Sellers Tips

Find the right Real Estate professional.
Choose a REALTOR® that is interested in actively working with you to sell your property, and not just listing the property. They should be able to explain a marketing strategy for your home and their plans for your success. Our Real Estate professionals at ARIA believe your home is too important to be somebody’s “learning” experience. That is why all of our REALTORS® are trained to the highest caliber before beginning their real estate career and we also require our agents to be members of the National Association of REALTORS®. Being a REALTOR® means that our agents are held to a higher standard of ethics, and that means you’ll get the most honest and transparent service we can provide.

Prepare your home to sell.
Your ARIA REALTOR® will walk the home with you, prior to listing it, and assist you in making a punch list of repairs. It is vital that your home is clean and uncluttered in order for it to make a good first impression on a buyer. Removing the clutter opens up spaces such as countertops and shelving and lets the buyer use their imagination. Be strategic with your furniture. Pieces in corners tend to make rooms feel smaller. Also, a small investment in painting will make your house look fresh and return more in the selling price. Research shows the activity of a house spikes when it is first listed, so it needs to be ready for that initial surge. If the home is not ready, most of those buyers will not be back to view it when it finally is show-ready. That’s why it is essential to put your best foot forward from the get-go. Remember, first impressions are typically lasting.

Understand the Market Value of your home.
The market value of your home is based on the current market, not what you paid for a home. A home priced at the right amount tends to lead to more showings and potential offers in a shorter amount of time. According to the National Association of Realtors, homes priced at market value will bring in 60% of potential homebuyers who are looking at that price point. However, homes that are overpriced for the market will have longer market times and will often result in low offers or no offers. Overpricing on purpose and then counting on settling for the “real” price is setting yourself up for failure. Our REALTORS® can help you navigate setting the appropriate asking price for your home based on the comparables in your area.

Get a Comparative Market Analysis.
ARIA’s REALTORS® are able to provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that will help you price your home appropriately. A competitive market analysis considers recently sold properties in your neighborhood, and similar homes on the market. It is imperative to look at this when considering a list price for your home so that you know your competition and you can price your home appropriately so your home sells as quickly as possible.

Make your home available for showings.
Showings can be inconvenient, but it’s to your benefit to be as flexible as possible. For instance, an out-of-town prospect may have a limited amount of time. It’s recommended that buyers not be home when their home is being shown as the prospect may feel like an intruder and hurry through. You want to make sure prospective buyers have plenty of time to focus on all the home’s details and picture themselves living there. Keep in mind that any prospective buyer will have to work with a licensed real estate agent to tour your home. Our real estate professionals at ARIA will also always try and follow up on every showing, and report back to you with any comments that we receive.

Consider all offers.
A home will sell for what a buyer is willing to pay. Consider what is most important to you, selling quickly or getting a top price. If you don’t feel you can accept an offer, ask how we can help you create a counteroffer to keep the negotiations going and hopefully find terms that end in success for you.

Prepare for the closing.
Once you’ve accepted an offer on your property, there are still things to do. Your home will most likely be inspected. The title company must make certain a property is clear from liens. The buyer’s loan company may also want to send out an appraiser. An ARIA REALTOR® can help you navigate through all of these tasks in a timely fashion, and keep you informed every step of the way.