If you’re like me, you prefer to invite people into your home on those rare days when everything is as close to perfect, as possible. I’ve found that too many people feel this way about inviting their Realtor over, especially when they’re thinking about selling their home. Don’t wait!
The best time to invite your Realtor® over to talk about selling your home is before you start getting the house ready. Why? A good Realtor® is a wealth of knowledge. We can advise you about which pre-market projects make sense….and which ones don’t. We also have great contacts and can often put you in touch with just the right tradesperson to help you get things done. If there is enough time to prepare, we may be able to make suggestions that you hadn’t considered. Often these are small, simple updates that bring you the highest return on investment.
In our local market, most home sellers provide buyers with “pre-market” inspection reports. Your Realtor® can help you decide which inspections are important for your sale, and which (if any) repairs should be done prior to marketing.
Did you know that many stagers can help you with preparation, as well? Most will gladly advise you on just the right paint colors for your home, flooring choices and other selections, saving you the time and aggravation of trying to make those decisions. A talented stager will have an eye for “what could be” in your home…usually at very little expense. They know that it’s most important to make sure that your home photographs well, as nearly all buyers decide in advance which homes they are willing to consider touring, based primarily on the marketing pictures. Your Realtor® can introduce you to talented, local stagers.
Do you have strong equity in your home? Did you know that your Realtor® may be able to help you with no cost options that allow you to access some of your equity in advance of the sale, in order to prepare your house for market? This can be a huge help with covering the cost of improvements, repairs, cleaning, moving, storage & more.
Finally, if you’re like me, it’s amazing what you get done when there’s a deadline approaching. It’s sort of like that last half hour before guests arrive. Creating a plan with your Realtor® just might be what you need to keep you on track, so that you can list your property for sale at the best strategic time.
Every home sale is unique. If the thought of selling your home has you feeling overwhelmed, please feel free to reach out to me at 925-964-5010 or via email at Lisa.Hopkins@Compass.com for a custom analysis of your options. Even if you’re not ready to make a move today, it’s never too early to start planning for success. DRE#01111126.
By Lisa Hopkins-Cochran, Realtor® at Compass
Lisa’s consultative and solutions based approach to real estate has been impressing her clients for 32 years. Lisa is an East Bay native and longtime Danville resident, where she’s been actively involved in the community while raising her two children. DRE#01111126
