Increase Your Odds

Selling a home IS stressful. Uncertainty rules the day. How long will it take to sell? Will buyers like my house as much as I do? Will I get the price that I want or need (see above)? No one can predict the final outcome of a home sale, but there are a number of things that you can do when you get ready to list that will improve your chances and remove uncertainty.

1. Understand your competition – Many sellers operate in a bubble about what their house is really worth, picking a number in their head or taking the advice of their out-of-state cousin. Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Setup online home searches in your neighborhood, visit open houses and ask your real estate agent to take you around to other homes for sale. You should particularly pay attention to actual sold prices of homes nearby. Compare each and every home you see. Is it worth more or less than yours? Why? Be honest with yourself. Would you pay what you want to ask if you were in the market today?

2. Get your home inspected – Without fail, your buyer is going to hire a home inspector to look for defects and maintenance needs. Speaking from experience, it is the results of these inspections that often derail a home sale. If you are willing to spend a few hundred dollars, you can get your own home inspection prior to listing. This will give you a list of repairs to address or at least prepare you for what a buyer is going to bring up. You will have to disclose what you know as a result of your inspection, but it sure beats a list of nasty surprises which is sure to cost you more when under contract.

3. Get your sewer scoped – Do you live in an older house? Have you noticed your drains backing up more often? You may have concrete or clay sewer lines and cast-iron pipes that have tree root blockage, are crumbling or are near collapse, simply due to age. Even modern plastic pipes can have issues if not assembled properly. Sewer line repairs are expensive, and the well-prepared seller could have inspection results on hand to give to their buyer. A large number of homes in our area are “of that age” where drain pipes are beginning to fail. Knowing the condition of your drain lines ahead of listing your home for sale, could save you a major headache.

4. Venture in to your attic – When was the last time you were in the attic? Maybe when you bought the house 10 years ago? Poke your head up there and look for roof leaks, rodent activity and mold growth. (Careful not to fall through the ceiling!) Also, look for breaches in your air conditioning heating ductwork. Do not let surprises in your attic derail the sale of your home.

5. Check out your crawlspace (if you have one) – If you haven’t been in your attic in 10 years, you probably have never been in your crawlspace. Crawlspace issues are a big pain in the sale of a home. Get yourself down there and look for puddles of water, rodent activity, mold growth or insulation that is messed up. No one wants to rebuild a bathroom while under contract just because you never realized your toilet had been leaking for years without your knowledge.

6. Clean off your roof/gutters – This is an easy one. Have someone clean debris from your roof & gutters. Make sure all of the downspouts are hooked up and draining away from the house. Do NOT pressure wash the roof. It will damage it. Low pressure cleaning only. Also, make sure there are no tree branches touching or brushing against the roof.

7. Hire a pest inspector – Florida is a rodent-friendly environment. Mice, rats and squirrels are common attic visitors. Termites, both dry wood and subterranean, are very common in Florida. Hire a pest inspector to come out and look for them and get them removed before you list the home for sale.

8. Read up on your HOA – If you live in a condominium or a community with an HOA, read up on the latest meeting minutes and HOA issues. If you don’t normally pay attention to the HOA, it sure helps to educate yourself about issues prior to the buyer raising them.

This list is for the diligent, well-prepared home seller who does not want surprises. And, in addition to these suggestions, do not forget to make your home clean, de-cluttered and showroom-ready for your buyers. Attention to detail in addition to your agent’s marketing plan will ensure a smooth process that will yield you the most for the sale of what could be your largest asset.