For many, the prospect of putting a family home on the market is daunting, mainly because of the legal, financial, and even aesthetic considerations that affect the process.
We understand that selling your home can have enough emotional challenges, even before these practical aspects come into play. Thus, we have created a walk-through of four steps for selling a house to make your life a little easier as you prepare to move.
By realtor
The benefits of selling with a real estate agent are indeed persuasive. If you choose the right broker, you will be shepherded through the whole process.
Your paid agent will have the significant responsibility of advertising and promoting your home, potentially leaving you with more time to organise your belongings and prepare for your own new property.
However, make sure you choose an agent who is tech-savvy enough to ensure that your house is always in the media spotlight.
On your own
Conversely, there are multiple advantages to selling a house privately. Real estate agents are notorious for charging large commissions – and since self-listing websites make it easy for you to give others a visual tour of your home, selling privately is certainly another valid option.
Speak to others who have gone through this particular process, as snags can come up (particularly legally) when an experienced agent isn’t there to ensure that both seller and buyer are going through the proper channels.
Paying for an updated, independent valuation will pay off in the long run
If you base your house’s worth on a 15-year-old valuation, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Property markets can change exponentially in a matter of months, and inflation has a great impact on assessments of value.
Getting a fair, current real estate valuation will give you crucial confidence when you advertise your home, as most potential buyers take reliable valuations into consideration when they decide on their offer price.
Getting your legal bases covered will save you a world of potential woe
Firstly, you need to ensure you are not making any promises that your house doesn’t live up to. Make sure you have the right permits for any recently-added rooms and get building assessors to review the structural integrity of the house if needed. Cover yourself legally and be a decent home-seller – no-one wants to buy a house with nasty surprises.
Lastly, you will want to get a lawyer to look over your sale and purchase agreement before signing. Negotiating terms and conditions like the settlement date and chattels now will mean that you don’t have to awkwardly attempt to wriggle out of anything later.
This article is contributed by Cloe Matheson, a New Zealand-based real estate writer.
(The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of RoofandFloor)