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Moving to a new city, or even down the street to a new home, can be incredibly exciting. Few things are better than that “fresh start” feeling, and starting over in a new home is the ultimate way to get it.
That said, the home selling process can also cause extreme stress. Moving is so stressful, in fact, that 45% of people rank it as the most stressful event in life!
So, there’s no denying that selling a home requires an enormous amount of time and energy. But with a little organization and preparation, you can greatly reduce the amount of stress you experience along the way.
Read on to learn all about selling a house and how long each step will take.
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Two Months Before Listing
At the latest, your home selling timeline should begin two months before your home goes live on listing sites.
First, research your local market to get an idea of the final sales price of similar homes in the area. Square footage and general location are important but don’t forget to include the number of rooms and extras (such as new appliances) in your calculations as well.
Gather and organize all necessary paperwork, including your title, mortgage, and homeowners’ insurance, then calculate the approximate transaction costs and your remaining equity.
One Month Before Listing
A month before you plan to list your home, reach out to an appraiser and find your real estate agent. Hiring these two professionals can cut a tremendous amount of stress out of selling a home.
With your appraiser and realtor working on setting a price and drawing up an advertisement for your home, it’s time to tackle the toughest job on your home selling checklist.
To get the most profit possible, you have to deep clean your home and complete any repairs that could damage its value. While you clean, make a list of any creaky doors or broken window latches, then go back and fix them.
When your house is clean, shift your focus toward staging. Add a fresh coat of paint if necessary, spruce up your yard, and arrange your furniture in a way that makes the rooms feel open and inviting.
Listing for Sale and Closing
Once you list your home, the timeline becomes more difficult to predict. You could find the perfect buyer the same day, or it could take months.
This is why the previous steps are so vital. Setting a fair price and cleaning and staging your home well will make it sell much faster.
When the right buyer comes along, the only thing left is the negotiations and closing. Again, this could be a quick process or a lengthy one, depending on the price and condition of your home.
That said, if everything goes well, this process should take about a month. When you include the steps leading up to this point, the total time it takes to sell a house can be as little as three months!
How to Speed up Your Home Sale
Keep in mind that there are no guarantees. Just because it’s possible to sell a house in three months doesn’t mean you will. However, there are steps you can take to speed up the process!
Here are a few tips for minimizing the amount of time between deciding to sell your home and shaking hands with a buyer at the closing.
Stay Prepared
You’ve fixed that broken cabinet hinge you’ve been neglecting for months and polished your home to perfection. The hard part’s over, but the work isn’t – now you have to maintain it!
One of the best things you can do when selling your home is to be prepared for a showing at a moment’s notice. When your realtor calls with a showing request, you need to say yes as often as possible. A spotless home will make it much easier to clear out fast.
Take Feedback Seriously
Each time a potential buyer views your home, their agent should provide yours with feedback. This will tell you what the buyers loved about your home and where they noticed improvements could be made. Take these notes seriously!
Let’s say, for example, that the buyers’ agent says that your couch is too large for your living room. It’s making the space feel cluttered and cramped. Well, it’s better to show an empty room than one filled with furniture that doesn’t complement its features.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate
Even if you’ve used the ultimate guide to preparing your home for sale and checked all the boxes, you might not get your dream offer. Don’t be discouraged! There’s nothing wrong with a little negotiation.
If the buyers’ agent makes an offer that doesn’t quite meet your expectations, work with your agent to make a counter-offer. It’s important to be fair, especially if there are repairs or improvements that could be made, but your realtor will help you come up with a reasonable counter.
It’s Never Too Soon to Prepare for the Home Selling Process
When it comes to the home selling process, there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. However, there’s one tip that can be used across the board: start preparing early!
The more you can organize in advance, the better. Leaving things to the last minute opens the door for a stressful, hectic move.
Start your research and choose a realtor well in advance, this allows you to take your time and make the process more manageable.
Looking for more information to help ease the transition to your new space? Be sure to check out our blog!
