list your home

Three Things You MUST Do Before You List Your Home For Sale

November 17, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Selling your home entails a LOT of things to do. Some are musts, some are not. Here are three things that you MUST do before you list your home for sale.

First, your home must be show ready for that first day on the market

What does “show ready” mean? Let’s start with it means it’s CLEAN, and we mean clean enough to eat off the bathroom floor! Move furniture and appliances. Clean them inside and out. Deep clean floors, carpets, walls, air duct covers, air intake covers, woodwork, windows… basically every inch of your home should be clean. To get it clean that also means removing CLUTTER. Remove most of your things from the home, including oversized furniture. Big furniture and clutter make rooms look smaller. A few things are ok, minimal is better. Your home will look and smell better. Now that all the scrubbing is done, time to touch up paint, or repaint. You want the place to look neutral (color is ok, but don’t go overboard), light and roomy. It also needs to look as move in ready as possible.

Second, make sure to find out the fair market price for your home

Overpricing your home is a REALLY bad idea. Underpricing it as well. Getting to the fair market value takes some wrangling and is best left to an expert, like your Realtor. Rely on them to know the market’s well enough to get the right price the first time.

Third, have an exit plan

Know where you are going and have a backup for that first plan. So where are you going when you sell your home? Don’t know? Well you better or you’ll end up homeless! If you are buying, have your Realtor help you with timing, but also have a backup in case one of the home sales falls through. For instance, don’t sell your home, counting on the purchase of the next one to be worry free. The seller could flake out, not like your demands or reject your offer. What then?

Make sure these MUSTS are done, and you’ll have a few less worries.

Top 5 Reasons to List Your Home with a Realtor

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

If you’re thinking about selling your home, the lure of saving the money you’d have to spend on a commission to a Realtor is tempting. Don’t be tempted. There are very good reasons to list your home with a Realtor and here are a few good ones.

Let’s start with someone to look out for your interests. A Realtor is bound by a code of ethics to do the right thing. That means putting you, their client, first. They have the knowledge of things like issues you have to disclose to prospective buyers. They can tell you what you need to do to get the best price, and market your property at its best price. They will also be the ones to negotiate with others.

A Realtor is your advocate through the entire process; from listing, to showing, to negotiating, writing the contract and settling on the property. They will know reputable people to handle all the details like inspections and settlement.

If you list your home with a Realtor, they will get you the best price. Statistics show that people who sell with a Realtor get about 16% higher selling prices. That means you are an average of 10% ahead of the game even after the commission is paid. They are well-versed in the market. They know inventory levels, how long it’s taking to sell and what differences are between listing and selling prices. All of this is important when making a decision on accepting an offer or even what to list your home for.

In this day and age you also need to consider who is coming through your home. You are guaranteed that each person that enters your home is accompanied by a licensed Realtor. This means you don’t need to be there. It also means that someone who might be thinking about committing a crime will be deterred by the pre-showing questions about qualifying as a buyer, or at being accompanied in your home. Don’t be tempted, be smart. List your home with a Realtor.

Why Listing Your Home For Sale During The Holidays Makes Sense

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. You’ve decided to list your Clearwater home for sale, but you’re not sure if you should wait until after the holidays to put it on the market. Well, good news! No need to wait! The holidays are a great time to list your home for sale.

Serious Buyers

So why should you list your Clearwater home for sale during the holidays? Well, there are several reasons. First, you will find a stable of more serious buyers. People are busy during the holidays and don’t have time to spend time browsing through homes, meaning fewer “tire-kickers.” Those looking will be much more serious about buying. There are also fewer homes on the market, lowering the competition. Many people decide to take their homes off the market during the holidays. They think they won’t sell, or don’t want to be “hassled” with showing during the holidays. Wrong thinking, but it will work to your advantage. Serious buyers means your home will sell!

Holiday Decorating

Other reasons? Well, do you decorate your home? Think about how great it looks. You move extraneous furniture, put up a tree, wreaths, lights. Your rooms look beautiful and roomier. Buyers will be able to picture what it would look like during THEIR holidays. It brings up positive emotions that help them hook their hearts on your home. Buying decisions are made on an emotional level, not a rational one. Holiday decorating may help you sell your home.

Taxes

Did you know that there are tax reasons why buyers might have to buy by the end of the year? What about those who can’t wait until spring to buy? Moving may be necessary between school semesters, or because of a job situation.

Is It A Hassle?

So what about that “hassle”? Selling during the holidays is no more of a hassle than selling any other time of the year. Yes, you have to keep the home clean and staged, but as with any other time of the year, you control when it is shown and have the option to decline showings.

So, don’t wait, list now and give yourself the gift of selling your home!

If you would like to find out how to list your Clearwater Home For Sale during the holidays, give The Deb Ward Team a call TODAY!!! 727-410-0336

How Does It Work When You Have To Buy and Sell Your Home At The Same Time

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

For whatever reason, job transfer, family size change or whatever, you need to sell your current home and buy a new one. The problem is that you have no idea how it will work. There are a few scenarios, but for a seamless move here is how it can and should work.

1. If you sell first then buy here’s what should happen

First you list your home. Once you get an offer and go to settlement you start your hunt for the new place. What that does is give you money to put down, a paid off mortgage and firmer standing with prospective sellers.

Even though this is the safest plan to use, it does have drawbacks. First, you are basically homeless for a few weeks while you house hunt and wait for settlement.

You have to put all your stuff in storage and rent somewhere, crash with family or friends or do a rent back deal with your buyers, if they can do that.

2. Another plan

Another plan could be you buy your next home, then sell your current home. This will mean you can move into your new home, prepare your current one for sale and not be homeless. This plan is great if you can afford the financial stress of two mortgages for some time and paying utilities and maintenance for two homes. This tends to be the plan for an out of state move.

3. Probably the best plan

The last plan is probably the best, but the hardest one to pull off. It is selling and buying simultaneously.

You put your home on the market and start your search. It takes good organization, timing and planning, as well as money available for preparing your current home for sale and money to put as a deposit.

Your Realtor can be a huge help. There are ways to be sure you can afford this option. Planning settlement on both properties on the same day can keep the financial burden at bay. Plan your sale first, then your purchase. It also means working with your mortgage company for the new place so they know you won’t be stuck with two mortgages.

Plan your sale and purchase.