How To Sell Your Home: A 7-Step Recommendation Guide for Oahu Homeowners

 

 

As the saying goes, first impressions are everything. To a prospective buyer who may be interested in purchasing your property, the first impression will be your asking price. If the grocery store was offering two identical items, but one was offered at a better price, more times than not, the buyer would choose to buy the better priced option. The same principle applies to real estate. Your Realtor® should help you come to a fair market value of your home by providing comparable properties that have sold in your neighborhood. Not only is pricing important to the buyer, but this will also be useful for the appraisal process as well.

 

 

You likely did a home inspection of your property at the time you were in the process of buying your home. However, depending on when you purchased, you may want to consider a pre-home inspection that could uncover some issues that you previously weren’t aware of. Although the buyer will do their home inspection at their own cost through escrow, a pre-home inspection allows you to make necessary repairs to the property beforehand and prevents a buyer from getting cold feet and cancelling the transaction over minor issues.

 

While a pre-home inspection is recommended, if you decide to forego that route, at least get your property in good shape prior to going on the market and make the necessary repairs that you are at least aware of. For example: That loose door knob or leaky faucet. 

 

 

Scenario: You’re getting ready to host Thanksgiving dinner at your home. Most likely, before any guest steps foot into your door, you probably took the necessary steps to clean and prepare your home to be ready for entertaining. Although you aren’t necessarily entertaining house guests, prospective buyers will be walking through your home whether it be through private showings or open houses, and you will want to have your home to be presented in a welcoming fashion. Your Realtor® should be involved in prepping your home for showings (i.e. professional staging).

 

 

Why even bother with a professional Realtor® if you aren’t going to bother with professional photos? A photo taken by a professional with great lighting and flattering angles makes a world of a difference versus an iPhone photo that was snapped on a moment’s notice by your real estate agent. If you’re hiring a Realtor® and paying them their full brokerage fee, you should absolutely expect professional photos in return at no additional cost to the homeowner.

 

 

My goal as a Realtor® is to ensure a smooth escrow process for my homeowners with as little unexpected bumps as possible. Granted, some unforeseen issues are unavoidable. However to keep the surprises to a minimum, it is recommended to take care of all prep work beforehand. In addition to a pre-home inspection, you may want to also consider a termite inspection and/or survey beforehand. It is better to uncover termite problems or encroachment issues before you list the home which allows you to address the problem and resolve it before it becomes a buyer concern. If you are selling a condo or townhome, it is a good idea to order the condo/association documents and review them beforehand.

 

By law, you are also required to complete a seller’s disclosure statement for the buyer to review. This is a document that can only be completed by the homeowner – not the Realtor®. Complete this document thoroughly and ideally, before the property is even listed. That way, the buyer can review and approve of the seller’s disclosure before they even decide to submit an offer.

 

 

Consider your own personal timing and what is ideal for you and your family: 1) Will you be purchasing a replacement property? 2) Are you locating to another state? Your relocation plans will be important for your Realtor® to know, as this will determine how soon you should go on the market. Although it might seem scary, it is usually best to list your home on the market before you even identify your replacement property.

 

Serious buyers will always be on the market and searching for their perfect home at all times of the year. However, certain times of the year move faster than others. Spring and Summer is usually when most homeowners decide to sell their homes as this is also the time that buyers are most active. On the other hand, the holiday season may be a bit slower as buyers take a break from looking and many homeowners prefer to enjoy the holiday season in one place as well. Keep in mind, an experienced real estate agent will be able to sell your property successfully at any time of the year.

 

 

As soon as your home is listed, you should expect to see your home everywhere: Online, print advertising, open houses, social media, and so much more. It is important to hire an active real estate agent versus a passive one. You should not be paying your Realtor® to simply post your home online and hope for the best. Your Realtor® should actively sought out qualified buyers who may be interested in your property through marketing efforts, personal connections, open house events, and more. Before long, an acceptable offer should come your way!

 

Are you ready to list your Oahu property for sale? Contact me to start!