Selling your Home
Picking an Agent to work with
When picking a Real Estate Agent you will, most likely, be picking someone who will be selling your most valuable asset. Real Estate Agents work under a broker, so you will be picking a team. Real Estate agents in Florida have to work, by law, with integrity. These are obligations of any real estate agent working in Florida: to account for all funds; to disclose all known facts that affect the value of residential property; to deal honestly and fairly; to use skill, care, and diligence; to present all offers and counteroffers; to exercise limited confidentiality (depending on your relationship with this agent).
NOTE: If you decide to skip this part, to sell your home without the help of an agent, the next suggestions are beneficial to any home seller. Read on.
The Price is Right
Price your home right. The only difference between a 2 month listing and a 9-month listing is the price.
First Exposure on the market is the most important.
It doesn’t matter if you later reduce the price, the time more people are focusing on your home is the first few days.
Declutter
Get rid of the “blood red” walls, and throw out the linoleum.
Start packing!
Don’t leave this most tedious task until the end. There is so much to put into packing, why not start now. Find or buy some boxes and start taking down things you don’t need from day to day. You will feel much better after a few days of getting little knick knacks put away.
Bedrooms / Bathrooms
- Pack your linen. Leave one set out for each bed. You can always wash and re-make the bed the same day.
- Pack toiletries. Just leave out what you need from day to day. There are so many things in that medicine cabinet you don’t need. If it makes you feel better about it, just make sure you label the boxes so you can find anything you need before you move.
- Pack clothes (a lot of them). There are many outfits you don’t use at all. Pack all the clothes and outfits you know you will not need during the next few months.
Kitchen
- Pack everything you know you won’t be using on a regular basis.
- Pack all those decorations (pots or vases on top of your cabinets, things you have on the counters).
- Refrigerator: take off EVERYTHING you have on your refrigerator door. (I mean EVERYTHING).
Living Room / Dining
- Bookshelves: easy to pack. Just load those books into boxes and store them in a spare bedroom or the garage if you can.
- Family pictures: pack them all up. If your living room and hallways are lined with your treasured family pictures and mementos, pack them now. It will help de-personalize the home.