, and as such has compiled a simple sellers’ guide to help prospective sellers get ahead when it comes to selling their Denver properties.
The first step for any person who is planning to put his or her Denver real estate up for sale will always be to find and hire a competent listing agent. Veteran listing agents have extensive experience in dealing with people planning to sell their homes within the city, and are also knowledgeable about legal implications with regard to real estate sales. They will guide the seller through every step of the way, ensuring that they attain the most value of their transactions.
Before committing to any advertising and whatnot, the listing agent will advise the seller to look over the current pricing of the homes in their immediate vicinity. This way, the seller can have a realistic look at the current value of their property, and can also have an estimate of what kind of prices they will be competing with. This may or may not involve an appraisal of the property’s monetary value, conducted by a professional appraiser recommended by the listing agent.
The prospective seller must keep in mind that a run-down home is a home that will not sell. He or she must make a list of things that need to be updated or repaired with the property, and eventually go around to working on them immediately. This may include simple things like replacing potted plants and lights to more complicated repairs like fixing the wirings or realigning rain gutters.
First impressions are a key part of scoring a buyer for a home on sale. It is a big reason why home staging is a big thing these days; home stagers can use existing assets within the home to make it appealing to prospective buyers. The listing agent can recommend a trusted staging company who can offer their services at a discounted price.
The key point of getting a buyer for the property is exposure. Advertise in all possible channels, including the more traditional paper advertisements and the more innovative online listings. The home staging approach plays into step as well. The photos chosen for these listings must be of excellent quality, and must highlight the positive aspects of the home. The listing agent can help the seller when it comes to determining which marketing channels to use.
Once the home has had some major listing exposure, expect to receive requests for home viewings. The seller need not show up when prospective buyers arrive to view the home; the listing agent does all the talking and touring for the seller. Just remember to keep the home in order ahead of a visit; keep away any items that may degrade the aesthetic value of the property.
The seller will eventually have to narrow down the number of prospective buyers he or she will consider for the final closing. He or she will review the various initial offers that these prospective buyers made, with the help of the listing agent. The seller will eventually find the right buyer through his or her own set criteria, as well as through key points recommended by the listing agent.
With a definite buyer selected, the listing agent will now contact the buying agent to begin the final negotiations for the home. During this period, the buyer has between 30 to 45 days to make sure that he or she will be purchasing the property. The period also covers the last set of negotiations regarding payment agreements, home appraisals and inspections, finalization of terms, and reviewing the final agreement.
Prior to finally vacating the home and moving on to a new one, the seller is expected to maintain the same noteworthy condition of the property as advertised. This sometimes means that any repairs that were negotiated with the buyer have already been undertaken, and all other loose ends for the home are dealt with.
This segment covers all last-minute agreements to deal with or run over between the buyer and seller. All overlooked points regarding the transfer will be reviewed. Once all the relevant points have been reviewed, the final papers can be signed and the ownership of the home can be transferred to the buyer.