It's spring real estate season and if you're preparing to sell your house, don't miss this episode! Our guest Denise Rothberg, a realtor at Julie B. Fee/Sotheby's International Reality in New York discusses how to transform the emotional process of selling a home into a business transaction.
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As you start the process of listing your home, you need to choose the right realtor, who has experience with your neighborhood and price range. During the realtor interview process (you should talk to three agents), determine who has leapt into the digital age with a variety of ways to reach potential buyers.
Once you have your realtor, Denise says setting the right price is essential. The first three weeks of a home’s entrance on the market are the most critical for creating interest and attracting buyers. She also said that buyers often dismiss a listing that is “old and stale”, which means that the longer the home stays on the market, chances are the selling price will be lower, both in absolute dollars and as a percentage of list price. The corollary to overpricing is not recognizing when you need to reduce the price. Generally speaking, if there hasn’t been a bite for three to four weeks, it’s probably time for a price cut.
Additionally, first impressions matter, so identify the important home improvements that must occur before the open house. If you haven’t done so in a while, you will probably have to paint the house, replace the broken windows, clean or replace old carpets, cut the lawn, plant the flowers and tend to the garden. Even the small stuff counts, so make sure all light bulbs in the house are working, remove all clutter from closets and surface areas, fix leaky faucets, re-caulk the showers and tubs. If all of this prep sounds like too much work, you can hire someone to “stage” your home, which takes the process to a more professional level. Some sellers, especially those with older homes are choosing to schedule a pre-inspection for their own benefit. While this increases the costs associated with the sale, it may identify a potential problem earlier in the process.
If you are fortunate enough to get a bid, lean on your realtor to skillfully and calmly handle the negotiations. Your reactive or emotional responses can impede the process or worse, kill a deal.
Thanks to everyone who participated this week, especially Mark, the Best Producer/Music Curator in the World. Mark is back in the US and makes another appearance on the show. Here's how to contact us:
- Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE
- Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com
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