Selling your home is one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do because there is so much at stake, plus it’s likely your greatest financial asset. But besides the stress-making high stakes, there’s so much much of it that’s out of your control. And a large part of the process involves simply waiting – waiting for the inspection report, waiting for offers to come in, waiting for buyers to get financing, waiting for closing to take place, and so on. But you can significantly reduce all this stress. Here are 5 tips for a stress-free home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas.
1. Be Clear About Your Goals and Objectives
The first step to take toward a stress-free home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas is setting your goals and objectives and communicating them your real estate team. If you know you want from your home sale, it’ll be much easier to get there with less stress.
What, for example, is at the top of your priority list – the best price or a quick sale? What is your bottom dollar, and what concessions are you willing to concede to buyers? What do you want to do yourself, and what do you want to hand off to others?
When you’re clear on these objectives, we can work together towards a mutual goal and serve your needs better. You can avoid a lot of stress when you (as well as your agent) have a clear plan in mind.
2. Get a Pre-Inspection and Do the Prep Work
Another way to achieve a stress-free home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas is by having your own pre-inspection done – and then dealing with the problems discovered early on. When you address problems before a buyer’s inspection, you can head off much of the stress.
It’s worth noting that “95% of contracts that fall apart do so because of conflict during the inspection. You can start by addressing small issues. Particularly first-time buyers get very nervous about issues that most homeowners would consider minor. Fixing small issues will help smooth the selling process. If major issues are found ahead of time, like the roof, sewer, or HVAC, you can limit the undue stress and lost time that frequently accompanies a sale.”
3. Familiarize Yourself With the Process
A major source of stress for many home sellers is that they don’t really know what to expect. If you go into it with a fairly clear idea of what the home-selling process entails, how long it will take, and what it’ll cost, you’ll encounter fewer stressful surprises. You can request our Seller’s Guide to Success to learn more about the home sale process in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas.
So do your homework, taking the time to learn about the local real estate market, steps in the sale process and transaction, and exactly what your and your agent’s responsibilities are. Be sure to talk to friends and family members who have recently sold homes. And don’t forget to consult your Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas agent at 917-608-7277.
4. Vet/Qualify Buyers
The last thing you want is to believe you’ve found the right buyer and have a sale locked in, only to find out that buyer can’t get financing after all. So an important part of a stress-free home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas is taking the time to vet and qualify buyers.
There are two important steps to qualify buyers:
- The first step is a standard lender [pre-approval] letter from a reputable lender and a phone call. The lender’s [pre-approval] letter should detail what the buyers qualify for and the terms of the loan. Your agent should call the lender to give the seller peace of mind that the lender is local and available to talk if issues come up.
- The second part of qualifying your buyer is proof of funds. Sellers can request a screenshot or statement of a bank balance that shows they have the necessary money for the down payment but please remind them to blackout account numbers. The amount should also cover appraisal gap coverage if it is part of the contract.
5. Hire the Right Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas Agent
Maybe the best thing you can do to ensure a stress-free home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas is to hire the right real estate agent. A good agent, like Steve Christian, can help you navigate the whole complex process and provide guidance in the many steps along the way.
Here’s some of what you can expect to prepare for in the home-sale process:
- Determining which updates will yield a justifiable ROI
- Performing prep work and staging
- Pricing competitively for a sale
- Marketing both online and offline
- Negotiating purchase agreement and terms
- Getting through the appraisal and inspection
- Doing the final walk-through and closing
Because selling a home is such a stressful process, it’s often said that agents are also therapists. There’s actually a lot of truth in that. And that’s why hiring the right agent is so critical. You can read reviews from our happy clients and about us on this website to better understand how we work.
It’s just a fact: having the right agent can significantly reduce home-selling stress. So if you’re ready to make your home sale in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas as stress-free as possible, contact us today at 917-608-7277. There’s no need to have more stress than you have to.