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By: Serge Guenette

5 THINGS EVERY FIRST-TIME SELLER SHOULD KNOW

TAGS: SELLERS, REAL ESTATE, FIRST TIME

If you’ve never sold a home before, navigating the process can seem daunting. As a first-time seller, there are several things you should know before your home goes on the market. From understanding how the market works to preparing your home for listing photos, it’s important to know what works best to maximize the price you can get and minimize the time it will take.

How much do homes similar to yours sell for? How do you prepare your home to make people feel welcome? Is the paperwork being handled properly? Putting your home on the market won’t be as intimidating if you follow these five steps and plan ahead.

  1. Hiring a real estate agent: Yes, you can sell your home yourself, but there can be pitfalls to doing so. It’s always best to hire an agent. They can give you an impartial assessment of what your home is worth and know how to guide you efficiently through the selling process. Selling your home involves a lot of documentation and small details that are easy to overlook if you don’t know what you’re doing. And your Realtor knows how to get you the best deal for your home.

  2. When to sell: It’s generally considered that spring and fall are the “peak” seasons to sell a home. However, with Ottawa’s hot market the last couple of years — and despite the pandemic, which interrupted the spring market this year — a home that is priced right and prepared properly for sale is not lasting long on the market no matter when it’s listed. The bottom line: don’t be afraid to list just because winter is around the corner.

  3. Preparing and marketing: Getting your home ready to sell is important for the “first impression” it will make on prospective buyers. Decluttering, deep cleaning, painting, and certain repairs are all things that can make your home look as appealing as possible. Staging your home is also a good idea as its purpose is to show off the features of your home, downplaying any negatives and focusing on the positives. And, since most will first “see” your home online, high-quality photos are key.

  4. Making your house available: Don’t be hesitant to show your home. Although there are concerns about COVID and opening our homes, your Realtor knows what precautions to take, including only scheduling visits with serious buyers to minimize the traffic through your home. And it’s always a nice touch to think of small details when someone is viewing your home: a touch of music, the smell of baking, or even lighting up the fireplace can make your home welcoming.

  5. Selling when you are ready: Being fully committed and emotionally ready to sell your home is a big step to consider. Before you begin, ask yourself if you are ready to sell. We make so many memories in our homes and letting go of that emotional connection can be difficult. In the end, you must be fully ready to part with your home before diving into the selling process.

Once you’ve made the decision to sell, your Realtor can take care of most of the work for you to make the process as effortless as possible. After all, that’s what we’re here for!

For details on getting your home ready to sell, check out our Sellers Guide.

Are you ready to sell? Let’s talk!