8 Questions You Need to Answer Before Listing Your Home for Sale

There are two types of home sellers: those who want to sell their homes and those who need to. Of these two groups, those who want to sell have the most flexibility in terms of how and when to sell their home. They can plan and watch the market, so they can position themselves for the best opportunities. If you are among the group who wants to sell, then you should take the time to research the market, find out what buyers are looking for, and stage your home accordingly. Here are eight questions you’ll want to answer before listing your home.

Selling the home you have lived in for several years isn’t always easy, and as a result, it can get emotional. So before you make the leap, ask yourself why you are selling. Is it to move to a different town or city for a job? Are you retiring? Are you getting married or divorced? Take the time to fully understand your motives for selling, so you can be sure it’s the right thing to do at this time.

Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market, or is it a toss-up? The state of the market will tell you if it’s a good time to consider selling because when it’s a seller’s market, you’ll most likely be able to get higher offers for your home. Selling in the right market will hopefully help you pay off your old home loan and still have money left over.

If you’re selling your home, then you are most likely going to be buying another. Therefore, you also want to find out if it’s a good time to buy. If it’s too much of a seller’s market, then you’ll get a good price for your home, but you’ll also pay more for your new home. Ideally, you’ll make out best if the market is closer to a toss-up between a seller’s and a buyer’s market.

Before listing your home, you should have in mind the next home you want, or at the least what type of home you want it to be. For instance, do you want to downsize or increase your living space? How much money will you need to put down on the home you want?

If you choose to sell your home without an agent’s expertise, then you will pocket all the money from your sale. But, there’s a remarkable amount of knowledge, work, and time that goes into selling a home.Having a professional agent on your side could make everything easier on you and help your home sell faster. Ultimately, your choice depends on how much you know about real estate and if you have the time to dedicate to properly marketing, showing, and selling your home.

Hiring a real estate agent will help get your home out in front of buyers, but there are other, more relevant ways to market your home these days. For instance, you can share your home on social media or you can list your home for sale on an online property search engine like Homes.com. Most importantly though, take clear, bright photos of your home and highlight the features that will interest buyers the most.

Before you list your home, make sure it is completely decluttered, with all personal items like family photos, vacation souvenirs, and personal collections removed. The home should be clean and appropriately staged. While this is an important step in the selling process, it is one that many homeowners have difficulty doing. Make sure you’re ready and committed to it.

There’s a lot to consider when choosing the right listing price for your home. The appropriate listing price is dependent on the state of the market, the number of homes like yours already for sale in the area, housing trends, and more. Price your home too high and it won’t sell; price it too low and you’ll leave money on the table.

Make sure you know what to expect when listing your home for sale. Visit Homes.com/How-To where we'll walk you through the process step-by-step and answer any of your home buying or selling questions.