Posts in category 'Sellers'

Selling a home can involve a flurry of varied emotions and lots of moving pieces. No matter how you're feeling, you've got to move forward with a plan, and that's why I'm here to help. Here are my top 10 tips for buying a home. 

1. Decide Why You're Selling 

Think about why you want to sell your home in the first place. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Your current home is too small.
• Your current home is too large and more than you want to continue to care for.
• Your neighborhood isn't what you thought it would be.
• You've been offered a job in another state.

Knowing why you're selling your home can help keep you motivated to do everything you can to move your property. It can also help us determine your ideal timeline. 

2. Hire a Realtor

Work with someone who's familiar with Roanoke real estate — the different areas and the market — so you have a professional on your side who knows what steps to take to make your property appealing and most valuable to potential buyers. As a lifelong resident of the valley, I can educate you about neighborhoods, schools and amenities.

3. Determine the Best Time To Sell

Watch your neighborhood to see how quickly property is selling and talk with your Realtor about the market. Real estate sells at all times of the year, so my advice: Sell when it's the best time for you and your life. That said, if you've had that lingering thought in your mind for a while, and you see that houses in your neighborhood are going fast, you should call me. 

4. Take Care of Home Improvements 

Making things as easy as possible for potential buyers is key. Take care of minor home improvements, such as painting, pressure washing, replacing door knobs and drawer pulls, adding new appliances and other small upgrades. When we talk about your selling strategy, we'll talk more about the larger improvements that could help you fetch more at closing. 

5. Stage Your House 

Potential buyers not only need to like what they see when they visit your home, but they also need to be able to see themselves living there. That means you want to stage your property so that there's no clutter or personal items. Your two directives: Remove and depersonalize. Then, make a family plan to keep your home in shape for a viewing at any time. (This also means having a plan for removing pets and any evidence of them when buyers come calling. We love our animals around here, but a potential buyer likely doesn't want to meet your cat or smell the litter box.) 

6. Focus on Competitive Pricing 

Part of your selling strategy will be determining a list price. We won't pull it out of the air or off an online valuation tool. I'll conduct some research about comparable homes in your area. We'll consider those along with the current market and your financial needs. Once your home is on the market, we'll continue to reassess and make adjustments as needed to meet your time goals. 

7. Design a Marketing Plan

It's easier than ever to get the word out about a home on the market, but we want to do it the right way and in the right places. I use digital advertising, social media, my website and more to get homes in front of prospective buyers. You can waste a lot of money and get very little result without a clear idea of your potential market. [See my blog post on the services I provide sellers for more on marketing.]

8. Make Yourself Aware of Potential Closing Issues 

Head a closing disaster off at the pass when possible. Your buyer's financing could fall through, you could receive bad news on your home inspection or the buyer may not receive a loan amount large enough to cover the cost of your home. Let's talk early about your options if something smells like it might go awry.

9. Have a Move-Out Plan

While working on selling your home, cultivate a move-out plan. Get an idea of the costs involved, how long it will take and whether you may need temporary housing if your home sells quickly. 

10. Be Responsive.

I'll be getting in touch frequently to discuss the status of your property and questions from potential buyers. Do your best to answer promptly so we can keep things moving. I'll do the same. 

Selling your home is a complex — and sometimes emotional — business. Between the legal and financial aspects, there are a lot of moving parts, and sellers may feel overwhelmed.

If you're looking to sell your Roanoke real estate, I can help. As a Realtor, I'm an expert in both the market and the process. I'm always concerned with protecting your best interests and making the experience as easy as possible. With so much on the line, having someone in your corner can make all the difference.

Productive Property Preparation

Before you sell your home, it's important to get it into shape. This may mean steps as simple as a new coat of paint or as complicated as bringing your electricity up to code.

Over my years working in real estate, I've connected with many construction professionals who can assist with minor and major repairs. You don't have to worry about scammers with my recommendations — I only suggest people I trust to get the job done right. This can save you time you'd otherwise spend researching, which gets your residence on the market that much faster.

Effective Marketing

Even though it involves a very personal subject, selling your home needs to be treated as a business decision, which means we need to add marketing. It's essential that we appeal to buyers, and I have several resources I can use to help us gain interest:

• Digital advertising
• Open houses
• MLS listings
• Flyers
• Social media advertising
• Local newspaper ads

I can also make use of my network of real estate professionals to find potential buyers. This may lead to opportunities that simply aren't available to someone outside the field.

Accurate Pricing

Determining a fair price involves many factors, including fluctuations in the market and details about the home. If you ask for too much, your house could be up for sale for a long time, but if you ask for too little, you're not getting your residence's true value.

My long-time experience in real estate provides me with insight into your home's market value. Since I'm familiar with prices in the same area, I can help you set an amount that truly represents what your home is worth.

Thorough Monitoring

There are a lot of legalities to keep track of when selling a home. Here are a few issues that require careful attention:

• Title
• Financing
• Insurance

Much of it involves jargon or complicated requirements you may not fully understand. My job is to stay on top of the paperwork so you don't have to. I'll keep you informed of any necessary documents or actions you need to take.

Tough Negotiations

If the market is in your favor, you may have a bidding war on your hands. Even without multiple buyers, coming to an agreement on a final price can be a complex process. Here my experience gives me an advantage since I'm familiar with bargaining tactics and even have a few tricks of my own. I'm dedicated to getting you a fair deal, no matter what.

Selling your home doesn't have to be a trying experience. With the right assistance, you can smoothly navigate the selling process and come out on top. If you're interested in my services or want to learn more, contact me today.

Learn more about selling a home on my blog:

Selling your home? 6 listing price errors you need to avoid

Thinking about listing your house 'For Sale by Owner'? Think again.

11 questions to ask a prospective listing agent

Top tips for Roanoke's first-time home sellers

4 reasons your Roanoke Valley homes isn't selling

Deciding when to sell your home isn't always easy. Most people don't expect to stay in their houses forever, but it can be hard to decide when to place your home on the market. If you're on the fence about selling your home, here are several signs it's time to take the leap. 

You have positive equity

Equity is the difference between your home's value and the amount you owe on your mortgage. One of the most important signs you're ready to sell is that you have positive equity in your home. With a high amount of equity, there's a higher chance of making a profit on the sale. 

To find out how much equity you have, compare the amount you owe on your most recent mortgage statement with your home's market value. Don't re...

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When selling your Roanoke Valley home, the goal is usually to sell in the shortest amount of time for the highest price. It might seem like getting there is out of your control, but the truth is, there are so many things you can do right from the start that will make your home sale go smoothly.

That said, there are also some things you can do that will make the process more difficult. Here are my Top 10:

Pricing too high

I just

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Every home seller wants to get the best possible price for their property in the least amount of time. But setting a reasonable and realistic price is essential. Get it wrong and you risk your home sitting on the market or letting it go for less than it's worth.

Here are six common errors I see sometimes in the Roanoke Valley that you'll want to avoid when determining a list price for your home:

Starting too high

It might be tempting to aim for a high price when you first list, assuming you can always lower it later if there isn't a lot of interest. Unfortunately, this is often counterproductive.

Both house-hunters and Realtors actively monitor new properties listed in their local areas, and if they see your home suffer a significant discount after a few months, they're...

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