When selling your Columbia SC house, there are a lot of things to think about and do, especially if it’s your primary residence. Aside from all the normal things that go with moving, like packing, finding a mover, notifying everyone, etc., there are a lot of other details you need to devote your attention to.
Things to Consider Before Selling Your Columbia SC House
Fixing Things – Before putting your house on the market or contacting an agent, you need to make sure your house is ready to sell. Repainting the house, fixing anything that’s broken and replacing damaged fixtures inside and outside. Clean up and clear out clutter. Keep in mind that presentation is everything, so you need to get as much work done before placing the property on the market.
Find an Agent – Make sure you hire a professional real estate agent to help you in selling your Columbia SC house. Someone who knows a lot when it comes to the delicate processes and legalities of selling your property. Whoever that person might be, make sure they have a proven track record. Since you will hire a professional for the job, expect there to be a lot of money involved. Real estate agents get a percentage of the selling price. That amount will be out of your pocket as soon as the process starts. Also, remember you will pay the sales taxes on the commission. Of course, you can always decide not to hire an agent to sell your property, but you need to prepare yourself to do all the legal work; and that could be very tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Detach Yourself – It’s easy to become emotionally involved in selling your Columbia SC house. This may even be at the top of the biggest challenges home sellers will face once they decide to sell. Once you make up your mind, know that it already becomes a commodity. People will be going in and out to check the property and you cannot get too emotional if they start criticizing your house. People may appreciate it or not, so be ready for those comments and take them constructively. You may or may not decide to make the improvements from those observations but don’t let them get to you.
Consider Market Conditions – Don’t be in a rush about selling your Columbia SC house. You need to study the market condition and see what options are available. Get someone who can give you an appraisal that’s realistic and well documented according to market conditions. If you think your price is too high, you may want to consider selling at a lower price or offer. Whatever that price may be, make sure it’s coming from a professional who’s not ripping you off.
These are just a few of the things you need to consider when selling your Columbia SC house. For more advice and tips, browse the many other home selling tips on this website.
Selling a Columbia SC home is hard enough in today’s market without you making killer mistakes right up front.
Unfortunately, many sellers continue making the same mistakes that end up costing them money on the sale of their home, or even costing them the entire sale.
Frequent Mistakes When Selling a Columbia SC Home:
Not prepping the home for sale – Buyers want to see a house as flawless as possible, so sellers need to take care of every repair, declutter their home and add some curb appeal.
Buyers want to know their stuff will fit in the home without cramming, so moving everything to the garage or stuffing it into a closet won’t cut it.
Sellers need to keep their home “near-perfect” with landscaping trimmed, dishes done and beds made every day.
It takes about a minute for potential buyers to form an opinion about a house. Everything after that becomes positive or negative reinforcement of that early opinion.
Overpricing your Columbia SC home – a seller should price the home according to its condition and the local market, realizing it must appraise for at least the sales price. Home improvements don’t always return the dollars spent, so sellers need to be realistic and understand that the value of their property is based on the local market.
Permitting non-qualified buyers to see your home – These days, with tightened credit, a pre-approval should always be a prerequisite for a home showing to make sure buyers are shopping in the right price range. Many sellers make the mistake of showing their home to anyone who wants to look.
Dishonesty about flaws in the home – Disclosure laws vary, but sellers blow their deals when they don’t tell anyone about something they know is wrong with their house.
Limiting house showings – Never turn a prospective buyer with an agent away or let them know you are unhappy. This will only influence how the buyers think of your home. Sellers need to realize that even if it’s not convenient, buyers must be allowed to see the home on evenings and weekends. Sellers should always leave the home during a showing so buyers will be comfortable opening closets and looking in cabinets.
Taking an offer personally – Sellers should look at a sale strictly as a business transaction and not take low offers personally. Sellers often assume the highest price is the one they should accept, or they may become insulted and walk away from a low offer. Sellers need to be realistic about the current market in their area and look at the whole package, not just price. You don’t want a buyer who may ultimately be unable to close the deal.
Arguing over minor inspection requests – Some sellers get angry over requests made after an inspection. Sellers need to understand that their home isn’t perfect. They can negotiate, but they need to have supporting evidence if they choose to reject responsibility.
Not fixing items as required by the contract could delay or derail a closing and could end up costing a seller far more than the repair bill because of extra days of paying interest or having to put their home on the market again.
Not being ready for an appraisal – Once you have an accepted offer, you may be tempted to relax your housekeeping standards a bit. That could cost you. When the appraiser arrives, you need to make sure your home reflects the same condition as the day it went under contract.
Appraisals lower than the sales price cause friction between buyers and sellers and can cause new negotiations to start. Take care of your property and stay calm in the face of chaos. These are the best ways a seller can avoid a derailed sale.
Selling a Columbia SC home? Sellers need to be aware, with real estate prices continuing to tread along the bottom, it’s a tough time to sell.
It’s even more important not to make some of these dumb mistakes when trying to sell your Columbia SC home
These are just a few of the mistakes you could make when selling a Columbia SC home. If you’d like more home selling tips, we have those for you at this site under the “Home Selling Tips” category.
As always, if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us or post them using our comment form.
Whether you’re trying to sell your Columbia SC home because you’re moving or if you’re just trying to flip a property for profit, you need to know about how the real estate market works and what you can do to sell your Columbia SC home easily.
Paint Your Columbia SC Home
Paint your house in neutral colors; this will allow potential buyers to more easily picture themselves living in it. Light candles or bake cookies, so potential home buyers are greeted with an aroma they can relate to. An atmosphere they feel welcome in may determine whether they choose to buy your Columbia SC home.
Get a Mechanical Checkup
Have someone check your air conditioner and heating before listing your house. Buyers generally don’t want a home that needs large investments, like a new furnace, so if the AC and heating are fine, it can appeal to more buyers.
Get a Columbia SC Real Estate Agent
You may not always want to listen to what they say, using the services of a trained real estate agent will save you money in the long run. They do know what they’re talking about. You may not like some of the things your real estate agent tells you, following his or her advice will help you sell your Columbia SC home faster and for more money.
While you may think that selling your home yourself will save you a commission, statistics show that using the services of a real estate professional will get your Columbia SC home sold quicker and with much less hassle than selling it yourself.
Check Your Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is a major factor in whether or not buyers will stop to look at your home. Your house and yard will look better maintained if you mow the lawn and trim the shrubbery. Keep in mind that the first impression is a lasting one, so present the exterior of your house in its best light.
A home that looks inviting is far more appealing to buyers than one that looks neglected. It will definitely impact how many people coming to view your home.
Get Rid of Pets
If you have a pet, your home will have an odor to potential buyers who enter. You get used to your home’s scent from your pet and may not think this is an issue, but be aware that others can sniff out your pet’s smell as soon as they walk in the door. Take measures to eliminate the odors, so buyers won’t be put off.
At the same time, don’t overwhelm potential buyers with air fresheners, candles or other fragrances. You may offend the buyer, set off their allergies and even drive them to leave your home without seeing it in full! Why compromise a sale by making the potential buyer feel like they have to rush through the viewing? Put potpourri inside of a bowl if you want a nice-smelling home.
There is a lot to consider when selling a Columbia SC home, but the time you spend learning what is important and sprucing up before your home goes on the market will certainly pay off!
Find more tips for helping you sell your Columbia SC home here.
Selling a Columbia SC area home that is currently occupied by a tenant can be a bit of a challenge, as the tenants don’t always share the same motivation as their landlords – consequently, they may fail to keep the home looking neat and attractive to impress potential buyers.
So what can landlords do to prevent problems?
First, landlords should never attempt to deceive tenants in the first place, and so they should make it absolutely clear that they intend to list the home once the local market picks up again.
Landlords can also offer their tenants some kind of concession in return for their cooperation – for example, in return for the tenant keeping the home looking neat tidy (unlike the photo!) while it’s listed, they could be given a 10% discount on the rent. However, landlords would need to clearly communicate their expectations regarding cleanliness, like making sure the bed is always made up in the morning, and ensuring dirty dishes aren’t left in the sink for prospective buyers to see when they come to see the property.
Setting established hours for buyers to view the property will also do a lot to get tenants on your side.
Landlords need to keep in mind they don’t usually get a second chance, and so it pays to keep tenants on their side, especially when a property is first listed for sale.
If you’re a Columbia SC area landlord and would like more information and tips on what you should do if your property has a tenant and you’re wanting to sell, contact us. We’ll be happy to give you additional tips.