Are you planning to sell your home next year? If so, here’s a little secret: You don’t have to wait until spring is in the air to get your home ready for prime time.
We asked Dawn Kirkland, a real estate Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) in Birmingham, Alabama, how homeowners can make the most of the months leading up to a spring home sale. Gain an edge on the competition with these seven steps.
As Soon as Possible
- Interview Real Estate Agents: Finding the right real estate agent isn’t a one-and-done process. That’s why the sooner you start, the better. Don’t waste your time on someone who only sells a handful of homes a year. You need a pro who inspires you with confidence and has a proven track record for getting top dollar for homes. Look for a high-octane agent who closes a minimum of 35 home transactions per year and has at least four years of real estate experience.
- Make a Plan: Once you have a partner, you need a plan. Before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, Dawn suggests making a list of all your to-dos. This enables you to break the process down into bite-sized chunks so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Work with your agent to set priorities, then focus on knocking out one task at a time.
- Start Packing: This is where the going gets tough. It’s time to part with your stuff-but only for a little while. Take a look around and decide what you can live without until your home sells. Rent a storage unit if you have to. Just pack it up and get it out so you can make room for buyers. Here’s an added bonus: The rest of the work will be much easier with less stuff clogging your corners!
2–3 Months Before Listing
- Uncover Issues: Want to beat buyers to the punch list? Get a pre-sale home inspection. Of course, your buyer’s home inspector will still find things that need to be done. But being proactive enables you to identify potential deal breakers so you can adjust your timeline and budget accordingly. “If you need to deal with something really profound, it may change some of the other things you’ve got to do,” Dawn says.
- Tackle Repairs: With your home inspection report in hand, work with your real estate agent to prioritize the findings. Just keep these wise words in mind: “It’s always less expensive to repair or replace something up front than to wait for the buyer to ask for that in inspection requests,” Dawn advises. This is especially true for major fixes like a new roof or HVAC unit. “That’s the kind of stuff that scares people to death. They’ll ask $12,000 for a roof that would cost $4,500. It’s a vast difference!”
1 Month Before Listing
- Spruce It Up: First impressions count—a lot! Breathe new life into your home with a fresh coat of paint and pay close attention to curb appeal. Ask your real estate agent to refer a reputable home stager to help you incorporate today’s trends. “Remember, you’re not going to live here anymore,” Dawn says. “It really doesn’t matter what colors you like. What matters is what buyers are looking for right now.”
1–2 Weeks Before Listing
- Deep Clean: Save this step until it’s almost time to plant the For Sale sign in your yard. You don’t want a month of muddy paw prints traipsing through your home after spending your hard-earned cash to clean the carpets. Once every surface sparkles, Dawn suggests giving each family member a special job—maybe even run drills—to ensure your home stays that way. Got pets? Keep fur balls and stinky smells at bay by sending Rover to Grandma’s house for an extended stay until you sell your home.
Ready, Set, Go!
Don’t wait until the ground thaws to knock out your to-dos. Get a head start on the competition so you can be buyers’ first breath of fresh air when spring comes around.
Looking for an expert to take the stress out of your home sale? Dave’s real estate Endorsed Local Providers (ELPs) have the heart of a teacher and can guide you through every step of the process.
Debbie Woolard Group
(757) 288-0194
www.DebbieWoolard.com
Excellent Service – Excellent Results
Buyers Agent/Sellers Agent
Our focus is helping people find and exchange dream homes. We are seeking buyers and sellers that desire concierge level service including great communication, extraordinary representation and a continuing relationship for years to come.
You and your referrals will be provided with a great team of professionals to help with each step of the process. We are committed and passionate about negotiating the best possible terms and serving our clients at the highest level. Our goal is to create memorable real estate experiences where our clients become raving fans.
Our clients benefit by having a Certified Negotiation Expert on their side. This provides them with better results, a smoother process and greater satisfaction.
Whether a person is looking to buy or sell a starter home or a multi-million dollar estate, Debbie Woolard produces great results for her clients. She gives clients what they expect and deserve, an experienced realtor skilled in marketing and negotiations.
With Debbie Woolard, you will receive personal service as well as exceptional professionalism. She is well qualified for her work with her strong background of sales and marketing. Having been born here and continuously living in the area, she is familiar with the entire Hampton Roads region.
She has earned the professional designations of Certified Negotiation Expert, Certified Residential Specialist, and e-Pro. In addition she is also a Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource with extensive training in short sales and foreclosures. This uniquely positions her to help those in danger of losing their home to foreclosure. It has also proven to be beneficial to the buyers that are seeking to purchase a short sale or foreclosure.
She is well qualified to help professionals, business owners, military personnel and other clients with their real estate needs. She has been selected to work with both the Military Team and Relocation Team. She is consistently producing outstanding results in real estate.
Her first year in real estate she was awarded Listing Rookie of the Year as well as Sales Rookie of the Year. Her sales and loyal following of satisfied clients have grown each year she has been in business. She is in the top 1% of the agents in the area based on sales volume. Her practice continues to flourish thanks to clients recommending her to friends, family members and business associates.
Her clients state that her actions and attitude are best described with the word “integrity”.
Realtors with the Debbie Woolard Group service Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News & Portsmouth with specialist in seller representation, buyer representation, military relocation, first time home buyers, short sales and real estate investment.