Need to Sell...When to Contact A Realtor??

Time to Sell

When to Talk?

 Timing is always important, whether asking one's girlfriend to marry, think about looking for a new job or seeking to sell one's home.

As with any big decision, careful evaluation of options must happen.  In home selling, too often, home owners wake up one day and over coffee decide to sell their home to downsize or to move to that new 5000 sq. ft. home that was at the new home site yesterday.

Though quite easy to contact me or any Realtor to have one's home on the market immediately, it is very possible that the house or seller may not be ready to sell that quickly.

This is for two specific reasons:

   1. The home may not be in the "best" condition to

          sell

   2. Home options to purchase may not be well

          understood.

 By meeting with a Realtor up to 6 months prior to selling(and it can be longer), the seller can receive valuable profession advise on prepping the home, insight on the present market conditions and a good sense of the house's value in the given market.

In addition, seller can seek local answers to all the questions that they may have googled in the past few  weeks.  Also, discussion on real estate sought and/or seen on multiple web sites can narrow down or widen the seller's perspective on the new house.

From the early discussion, a proactive action plan can be arranged for:

  1.  Family/ Personal Needs

  2.  Home Repairs and Landscaping projects

  3.  Identification of contractors required

  4.  Home Staging

  5.  Virtual Tours/Videos

  6.   Realtor Marketing Plan

  7.  Collection of surveys, title insurance 

         mortgage payoff(s)

  8.  Preview competitive homes in close proximity 

  9.  Opportunity to tour desirable homes

          in chosen areas and to hone in on

          the right house style and price range

10.  Securing financing for new home.

In my experience, home sellers that have the time and do contact me three months or more prior to project selling time frame have:

  1.    A house ready to sell

  2.    Less stress during the selling process

  3.    Less stress in buying the new house

  4.    Profits more on the house sold

  5.    Attains a sharper deal on the home purchased

  6.    Makes a smooth transition from old home 

           to new home.

As the old adage says:

          Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail