Before becoming a stay/work-at-home mom, I worked in real estate. A wide, wide variety of positions in real estate. From home staging to Section 8 property management to relocation/foreclosures, as well as a marketing assistant for a few successful agents. (Oh, did I mention we’ve moved 5 times in the last 3 years?) Needless to say, I learned quite a bit about the business – both what to do and not to do.
With it being the “busy time” of the year here in Minnesota (moving in the winter is…really unenjoyable) I thought it’d be worth it to write about a few considerations when preparing to sell or buy a home.
1) Don’t try to do it alone and research your agent. They are helping you make what could possibly be the largest purchase or sale of your life. They’re working for you, not the other way around. Your agent should be available (within reason – don’t expect them to answer your call 24/7 unless they tell you it’s okay) and consistently have your best interests in mind. Sometimes, this might mean that they say things you don’t want to hear, but at the end of the day, a happy client for them is going to give them referrals. They’re just doing their job by being honest and open with you. When it comes to selling your house, make sure your agent is holding opens, marketing through all types of medias, and using their personal networks as much as possible. When buying, make sure they know your “must-haves” and don’t deviate too much from your goals.
2) When selling your home, less IS more. Selling your home is emotional, whether you want to believe it or not. You may be selling to upgrade (or downgrade) in size, change school districts, relocating, etc. and the frustration of a home not selling can be waring. The biggest thing you can do for yourself is to present your home to ALL potential buyers.
– Remove the majority of your personal details (ie. photos, collections, self-help books, etc.)
– Neutralize your decor. This might mean painting over that awesomely bright orange bathroom you always wanted. As silly as it sounds, and as easy as it is to change a color, people react to paint colors.
– Make sure your carpets are clean. Again, it’s easy for a buyer to change this stuff once they move in, but when they’re initially looking, the less work they see they need to do, the better.
– Organize. Organize. Organize. Trust me, I know first hand how tough it is to live in a house for sale when you have kids. It’s uber stressful constantly cleaning the toys up for a showing (and even more frustrating when that showing cancels last minute.) Make it as easy as possible on yourself by investing in some good organization systems that preferably hide clutter. A few toy chests, storage cubes, closet organizers. Then teach the kids how to pick up after themselves. (ha!)
3) When buying, make it fun. Buying can also be extremely stressful. Homes can go into multiple offers, you’ve given yourself a timeline to find something by and it doesn’t happen, and if you also have a home to sell, the pressures can build up quickly. Take advantage of open houses. Some companies even offer open house weekends where TONS of their properties are open on the same weekend. Grab a coffee, map out where you want to go, and keep an open mind. Tuesday Tours are also big. These are when new homes are being shown to (primarily) other agents in the area – but the house is still being held open, and if it works with your schedule, you might see the home before others that following weekend.
4) Learn to look past the eyesores. As a buyer, it’s super easy to be distracted by bold colors, older appliances, stained or cracked flooring, and things that are pretty easy to take care of. Let your agent work cosmetic repairs into their recommendations when putting together an offer. The important part is making sure the house is structurally and mechanically sound. Read your inspection report! I know it sounds crazy, but some people don’t. Look for the install date of the furnace, be aware of water stains on walls and ceilings throughout the house – especially the basement, and don’t hesitate to ask about anything you might be concerned about. In the midwest and other snowy states, flooding is quite common, and it can cause mold to show up – who wants that?! General cosmetic things can be taken care of quickly and pretty inexpensively (relatively speaking), so try to keep your focus on the details behind the glaringly obvious.
And most importantly: Stay calm and enjoy the ride! Whatever your reason is for buying or selling, it’s going to be stressful and exciting and a whole bunch of other emotions. Make a list of your “must haves,” stick to your budget, and if you can afford it, hire movers. Take everything in stride, and expect the unexpected. It might rain (or snow…a lot) on your moving day, the closing might get pushed back, your kids might throw a million extra temper tantrums because their toys are in taped-up boxes, but you’re going somewhere new and that’s always an adventure!
