I am not planning to sell for at least 6-12 months, is it too early to talk to my Realtor?
Although I can't speak for all Realtors, I love hearing from people who are thinking about selling long before they are ready to put their home on the market. Chances are good that the longer you have lived in your home the longer it will take to get it ready to sell... and if you make improvements well in advance you can enjoy some of the improvements yourself before you sell!
Contact your agent before doing any improvements to sell your home... focus on basic de-cluttering, cleaning and basic repairs first, then call your agent before doing anything else including painting. Your Realtor knows your market and can advise you on what changes will have a positive impact for your specific home... what is and isn't recommended may surprise you. Also start going to open houses in your area to get an idea of how your competition is preparing, staging and pricing their homes.
Some things to discuss with your Realtor are...
- Current market, what your house might sell for and your estimated net proceeds... possible variations based on potential impact of improvements you may be considering
- If you will be buying after you sell, what is available for you to buy... maybe make a 'buying' tour of homes. Does it financially make sense to make the move? Do you have special requirements with limited property choices so it makes more sense to buy first if you can?
- If you decide to move forward, your Realtor can help you make decisions on what you should do to make your home have greatest appeal... improvements should match the market for your particular home and neighborhood
- When you work with me one of my services is a 2-hour consultation with a professional stager to help make a detailed plan including what items to keep and what to sell/give away, paint colors, furniture arrangement, updates, decor... staging is very different from decorating, and sets the stage so buyers can picture themselves living in your home
- If where you live requires a city inspection before you sell, be sure to have that completed before hiring anyone to come in and do any work... coordinating required repairs to be done at the same time can save you both time and money
Stay in touch with your Realtor as you make progress on your plan. The two most difficult parts of getting ready to sell are often... declutter, then declutter again, then declutter again!... and CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN every nook and cranny including closets, drawers, cupboards, garage, ceilings and light fixtures, and mostly importantly kitchens and bathrooms.
Don't feel you are wasting my time by contacting me too soon... it can actually save time and money in the long run by not waiting until after you have already done a lot of work!
Ready for a free consultation? Give me a call today at 612-419-0560 or email me at shensrud@homesmsp.com!
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Twin Cities Listing Agent
HomesMSP Team- Sharlene, John, Angela - Minneapolis-St. Paul Realtors
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