Listing Your House For Sale By The #1 Lockport IL Realtor

Selling Your House

If you are ready to put your home put your house for sale on the market, you must understand what it takes to get the best price. It’s not enough just to list your house with a realtor and hope for the best. 

The #1 Lockport IL Realtor has some tips which can help you get top dollar for selling your home. Kim Wirtz Realtor is one of the Best Chicago real estate agents and your best bet for getting your home sold quickly and for the best price.

The first step is to make sure that your house is in top condition. This means fixing any problems that potential buyers might see as a red flag. It also means making sure that the house is clean and tidy from top to bottom. 

Best Chicago Realtors will tell you that it is important to stage your house. If buyers see the property as theirs, they will be willing to pay more for it than if they think that someone else might have already claimed it.

The Top Chicago Real Estate Agents are experienced in knowing what buyers want and how best to present your home so that it stands out from the competition. 

When you work with me, you can be sure that your home will be given the attention it deserves and that you will get the best price possible in today’s market. Top Realtors In Chicago doesn’t just want to selling your home, they will help you find the next one as well. 

Have any questions about listing your house for sale? Give us a call today! or Dial Tel: (708) 516-3050

12 Steps How To Sell Your Home:

1. Hire A Real Estate Agent Who Knows The Market

It’s easy to view sales histories and professional designations of real estate agents on the internet, which can help you choose the right agent. 

Look up the online profiles of real estate agents to learn how long they have been in the business, how many sales they have completed, and what designations they may have earned. 

You should take note of how and where they market their listings, and whether or not professional photos are used.

A knowledgeable agent, however, earns their fee by marketing your property to the widest audience to guarantee that the best offers are received and negotiating on your behalf. 

Putting your house up for sale alone means you’ll have to take care of all the preparation, marketing, negotiating, and closing details on your own.

2. Establish A Timeline For Selling Your Home

An average house sale can take several months from beginning to end, depending on local market conditions. Find real estate agents with the right experience for your situation as soon as you decide you want to sell your house. 

If you plan to sell your home within the next couple of months, consider getting a pre-sale home inspection (more on that below) and identifying potential problems, especially structural and mechanical ones that might prevent a sale from going through. 

It is important to schedule necessary repairs in advance. A month or two before you list your house, begin the process of staging and cleaning in preparation for taking photos.

To-Do List Before Placing Your Home On The Market:

1. Interview potential real estate agents and check their sales records.
2. Organize and remove excess furniture to storage.
3. Consider having a home inspection done to identify any problems.
4. Schedule any necessary repairs.
5. Do a thorough cleaning.
6. Stage the house.
7. Have professional photos taken?

3. Conduct A Pre-Sale Home Inspection

Pre-sale home inspections are a smart upfront investment, but they are optional. Before you list your home for sale, an inspection report can identify any structural or mechanical problems. An inspection can cost a few hundred dollars, but it will alert you of potential problems buyers will likely point out when they do their inspections later.

Selling a home faster might be possible if sellers do repairs simultaneously with other home preparation work to be ahead of the buyer. As a result, the house should be ready to sell, drama-free, and quick by the time it hits the market.

4. Avoid Unnecessary Upgrades

You should always make sure that the upgrades you invest in have a high return on investment if you’re going to spend money on them. You shouldn’t install new granite countertops if your chances of profiting are slim, or if you will lose money on the sale.

You can get advice from a real estate agent in this situation. The people who live in your neighborhood often know what people expect and can help you plan upgrades accordingly. 

The addition of super skylights or a steam shower isn’t necessary if local shoppers aren’t looking for them. Make a great first impression with paint, new carpet, and landscaping that’s fresh and neutral.

The highest return on investment typically comes from updates to the kitchen and bathroom. An updated look may be achieved by simply replacing the doors and hardware on old cabinetry. For instance, you can easily swap out your standard kitchen cabinet doors for modern Shaker-style doors on a weekend without spending a lot of money.

5. Invest In Professional Photography

Your real estate agent can arrange a photo shoot to showcase your home for marketing purposes. When it comes to maximizing your home’s online appeal, high-quality pictures can make all the difference in whether it sells quickly or languishes on the market for a long time.

Online virtual tours and professional photography are two of the services that some real estate agents offer. You might want to look for a photographer on your own if they don’t. The cost for professional photography will depend on how large your home is, where it is located, and how long it takes.

The skill of a professional photographer lies in making a room appear more spacious, bright, and appealing. Your lawn and garden will also appear more spacious, bright, and appealing. A poorly lit online photograph can turn off buyers before they even have a chance to read about the beautiful bike path nearby or the new roof you just installed, so take care to use well-lit photos.

6. List Your House For Sale

Here are a few tips to get your house market-ready and attract buyers if a speedy sale is your objective:

• Consider How The Home Will Appear Online

There is nothing new in curb appeal, but professionals now say the online appeal is just as important.

• Prepare Your Home For Showings By Staging It And Keeping It Clean

It’s common for real estate agents to suggest home staging for sellers. If you’re selling your house, you’ll have to get rid of any surplus furnishings, valuables, and unsightly items. In addition, you will need to arrange the rooms for maximum flow and functionality. If you’re selling a luxury home in a slow market, it might be a good idea to hire a professional stager to help you stand out. 

• The House Should Be Shown By Someone Else

Your home will sell faster if you make yourself scarce when buyers come to look at it. Allow them to visualize themselves in the space, without you distracting them. A buyer will usually be accompanied by their real estate agent to view your home, or you can ask your agent to attend the showing.

7. Set A Reasonable Price

It’s imperative to get it right the first time, even in competitive markets, because buyers do not want to pay more than what they see in comparables. Pricing your home too high can backfire while underestimating its value might result in you losing out on money.

If you want to price your home correctly, look at your neighborhood’s comps. Comps are statistics about recently sold properties in a particular neighborhood. By looking at the prices of nearby houses, you can get a better idea about what those homes are worth.

You can also check online listing websites to see how similar homes in the area are priced if you are not using an agent. It may be better to track actual sales prices rather than asking prices. When your home undergoes multiple price reductions, something can be wrong with its condition or that it is undesirable. It is best to sell your house at an enticing price from the beginning to avoid the need for multiple reductions.

8. Analyze And Negotiate Offers

As soon as your home hits the market and buyers start seeing it, offers should start rolling in. Your real estate agent (or attorney) will be your best advocate and source of information during this process. Buyers will likely make an offer above the asking price if you are in a competitive market that favors sellers. You may even receive multiple offers. However, you may have to negotiate if sales in your area are slow and you don’t get many offers.

You have three options when you receive an offer: accept it as is, counteroffer or reject it.

Counteroffers are responses to offers in which you negotiate on terms and price. There should be a short timeframe for the buyer to respond to counteroffers (48 hours or less). As long as you don’t change your original selling price, you can give credit for paint and carpet. If you have appliances to leave behind, you can also offer them as a bonus.

Even if your real estate agent recommends you accept the highest offer, you should carefully consider other features of the offer, such as:

• The buyer’s payment method (cash vs. financing)
• Form of financing
• Total down payment
• Contingencies
• Personal property and/or credit requests
• Proposed closing date

A buyer who has lender financing may be tempted to choose the highest offer, but keep in mind that the property will need to be appraised if the buyer relies on lender financing. If there is a shortfall between the purchase price and the appraised value, the deal could collapse.

9. Estimate Seller Closing Costs

Closing costs apply to both home buyers and sellers. A real estate agent’s commission is normally paid by the home seller, usually between 5 percent and 6 percent of the sale price.

Sellers may also pay the following expenses:

• Transfer taxes
• Recording fees
• Outstanding liens

The seller will also pay any credits the buyer has negotiated for repairs or closing costs. You should receive a complete list of costs you will be responsible for at the closing table from your real estate agent or closing agent. There may be some fees that you have to pay as well, even though closing costs are typically paid by the buyer, anywhere from 2 percent to 4 percent of the sale price.

10. Collect Necessary Documents For Closing

It takes a lot of paperwork to properly document a home sale. Make sure all of your papers are in one place to make things more efficient. You need to gather the following documents:

• The original purchase contract for your home
• Property survey, certificate of occupancy, and certificates of compliance with local codes
• Mortgage documents
• Tax records
• Your home’s appraisal
• Homeowners insurance
• Inspection report, if one was conducted

11. Consult A Real Estate Attorney

Even though some states don’t require sellers to bring a real estate attorney to their closing, it can be beneficial to have someone on your side, especially if you’re selling your home alone. A professional can help you fill out paperwork, review documents and contracts, identify potential problems and ensure the sale proceeds as smoothly as possible. This is completely optional unless your state requires it.

Lawyers can spot title problems that could delay your sale for weeks or months, or even sabotage the deal, such as:

• Outstanding liens or judgments
• Trust issues
• Mortgage balances
• Tax issues
• Encroachments

The cost of retaining a real estate lawyer might be several thousand dollars, but the expense might be worthwhile to protect such a large financial transaction.

You may be wondering, “Why would I need to list my house for sale by the #1 Lockport IL Realtor?” I’ve got you covered. My team of experts is ready and waiting to partner with you in selling your property quickly and at a fair price. Whether it’s that beautiful home on the bluffs or that starter condo downtown, we can help make sure your dream becomes reality!

Have any questions about listing your house for sale? Give us a call today! or Dial Tel: (708) 516-3050

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