First-Time Home Seller? 4 Essential Tips You Need To Know

You're a proud homeowner. It's time to move onto the next property by selling this home at a fair price. If you're a first-time home seller, it's time to look over these essential tips that can make or break a solid deal.

1. Hiring an Experienced Agent Pays Off

One of the best first-time home selling tips is working with the right agent. Real-estate agents know your neighborhood and when it's a good time to sell. They know colleagues and potential clients in the area too.

Experienced agents have a marketing strategy, which usually involves a mixture of social-media posts, website spotlights, and listings on industry pages. Old-fashioned advertising, such as signs outside your home, are still viable choices too. This collection of marketing strategies might encourage interest and buyers to seek out your property over others.

2. Starting With an Inspection is Important

Proud homeowners stay on top of their repairs through the years. However, no property is perfect. There will always be flaws to address. A clever way to get ahead with your potential sale is by requesting an inspection before the home goes on the market. Let the inspection report guide your priorities.

A leaking pipe should be fixed before freshening up the paint in the hallway, for example. Repairing major appliances throughout the home will make it more valuable to buyers. In fact, there may be repairs that you were unaware of until now. An inspection report can be priceless during your home-selling journey.

3. Pricing the Home Right Can Translate to a Quick Sale

Your agent should perform some research when it comes to pricing your home. The trick is to price the home at a competitive rate with similar properties in the area. Price the home too high, and you'll find the sale sitting for many weeks. A home priced in a fair range will encourage bidding from several buyers. Ideally, you want the home to have a buyer within four to six weeks. Homes that remain on the market for too long will appear questionable to buyers. Listings have timestamps, which buyers can see with any search engine.

4. Staging Makes a Difference

Sell your home even faster by properly staging it. Remove any clutter from the interior, add pillows to the couch, and even bake bread on the morning of an open house. All of these tiny details can entice buyers as they move through the space. Remove any personal items, such as family photos, from the property too. You want buyers to picture themselves in your home and not the current family's pets and extended family. Your agent can offer other ideas as open houses approach.

Whether you follow four or 8 tips to sell your first home, the end result should always be a reasonable closing price. There will be a few compromises along the way, but never accept too low of a price for your beautiful home. You've worked hard to make it a valuable property. Be patient for the perfect buyer.