Find an experienced Johnston County agent
This is a crucial first step! Enlisting the help of an experienced agent who understands your needs will save you time and a lot of headaches—and will of course get your home sold more quickly and for more money than trying to list on your own. A good agent can help you navigate every step of the selling process, and they'll also know the nuances of the Johnston County market. What you pay in commission fees you will most likely more than make up for in the final sale price of your home.
Consider repairs & improvements
A good agent comes in handy for recommending home improvements that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Many sellers believe they have to fully renovate their kitchen or bathrooms before they sell, and in reality, this is going to cost you way more than you'll recoup! A good agent can take a walk through your home to make recommendations for cost-effective improvements, and will let you know which repairs should be made, and which you should simply disclose to buyers.
Set the price right
Another way a good agent comes in handy—pricing your home! Pricing is a crucial step to ensuring the highest return on your valuable investment in the shortest amount of time. Your agent will help you evaluate the price of nearby homes that have recently sold or are currently on the market, as well as the conditions and location of your home. From there, you'll determine a competitive price at which to list your home.
Prepare your home
Next, you'll want to make sure your home is looking truly fantastic! This might mean doing some decluttering and deep cleaning, removing excess furniture, or maybe adding some pieces to empty rooms. You might need to remove or add a little decor. Again, your agent can definitely help you out with this!
Market your home
Once your home is looking its very best, you want to make sure buyers see it! Professional photography is a great way to showcase your home's best features to buyers searching online (hint: that's most of them). Your agent can also ensure your home is searchable online through various real estate sites, as well as promoted through social media platforms, print advertising, and more. Selling a home for top dollar is all about getting it seen, and that's where a solo seller really can't compare to an agent or team of agents.
Show your home
If your home looks good, is priced correctly, and is marketed to a wide audience, in no time, buyers will be requesting to see your listing in person. Your agent will handle this—all you have to do is keep your home clean and neat and clear out when it comes time for a showing. It might be helpful to have a last-minute checklist of things to do (like washing dishes, making beds, or taking out the trash) before a showing.
Negotiate & accept an offer
When a buyer loves your home, their agent will submit an offer to your agent. At this point, you and your agent will sit down to review all aspects of the offer (not just the price) to determine whether you should accept. You have three options. You can accept the offer as-is. You can refuse the offer. Or you can submit a counteroffer. If you choose to counter the offer, the ball is back in the buyer's court, and negotiations have officially begun!
Sign a Purchase & Sale Agreement
Once you and the buyer come to terms, you'll sign a Purchase and Sale Agreement. Now you're under contract! At this point, your home's status in the local MLS will be changed, though you may choose to continue to show your home as your buyer finalizes their loan and completes their due diligence. You're under contract, but the sale is far from finalized at this point.
Cooperate with due diligence
Next, you'll enter a period known as "due diligence". During this time, the buyer has the opportunity to do a little "research" on your home to make sure they still want to buy it. Typically, this includes a home inspection, an appraisal, a title check, and maybe a few more things (like surveys or additional inspections). Should the buyer find any issues, they may request repairs, credits, or a price reduction—or back out of the sale entirely.
Sign, pay & close
Finally, closing day! As the seller, you may be able to complete most or all of your required paperwork ahead of time; you might not need to be present at the time the buyer actually signs and pays their closing costs. Either way, on or by closing day, you'll sign, pay any closing costs, and hand over your keys and property title. Then, you receive a check for the remaining balance after your mortgage is paid off. Congrats; you just sold your home!
Want More Information on Selling?
Looking for more ways to get your Johnston County home ready to sell? We've got plenty of tips and tricks up our sleeves that we'd love to share! We can also recommend top-notch local vendors to help you out.
Thinking of selling your Johnston County home this year? Well, you know who to call... the Tina Barletta Team!