You may be relocating for your career, or moving to a larger home to accommodate your family, or looking towards retirement. Whatever the reason – you will want to sell your home for the best possible price in a reasonable amount of time. How do you begin?

Some choose to go it on their own. This requires a lot of work and making yourself available to show your home on a daily basis, plus costs of advertising – which can be quite expensive. There are also federal laws and requirements you must be familiar with to avoid potential lawsuits.

Most people start by seeking a professional for assistance. A Realtor, who knows your neighborhood, will work with you to determine a fair market price. They can also offer advice on repairs and maintenance that you can do to make your home more sellable. A Realtor works to represent your interests in the sale.

To select a Realtor, ask for referrals. Open houses are a good way to meet Realtors you are interested in. When you interview them check their experience and the tools they offer to market your home. In today’s world, 80% of buyers have done some level of research on the Internet making this a valuable tool in marketing. Virtual tours and videos allow the buyer to see features and highlights of your home from their own computer. Once you identify a professional, determine if you are comfortable working with them and if they will effectively communicate with you. Will they keep you posted of all actions on your home? Are they reachable when you call? Do they return your calls promptly?

Determining your home’s fair market value is one of the most important decisions you will make. Your Realtor will help you set it based on market conditions. They will provide sales prices and statistics of similar homes that have sold and are currently on the market. Prospective buyers will be comparing your home to others, so you will want to make sure you have a fair price.

What about updates? A fresh coat of paint may cover up a multitude of sins, but smart buyers are seeking newer, energy efficient furnaces, recently updated baths/kitchens, and energy efficient windows. Buyers want to know what it will cost to own your home. Be prepared to provide a record of your utility costs and taxes. Copies of actual invoices are great. Before you sink a lot of money into repairs, ask a Realtor for their opinion on how best to invest to get a return on your investment in the sale of your home.

Expect offers when they arrive to be less than what you are asking. Rarely do you receive an offer for asking price. Your Realtor will guide you to find a price acceptable to both you and the buyer. Not every offer will work, but the truly interested buyer will be willing to negotiate. You must make sure that the buyer is pre-approved for a loan. If you accept an offer from a buyer who cannot get a loan – you will have lost valuable time on the market while your home is “Under Contract”. Once the offer is accepted, expect at least 30 days to close. Delays can happen with inspections, extra loan requirements, etc., be patient, and allow your Realtor to work on your behalf to complete sale.

A Realtor strives to make the sale process a very satisfying experience for you. We work from referrals, and if we do our job, your referrals are appreciated!

Alvin Bowyer is a Realtor with Century 21 Homes & Land of Barboursville, Monica McMellon – Broker. Contact him at WWW.THEDETAILGUY.ORG or at (304) 208-4650.