Selling your first home can be an emotional experience. Everyone has a special attachment to their first house because it is where everything started. Now you are ready for the next step in life and you must prepare for some major changes. Follow these important selling tips to have a smooth and quick home sale in Illinois.
1. Don’t overprice from the start
It is important to keep your price expectations realistic right from the start. People tend to think, “If I don’t get the selling price that I want right away, then I’ll just knock the price down later.” This option does not work well because sellers tend to get the majority of their showings within the first few weeks. Buyers are usually watching sales pretty closely so when a new one pops up in their price range, they jump to go see it. It is also important to set realistic expectations in Chicago’s real estate market, which is projected to be difficult in 2017.
2. Great pictures can sell your house
We live in a digital age where everyone shops online – including for houses. A great set of pictures can make the difference between your house selling immediately and months later. Buyers search on real estate sites and are naturally attracted to well-lit, professional photographs. You might want to call up your photographer-friend for this one.
3. Make it clean and spacious
You will want to make your house look as big as possible on the inside. The first step will be to de-clutter every room. Get rid of unnecessary or unsightly items. Rent a storage unit and put any bulky furniture inside. Clearing out years of clutter will make your place look so much bigger, opening up possibilities in buyers’ minds.
4. Give the buyer some perks
Throwing in extra perks will not necessarily add money to your selling price, but it might help a buyer choose between your property and that other one that they have been looking at. You could sway them in your direction with some extra perks. You could include custom furniture, TVs, or a washer and dryer set to sweeten the honey pot.
5. Sweat the small stuff
You already have a lot to deal with, so it will be easy to forget about the small issues. While one stain in the carpet here, and burnt out light there might not be so noticeable, the accumulation of a bunch of small problems will become one big one. Make the process easy on your buyer and take care of the small issues around the house.
6. Get a real estate attorney
Most first-time sellers do not realize that they will need a real estate attorney. Real estate transactions involve a lot of paperwork, a ton of money, and typically a lot of emotion. An attorney can explain what is needed and get you the best outcome possible. They can go over contracts and give a clear title to the new owner. They can negotiate on your behalf for inspections and repairs.
If you are looking to sell your first home then be prepared for a hectic few months. There will be a lot of work involved but if you are prepared with an experienced attorney then the process should go smoothly.