Understanding Real Estate
How to Sell Your House
understand the market
First Time Home Sellers
Perhaps you’ve bought a house before, but this is the first time you’re on the selling side of things, and wondering how it all works.
Experienced Home Sellers
Perhaps you’ve sold a home before, and just stumbled across this page because you understand the importance of researching a REALTOR® first, and at the same time, are looking for a quick refresher.
Ease your Fears
Whether your brand new at this, or this is not your first rodeo…
Selling a home can be a major life event. From the simple act of putting up a for sale sign to packing up all of your treasured personal belongings and making the transition on closing day. There can often be a lot of anxiety that comes along with it if you try to do everything alone without the help of an experienced real estate consultant.
Whether you’re looking for some basic info, or ready to dive in and search for the best real estate brokers in the area with the most experience, who will sell your home fast, and try to make it as painless for you as possible, we hope this article will get you a little further long in your journey.
Let’s walk through some basics of selling your house, so that when you reach out to us, you’ll confident that you have a solid foundation and understanding of how it all works. Then, we handle the selling process so that you can focus on the experience and excitement of moving into your next home, where you can make new memories.
- Research Local Real Estate Agents
1. Who are the top real estate agents in the area?
The internet can be a wonderful tool if you’re thinking of selling your home.
Do a search for local real estate agents who are visible and active online.
Most home buyers are searching online now for their new home.
They typically aren’t flipping through a real estate flyer/magazine or newspapers anymore as much as they used to…
Just like you, they are online browsing listings and registering on real estate agent’s websites!
✔️ Make a note of 2-3 different agents that you are frequently seeing online. These are the experts you’ll want to start with.
✖️ Tip:
Be careful with online reviews. We’ve found that some online review websites are “paid for” advertising. They may not necessarily be the best place to find an agent, since these are simply individuals who have paid money to advertise on the website or pay for reviews. Many agents simply don’t need to hunt for reviews, and are successfuly simply off of repeat referral business.
When in doubt, check out social media. Who do you know on the agents “friends list” who may have recently bought or sold. Reach out to someone you know who has worked with the agent in the past and get direct valuable information on their personal experience.
2. How do their Photos Look?
If they take amazing photos, you can expect that yours will be too!
DON'T
(Things you do not want)
- Crooked, cut-off or dark photos
- Little to no photos
- Boring. Dull.
(How else can you show a buyer how great your house really is?
Chances are, they will scroll right past it)
DO
(Things you do want)
- Clear, Crisp photos. Light & Bright.
- Highlights the best features of your home.
- Multiple photos to draw in a buyer and create interest
- Photoshop skills. (Ability to crop out minor clutter you may have not had time to remove before the photos shoot!)
- Creativity!
It’s simple.
(Have you ever come across a real estate listing with photos that you just can’t stop looking at?) Some agents have a knack for highlighting the best features of a home. Look for those folks!
3. Where will they market your home?
In this digital age of technology, make sure your agent is going to maximize exposure of your home online, as well as traditional methods! Your listing should be front and center online, throughout many different real estate directories & portals online, as well as social media!
What about if your home has special features? (Example: Historic Homes). Do they know where to market your home online to appeal to historic home enthusiasts?
3. Are they Full-Time, Part-time?
Is this just a hobby for them, or a serious career? Being part-time is OK, just make sure the agent is backed up by a strong team leader so that your real estate listing doesn’t fall through the cracks. Real Estate may look easy on the surface, but it takes long hours and dedication to sell a house the right way. Be sure your agent will put in the time necessary to ensure a successful sale.
- Interview Them
- Create a checklist of questions for them. (discuss the research you’ve done on them “refer to Step #1”)
- How long is their listing contract for? How easy will it be to terminate the contract if you’re unhappy with them?
- Where and how will they be marketing your home?
- Do they have alternatives (like investors) if your house doesn’t sell?
- How well do they work together with other local agents?
- Are they full-time, or part-time?
- What areas they do typically service?
- What are some houses they have recently sold? What was the listing price vs the sales price, and how long did it take?
Commissions. For some, especially first time home-sellers, commission becomes the sole and only factor in determining which agent to choose. Remember, you often get what you pay for. You may easily negotiate an amazing commission with that agent, and if so, could that mean your real estate agent may not be the best salesperson if they were easily swayed with giving up a portion of their own paycheck? How then, will they negotiate the sales price of YOUR home? It’s something to think about.
What services are being provided (or excluded entirely?).
Will you net more money with an experienced agent who may charge more, but can net you a HIGHER sales price because they are experts in marketing your home and attracting significantly more buyers?
Having said all this, that doesn’t mean that you can’t negotiate a reasonable commission AND have an amazing agent. The moral of the story is – do the research, interview, and know exactly what you’re getting for what you’re paying them.
- Hire a Real Estate Agent
Once you’ve decided on hiring a real estate agent, it’s time to discuss pricing.
Tip: Don’t just hire a real estate agent based on what price they tell you the house is worth.
Why? Unfortunately, some agents may entice you with an inflated price just to excite you enough to score the listing, and shortly after will pressure you for a price reduction closer to the other agents’ valuations. While price reductions are fairly common, if you find one agent’s valuation is significantly higher than the other real estate agents you interviewed – you may want to ask why.
By the same token, if they are ridiculously lower than the others.. that could also indicate they don’t want to work as hard in trying to sell your home – and are pricing it too low, in order to sell fast. This means you may be leaving money on the table. (coincidentally, is this also the agent willing to offer you a discounted fee?).
In the end, you are the seller and ultimately the decision maker on what the list price will be.
The best agents will be able to give you sufficient data (referred to as “comps”) supporting their recommended values.
- How Much is Your House Worth?
Now for the good stuff!
What’s your Home really worth in today’s market?
If you’re planning to sell your house, this will give you an idea of what your home might be worth by comparing active & sold comps based on your address. Bear in mind this is a computer generated report, but if you need a more comprehensive report, just let us know.
Get your FREE, No obligation, Home Report in Just a Few Minutes!
*We highly recommend having a real live REALTOR® provide you with a comprehensive CMA Report, but this will at least get you started.
- Listing Your House
So, you’ve done your research. Hired a real estate agent. Now what happens?
What’s Next:
- Sign a listing contract with a Real Estate Brokerage
Remember to read the contracts so you understand all terms. We also recommend speaking to a tax professional so that you understand any tax consequences that may exist from selling your home. - Put up For Sale Sign
Discuss whether putting up a for sale sign is right for you. Every situation is different. Your agent will typically supply the appropriate signage. - Get Your House Ready
Clean your home, remove clutter, and get it “show ready” for buyers to fall in love with it. Consider any “smells” that may impact a buyers overall perception of the home. (Smoke, Pets, or other odors). - Open House
Discuss with your real estate agent. There are negatives and positives to Open Houses. Your agent can discuss those with you and if this would be a good choice for you. - Negotiate an Offer
Some day soon, you will receive a written offer for your home. Your agent should go over the specifics, and offer guidance, but ultimately you are the decision maker in the end. - Home Inspection
Once you have accepted an offer, the buyer may likely want to perform a home inspection on your home (depending on the terms of the offer). Be sure all common areas are clear so that the inspector can inspect all areas (do not block access to attics, basements, crawl spaces). - Appraisal
For financed offers, the buyer’s lender will want to perform an appraisal on the home to ensure the home is appropriately priced/valued and they are confident in lending any funds to the buyer. This goes back to having a good agent who appropriately valuates your home to begin with. If the home is overpriced, it may not appraise… and may potentially set back the entire sale. Be sure to discuss any potential impacts of a property not appraising when you first list with them. - Clear to Close
It’s closing time! By now, your agent should have discussed the process with you on what to expect. Situations may vary depending on the terms of your listing and the terms of the buyers offer… but the bottom line is, make sure all terms are in writing. Do you have a place to move to? Be sure you communicate your plans with your agent before you even list the home! - Sold
Congratulate your real estate agent on a job well done, and give yourself a pat on the back too! You worked hard to get here, and prepared yourself well. Treat your self to a nice dinner, or a relaxing day off.
- FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
We Are Here To Help You With Any Questions You May Have
The fastest way, would be to find a cash investor who can make you an offer to close fast, as-is, with no inspections or contingencies. However, you may be leaving money on the table if you go this route, so always discuss with a trusted real estate professional or an attorney. SRG does work with cash investors. So if you are in a situation where you need to sell quickly, reach out to us at 774-473-9762.
In most cases, yes.
As long as the foreclosure auction has not yet occurred, we may be able to list your house, and work with your mortgage company, and a local attorney to do what’s called a “short sale”.
Please reach out to us for a no-obligation real estate consultation.
*Massachusetts residents only.
Realistically, no one can make this type of guarantee.
But, we can tell you that we have dealt with a plethora of challenging circumstances both on the buying side and selling side that provide us with the experience and connections needed to be up for the challenge of finding your next home with you.
- New Construction
- Historic Homes
- Single Family
- Multi Family Homes
- Duplex
- Investment Property
- Land
- and more…
At this time, we are only seeking full-time licensed real estate agents to join our company.
If you are a hard-working, dedicated individual looking to start a real estate career, or currently have your real estate license, we’d love to sit with you.
Learn More: Join SRG
We get this question a lot!
It depends. We have a wide marketing area, and have gone as far as Boston and down to the Cape for our clients.
Reach out to us. If we’ve worked in your area, we may be able to assist you. If we feel that we lack sufficient local market experience in your specific city/town, we will tell you so, as we want you to get the absolute best service possible.
In most cases, we can partner with fellow professionals in your area and can still partner or even co-list with them, to provide you with our marketing services while still utilizing a local real estate professional in your area.
- Consider SRG
What We’ll do Differently to Sell Your Home
SRG is considered a hi-tech real estate brokerage. We specialize in doing all the right things to expose your House for Sale to the most buyers possible.
Marketing in the digital age is a huge factor nowadays, and we take advantage of that opportunity. Not only do we market through traditional methods such as print ads, real estate magazines, like other real estate companies, we also have a vast online presence. We have multiple websites, and also market on numerous other real estate websites & portals, including social media. We also offer a premium service, which includes a custom real estate video utilizing that video on multiple platforms, including YouTube and others, to get your home out there where it needs to be, to help sell your home fast, and for the most money possible.
Resources to Help You Research SRG
- SRG’s Recently Sold Property – Need proof? Check out our sold page, where you can see the homes we’ve recently sold. Find out how much they sold for, and how fast they sold.
- Free Market Analysis – Get your complimentary Home Evaluation. Ditch the online values, they are rarely accurate. Let a real live real estate broker give you a more accurate value.
- SRG Real Estate Videos – Check out some of our Real Estate videos we’ve created for our clients.
- Learn about SRG’s Listing Agents
Get to know us
Meet The Silva Realty Group Family
Areas We Service
- Acushnet, Assonet, Berkley, Carver, Dighton, Dartmouth, Easton, East Wareham, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Lakeville, Little Compton, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Newport, Norton, North Dartmouth, Onset, Plymouth, Padanaram, Rochester, Rehoboth, Swansea, Seekonk, Somerset, South Dartmouth, Tiverton, Westport, West Wareham, and more.
If you’re looking for a top real estate agent to sell your home, please consider using Silva Realty Group.
We’d love to show you what we can do for you.
Many people land our web page because they are searching for the best Realtors in New Bedford.
We’re just a block from St. Luke’s Hospital at 52 Brigham St New Bedford, MA.
We also have a Bank Owned-REO Division which specializes in the marketing and sales of Bank Owned Foreclosures for Asset Companies and Banks.
Note: If your home is in distress and you are threatened with foreclosure, or contemplating a short sale, give us a call.
You have other options besides Foreclosure. Call us, we can help guide you on what route to take, even if it doesn’t include listing/selling the home.
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