Preparing yourself for a house sale might seem easy. After all, you only need to sort out your home and place it on the market, right? Unfortunately, you would be in considerable trouble if you approached the subject so flippantly. Unexpected expenses, expensive renovations that do not add to your home’s value, wrongly set price, unrealistic expectations for the swiftness of your house sale… The list of potential pitfalls goes on and on, and each problem is just as serious as the last. How, then, can a person properly prepare? Well, once you have found a realtor you feel you can truly trust and rely on, the solution is simple. There are questions to ask a real estate agent before selling your home that will make the experience more bearable!
What should my lowest price be?
The first and perhaps most important of all the questions to ask a real estate agent concerns your home price. It is not exactly easy to figure this out on your own. After all, even if you do perfect research on the housing prices in your area, and even if you carefully organize them by size, there will be significant differences. The amenities offered, the house’s location, and many other factors combine to determine a reasonable price. This means that without sufficient experience with the housing industry, you are unlikely to be able to set one yourself. Do not discount the importance of properly setting your baseline, either! If you set the price too high, then people will refuse to buy your property. If you set it too low, you will be making a serious loss.
When is a good time to sell my home?
Now, this one is particularly important if you are trying to sell and buy a house at the same time. If you try to take advantage of lower purchasing prices during the off-season, you might face two problems. First is, of course, that your own home will sell for less money. The second is that you might not be able to find a buyer quickly or at all. On the other hand, the peak housing seasons also carry some challenges. You will need to make your house competitive on the market and be more active in your selling and purchasing efforts. Of course, even if you are just selling, timing is essential. Your realtor will be able to guide you to the best solution either way as long as you take the time to explain your situation to them!
What are some useful home improvements?
You might think you can figure out the best renovation to carry out on your own. And you might be able to! If you account for people looking forward to moving into a bigger home and having more space in it, then it might be logical to merge two smaller rooms into a bigger, open-floor setting. However, does this really lead to a profit? Does the price increase that renovations offer justify the expenses you paid to get the ‘upgrade’? Your realtor will be able to advise you on the topic! Together, you will figure out the most cost-effective renovations and home improvements because real estate agents are familiar with the current trends and what buyers typically want.
What are some additional costs I should account for?
This is another of the essential questions to ask a real estate agent. Many people hyper-focus on the sale of their home and forget to account for everything else. How high are your moving costs going to be? What about expected inspection, renovation, and remodeling costs? The prices of acquiring storage for your items, since you’ll have to move them out of the house that you’re selling? When drafting your budget, these and many other small or large expenses are what you should be on the lookout for. And without a more experienced person to advise you, it is easy to overlook some, particularly if this is your first time selling a house! So, do not hesitate to ask your realtor for help. They have seen plenty of house sales and can confidently advise you on the subject of unexpected expenses.
How long can I expect to wait for a sale?
Out of all the questions to ask your agent, this is one of the most useful for dealing with typical home selling fears. After all, if you go into the sale with no realistic expectations of how long it will take, you will be in for a rough ride. The doubt, the wait for something to happen, not knowing if your house will sell at all… These emotions are all extremely good at ramping up the stress of the experience. And that will only amplify the doubts and fears you would normally be experiencing. That’s why you need to discuss the issue with your real estate agent. They will be able to advise you on the expected timeframes. Thus, you will not only be able to rest easier; you will also be able to plan better.
What contingencies should I include in the sale contract?
This is a crucial point among the things to know about closing your house deal. We have already mentioned you might be selling and buying at the same time. So, you can use the occasion to put in contingencies that ensure you can stay a couple more days in the house even after the sale. Or you can put in contingencies that prevent scammers from getting hold of your home without paying anything. If they need to put down a large deposit, for example, they will likely hesitate to mess with you. These are just two examples of how important contingencies can be for a house sale. So do not forget to talk with your realtor about it!
Some more advice
Finally, even though we have listed plenty of questions to ask a real estate agent before selling your home, do not hesitate to ask more! If anything seems relevant, ask. It would help if you also asked your realtor for any advice they can offer. This will ensure an even smoother sale and mean much less stress for you.
