As the Market Begins to Shift Away From the Seller in Favor of the Buyer, Here’s What You Need to Know to Sell your Home.
The pandemic has been hard on all of us. Fortunately, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and many experts believe we will see a relative return to normalcy in 2021. During the COVID pandemic, demand for new houses increased while supply decreased, creating a strong seller’s market. Many sellers saw multiple offers within days of listing and were able to sell at or even above their asking price.However, that market may be changing as the pandemic winds down, and potential sellers should understand how these changes will affect their plans. Here are six tips that will help you prepare to sell your home post-COVID.
1. Understand the Market
Any Del Mar county real estate agent will tell you that selling a home has been much easier in the past few years due to the strong seller’s market. However, this may begin to shift as we enter 2021 and as the pandemic subsides. Del Mar homes for sale may start coming down a bit in price to accommodate the change, and we may see more homes being put on the market.To understand how to price your home accordingly, work with a Del Mar county real estate agent who keeps a close eye on the local market trends and the market throughout the country. He or she will be able to assist you with pricing your home competitively while still making the highest possible profit in the post-COVID environment.
2. Take Time to Prepare Your Home
If the market does start to lean in favor of buyers, sellers will have to take more time to prepare their homes and emphasize their competitive advantage. Take a look at other homes in the neighborhood or those nearby that have recently been put on the market. What does your home have that the others lack? Do you have a new roof? A large lot? A recently built sunroom? As you prepare your home for the market, let these areas shine by having them photographed by a professional and staging them so they catch prospective buyers’ attention.
No matter what type of market you’re in when you’re ready to sell your home, you’ll also need to take the time to declutter, deep clean, and depersonalize it before prospective buyers begin viewing it. If you don’t have a new home to move belongings to, consider renting a storage space where you can put excess furniture and the bulk of your belongings so your home looks as uncluttered as possible. Remove all personalized effects, like family pictures and knick-knacks, so buyers can imagine themselves living in the home. Finally, consider hiring a professional cleaning company to get into all the nooks and crannies and ensure your home is spotless before the first showing.
3. Market It Effectively
You can’t expect to put a for-sale sign in your front yard and watch the prospective buyers flood in like you could during the seller’s market heyday. In this new environment, it’s important to market your home effectively to grab attention and get the best offers. An online marketing campaign that includes a listing promoted to your target audience, social media posts or ads that link to custom-made landing pages, and 3-D virtual tours will help you reach those who are likely to buy your home. Your Del Mar county real estate agent will also likely create high-quality flyers with professional photography to hand out to contacts and potential buyers interested in your home.
4. Have a Sanitation Plan
Even though the pandemic will soon come to an end, those viewing Del Mar homes for sale will still likely have high standards for cleaning and sanitizing. Make sure you and your realtor make a plan to have your home thoroughly cleaned after every open house and between showings. This is especially important if you still live in the home since you’ll want to keep your family safe while dozens of strangers go through your home and touch surfaces.
5. Be Ready to Negotiate
In the recent seller’s market, homeowners could expect bidding wars and minimal negotiation since they would often have multiple offers on their home within days of putting it on the market. Those days will likely end soon, so those with Del Mar homes for sale need to prepare for a little back-and-forth to get their house sold successfully. This may mean reducing your selling price, paying for partial or full closing costs, or making repairs requested by the buyer.This is where having an experienced Del Mar county real estate agent on your side will really come in handy. He or she can handle the negotiations and ensure you get the best possible deal on your home sale.
6. Get Your Documents in Order
Once you get an offer you’re ready to accept, you need to be prepared so the transaction can go smoothly. Have these documents at the ready when you put your home on the market: mortgage details, tax bills, utility bills, details and receipts for renovations or new appliances that will be staying in the home, list of any ongoing problems with the house, and an appraisal if you’ve recently had one done. Ask your Del Mar county real estate agent if there are any other documents you need to find or copy in the event you sell your home.Selling your home in any type of environment is less stressful and guaranteed to go more smoothly when you work with an experienced Del Mar county real estate agent like Zach Weinger. Give him a call today so he can help you get the most out of your home in this post-COVID market.
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