Article Written By Kat Sarmiento
Putting Your House on the Market? Do the Math First.
Selling your house is a huge step that entails a mountain of factors to ponder. It’s a physical representation of the changes going on in your life. One misstep might lead you to regret such a transformative decision. If you are going to sell your house in Utah, you must carefully consider the details.
Understandably, each homeowner has their reasons for choosing to offer up their place of dwelling to homebuyers. Some families are growing and need a bigger space. Others have transitioned to a new career or venture that requires them to live somewhere closer to work. There may have also been a recent death in the family or a significant shift in the dynamics and physical arrangements in the neighborhood. In some instances, sellers are motivated by financial needs.
Before you put a final price tag or a big red sign that reads ‘FOR SALE’ on your residence, make sure you’ve completed the following obligations first:
1) Finalize all paperwork
Home buying in Utah involves a strict and meticulous process that ensures the expectations and accountabilities of both buyers and sellers are expertly met. It also prevents scammers from worming their way in and taking advantage of unsuspecting targets.
Preparing the legal documents coupled with your house is paramount. These documents include the house deed, insurance records and documents of homeowners, property tax statements, mortgage statements, purchase agreement, and utility bills. You may also be required to prepare additional documents depending on where you are selling. The moment you create a listing for your property, make it available for viewing to home-seekers, and ultimately secure a sure buyer, you need to secure written sales and purchasing agreements, reports on property inspection and appraisal, and important disclosures tied to your residence.
2) Sort, Pack Away, and Tidy Up
A messy home could lower your chances of a potential sale.
Summon your inner Marie Kondo and be critical of all your belongings at home. Take out every single item in your closets and storage boxes. Segregate them into individual piles, preferably one for those that still spark joy and another for those that no longer ignite memories and feelings of happiness.
If that doesn’t help narrow down your spring cleaning to a shorter time frame, separate defective and unusable items from those that are still of value to you. You can even throw in a donation box for clothes and things that you have no intention of keeping but are still in mint condition.
3) Repair, Repaint, and Renovate!
Nobody wants to purchase a house with major structural issues. If you are not keen on determining areas in your home that need mending, you are putting yourself at risk of a possible lawsuit later on.
Are there any leaks or clogged drains? Do the floorboards creak or is the roof dilapidated? Are there cracks on the wall or any other type of physical damage on your property? You must address these issues quickly and completely.
Throw in a fresh coat of paint to reanimate your home and increase its appeal. Get rid of old bed frames and cabinets, or repurpose these into additional fixtures to upscale specific areas in your home. Perhaps you can incorporate sustainable design strategies that will preserve your property’s quality and possibly make room for clients to customize the house to suit their preferences.
Pro-tip: Upscaling your bathroom is a surefire way to entice buyers to push through with their purchase. The bathroom represents health and hygiene while serving as a key room that accentuates a house’s overall interior.
4) Eliminate Pests
Speaking of damages, you may have already been providing lodging to a smaller population of insects and pests within the small crevices of your home. Termites, cockroaches, ants, and spiders are just a few examples of pests who could be lurking in your property. Seek the help of your local pest control pros to deal with these unwanted ‘borders’ and keep your home hazard-free.
5) Make It Picture-Perfect
Do you agree that love at first sight is applicable to homebuyers? Even if you’ve got a stunning property, it becomes useless if your home’s lavishness is not translated nor depicted well in photographs. Listings with low resolution photos are less likely to close a sale, let alone entice people to send inquiries.
Low quality images may also leave people to associate your advertisement with shady activities and suspicious groups. Remember, your goal is to capture the interest of buyers from the first few photos alone. You are lucky if photography is a skill that you have mastered because it will enable you to cut costs and do the work yourself. On the other hand, it wouldn’t hurt to employ a professional photographer to take breathtaking photos of your house.
6) Define Your Target Buyers
What demographic do you want to target when selling your house? Do you want to sell it to a real estate agent, an agency or to a family? What kind of lifestyle do you think would be best accommodated by your house and its location?
While you’re busy creating a list of potential homebuyers, keep your eyes peeled for cash house buyers. These are the real deal. People who purchase residential properties with cash are typically those that are genuinely interested in your house and close sales fast.
7) Scout For An Excellent Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent with a proven track record is a viable addition to your sales strategy. They will do the heavy lifting for you in terms of creating a flexible marketing plan, linking you with possible buyers, and even establishing a solid ad for you on social media. Do conduct a thorough checkup on work experience, past recommendations and aptness for the job.
Be a responsible seller
Selling your house is synonymous with letting go of a relevant piece of yourself. Think about the next people who are about to write a new chapter in their lives within the four walls of your residence. Do your assignment diligently for a smooth-sailing transaction from beginning to end.
