Selling a home is not for sissies was a LCT blog from 2015 and, today, we offer an update on why selling your home in 2019 is challenging in this active Middle Tennessee real estate market and what you need to consider before listing your house for sale.
Be sure and check out our giveaway at the bottom! #TheHomeEdit
The curb appeal of this beautiful Legend Homes’ at 513 Doubleday Lane, Brentwood, increased as beautiful landscaping was added. You should see it now as the trees start blooming! Click for listing info.
Why Selling Your Home Is Not For Sissies
Volatile. That is how so many news stories are officially describing the current real estate market. By definition, volatile can mean “liable to change rapidly and unpredictably” and add to that unrealistic expectations and you can see how that word can apply to the Nashville area real estate market.
You have to be tough to go through the process of selling your home just as we reflected in that 2015 blog and it is the same today. One of the biggest tough love moments is establishing a price for a home you’ve no doubt loved and in which you’ve created so many great memories. But first, let’s go through some of our top tips for selling a home.
Top Tips For Selling A Home
1. Select A Professional REALTOR®
Yes, we know this advice is coming from a real estate team but it isn’t self-serving. Honestly, in most cases the home is the single largest personal investment. From preparation and pricing to negotiating offers and closing issues, a professional REALTOR® committed to continuing education and upholding the highest industry standards is the person you want on your team as your unwavering advocate. Read on for important reasons in this process.
2. Market Ready Home
You might think, I’m going to make all those repairs I’ve been putting off and then contact a Realtor. This is actually the opposite of what you need to do. A smart realtor can evaluate your home and help you prioritize the updates, repairs and changes which will add value and help you earn the most for your real estate investment. So stop before you grab a paint bucket, let a professional help you determine where you should allocate your resources.
“I have saved so many clients money in making the wrong home update. Your resources and money are precious. Let’s make the investment where it will earn you the most money in the sale of your home. It’s that simple,” says Lisa Culp Taylor, LCT Team – Parks.
3. De-personalize, Declutter
Something you can do on your own is begin the declutter and depersonalizing process. First, remove all those personal pics so the next homeowners can begin imagining making their own memories and adventures.
This beautiful 12 South home currently listed at 914 Gale Lane is a great example of removing the clutter and personal effects. Click for full listing here.
Then, tackle the decluttering. Maybe you don’t want to take on the scorched earth Marie Kondo approach. But, she’s spot on with the idea of keeping things that only bring you joy and how about only one each of that item instead of 3 or 4?
We also love the approach of the fabulous duo, The Home Edit, who use an innovative approach to pristine home organizing. Head to our Instagram page where you and a friend could win their just released New York Times best selling book, “The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals” Congrats Clea & Joanna! Be inspired!
4. Select Reliable Contractors
As you go through the repair and updating process, be sure you select reliable plumbers, painters and contractors to assist you. This work needs to be guaranteed so you won’t run into any issues at closing. Lisa Culp Taylor of the LCT Team is known for her magic book of contractors. Be sure your real estate professional has a reliable and resourceful list and people who will call you back!
5. Ignore The Critics
Having a home on the market can be really tough requiring your home to be immaculate and ready for last minute showings. You are opening your home to complete strangers which is why you need to be sure your advocate is helping you keep your home secure. It is up to you to toughen up to the critics who might not like your choices in paint, flooring or landscaping. Ignore it and stay focused on the end goal of getting you to your next home!
6. Price, Price, Price
The number one mistake a homeowner makes is not trusting the price recommendation researched and calculated by their REALTOR®. Watch one episode of Million Dollar Listing and you see what happens when a client demands an unrealistic price. The houses you see selling in a day or two have one thing in common – a realistic price was set. Just as in the TV world, the homes that do not have a correct selling price will sit on the market until an adjustment is made reflecting market value/demand. You have to detach yourself from emotion and know your Realtor wants top dollar too. It has to be realistic and achievable.
Giveaway – The Home Edit NYT Best Seller!
Head to our Instagram or Facebook and enter to win by April 8 the New York Times best selling book, “The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals.” Enter by “following or liking” LCT Team-Parks (you’re already following The Home Edit, right?!), tag a friend & then BAM! You are both entered! Good luck!
Looking For A REALTOR®?
Find a REALTOR® you know and trust and hire them to guide you through the process of buying and selling your home. They’ll help you find your moxie, channel your inner arbitrator, and give you strength when the inevitable stress of buying or selling occurs. Because folks, selling a home is not for sissies!
Contact the LCT Team today for your free home evaluation at (615) 595-5883. Here’s more information on this award-winning team of professionals.
