How to Sell Your Home in a Way That Works For You

There is an abundance of advice on the smartest, fastest, and hottest way to sell your home. While some of the strategies touted online are smart indeed, selling your home is a significant, highly personal decision–and should be approached with what will make you the most gratified and comfortable.

 

Read on for Big Island realtor Mike Despard’s guide for selling your home in a manner that suits your personality, time, and lifestyle.

Are you selling your piece of Kailua Kona real estate because the market is hot? Or are you selling because you want to downsize to a more intimate abode, or upgrade to a larger property? Once you have settled on your reasons for selling and the benefits you might receive from it, you can place your main objective at the forefront of your mind. This will help you stay focused throughout the selling process.

If you have been living in your home for some time–whether it be several months or several years–you may have become so accustomed to it that you may have forgotten the beauty of your open floor plan or that hole next to the dryer you’ve been meaning to fix. Take a tour of your home with a critical but appraising eye, noting what facets you should accentuate in your photographs and real estate marketing, and what repairs must be made before it can be listed on the market.

Even if you know your home as intimately as possible, there still might be some facets that are off your radar. The genuine condition of your roof, for instance, can be understood only by an expert, just as the future of your plumbing system–while fine now–will need a professional assessment. Hiring a qualified, pre-listing home inspector will allow you to gain a true comprehension of your home’s condition, while also conveying honesty to future, prospective buyers.

Some repairs noted by your certified home inspector will need to be completed before you list your home; that, or you will most likely be expected to reduce your asking price or provide your buyer with a repair credit. The beauty of owning your home, though–and selling it–is that you get to decide what additional repairs and renovations to make. Discuss the possible returns on investment you might see if you elect to, say, upgrade your whole kitchen, or install home automation with your real estate agent. He or she will have a grasp on these costs, and steer you in the right direction.

If you have years of experience in the building industry, you may elect to approach your repairs yourself. If not, you may want to have your real estate agent reach out to their list of trustworthy contractors to handle the fixes you landed on, who will take these tasks out of your hands and offer you a professional “product.”

Cleaning and decluttering are, alas, often non-negotiable when the time to sell your home arrives. Prospective buyers need to be able to envision themselves living in your residence, which may be mighty hard to do when evidence of your present life within its walls is still blatantly obvious. And yet, you don’t need to handle this entirely on your own. Professionals are widely available to clean, polish, and organize your home so that you can focus on other matters.

If you’re keen on selling your home at an enviable price and at an accelerated pace, your realtor may suggest prioritizing your marketing materials. Whether you choose to do the full monty when it comes to marketing–including having a website built for your home–or want to promote your home in a low-key manner, be sure to discuss the pros and cons of your approach with your realtor so that you can make an informed decision.

Selling your home involves a great deal of emotion, with nostalgia and excitement being chief among them. Many people, though, are attached to their homes and wish to sell them only to those who will honor them in a way that they see fit. You may receive multiple offers from outstanding–and viable–buyers but listen to your intuition as you make this decision. Perhaps you understand the meaningfulness behind a newly-married couple’s first home purchase or love the idea of selling your quiet, restorative home to an elderly pair who want to live out the rest of their years in serenity. Tune in, and go with what feels right.

If you’re averse to the thought of strangers going in and out of your home, you can, by all means, offer 3D, immersive home showings to start, and private showings to qualified buyers of your choosing. And while conventional wisdom suggests you needn’t be present for showings, you might feel more comfortable attending them. Your real estate agent can also offer helpful insight on this depending on buyer interest.

You may have the chance to work with the highest qualified realtor in your area, but if you have a flat experience with them–or sense they aren’t listening to your particular needs and desires–continue your pursuit for the perfect match. A consummate real estate agent will handle a great deal of the selling process on your behalf–from negotiating the price to managing communications–but the chemistry you share is imperative to your satisfaction.

 

Mike Despard honors this: As a leading realtor in Kailua Kona real estate and throughout the west side of the Big Island, he understands the importance of listening to his clients to guarantee their contentment. Reach out to him for guidance when you’re ready to sell your home.