You are selling a house, not a home. Remove yourself from the sale, de-personalize and hire an agent who works for you.

There are at least two equations in the real estate process–the seller and the buyer. Each approach a transaction with different criteria, but with the same end; an exchange of property. We’ve already covered what a buyer needs to know and now it’s time for our sellers to step up to a successful sale.

1. It’s not 2007 anymore. Get used to the fact that in today’s market your home most likely won’t sell for what you think it’s worth. Sellers, more than buyers, have an emotional investment in their homes. You’ve raised children there, become part of the community and spent a major part of your life in this house. That’s fine for you, but buyers want a good deal at a reasonable price, not memories (or at least yours). Keep in mind you are selling a house, not a home.
2. Choose a real estate agent wisely and listen. Gone too are the days when your agent only organized open houses and placed an ad for your home in the newspaper. We still do that, but we’ve learned how to adapt to the complicated real estate market now. You want an agent who will work for you and understands your geographic area. Seller’s agents market not only to buyers but their agents too. We’re current on what buyers want, the latest online tools and what buyers are looking for.
3. Your agent will provide you with comparables in your neighborhood. These are listings that compare your property with similar properties on the market or those that have sold recently. Comparables will help determine a reasonable price that will sell your house quickly.
4. Get a pre-sale home inspection. Buyers are pickier than ever and may jump on what they see as a deficiency. Keep in mind that buyers will also contract for their own home inspection and may use the results to get you to do renovations at your own expense as a condition on the sale. Stay ahead of the game with your own inspection. Repair what may be code deficiencies, address termite issues and get your heating and cooling systems inspected and serviced.
5. Update your house appropriately. More important than adding swimming pools and media rooms are fresh coats of paint (most buyers aren’t fans of brilliant primary colors); new kitchen and bath hardware and refinished hardwood floors. If your house has carpeting, check underneath for hardwoods. Remove the carpet and start refinishing.
6. Most definitely de-clutter. Please. Buyers want to see themselves in your house, not you. Once we had a buyer who was interested in a house, but the seller left a wall-full of family pictures. The visual clutter sent the buyer out the door immediately, unable to picture her family in the home. Box the personal items away and think of how they will grace your new home.
7. Staging is no longer a novelty. A stager can see how your furniture, or a lot less of it, will open space and lightness. She’ll also get those family photos off the wall. 95 percent of potential buyers begin their home search online. If their immediate reaction is negative, they’ll not pursue your house further.
8. Expect a lowball offer. That’s an undefined term, but it usually means the buyer is submitting an offer far below the asking price. Again, take your emotions out of the equation and remember you are selling a house, not your home. Lowball offers may open a dialogue between you and the buyer so the negotiations progress to an acceptable price. Pay attention to your real estate agent’s advice, the comparables in your neighborhood and decide if you want to proceed with the potential buyer or end negotiations.