First Time Home Seller Advice

by Crescent City Living

Advice for a first-time home seller

Hey, do you remember the thrill of being a first-time home buyer? The excitement of finding the perfect place, tempered with the anxiety of inspections and calculating if you could handle the maintenance yourself. Well, get ready for those same thrills (and a few new ones) as a first-time home seller!

Preparing to go on the market

Welcome to the exciting world of home-selling! Even if you haven't done it before, don't worry, since we've got you covered. To make a great first impression on buyers, cleaning, repairing, landscaping, and selecting an agent are crucial. Surely you don't want your home to be the talk of the town for the wrong reasons, right? Remember those houses you teased for being unattractive and outdated? Let's make sure your home isn't one of them!

Handling showings

Let's take a trip down memory lane and remember how thrilled you felt when you saw a new home on the market that could be 'the one'. You just couldn't wait to take a tour in person! It's important to keep in mind that potential buyers of your home will feel the same way. So, don't panic if they request a last-minute showing.

Of course, setting some boundaries around showings (especially if you have pets) is understandable. However, remember that making your house hard to show can make it challenging to sell. Let's make sure buyers get excited about your home from the first moment they see it!

Inspection Insights

When it comes to inspection day, sellers are generally either really laid back, knowing they have properly maintained their home, or freaking out, worrying about what the inspector might find that they don’t even know about.

Just because you’re opting to sell as is doesn’t mean that a buyer won’t try to negotiate needed repairs. It's rare to see a house that's absolutely perfect (I mean, have you ever seen one?). So, brace yourself for buyers asking for the same fixes you did. But don't worry, it's not a reflection on you. They just want to be comfortable in their new home. Your agent can help you come up with an agreement that makes everyone happy!

Closing Day

It's finally here, closing day! You're past showings, offers, negotiations, inspections - and maybe even more negotiations and appraisals. If you've agreed to repairs, make sure to send those receipts to the buyer's agent within 5 days.

The rest is a piece of cake. Bring your ID and all the house keys, including the ones for your garage and shed. If you have warranty papers for appliances or recent repairs, consider leaving them in the house along with a warm, welcoming note to your home's new owners.

The home you're handing over is full of memories and love - and it's now ready to create even more with its new family.