Preparation Can Lead to a Better Return on Your Austin Home for Sale
Before listing your Austin home for sale, follow this quick guide to ensure you get off on the right foot.
The real estate market in Austin continues to boom, and shows no signs of slowing. This is great news for sellers! Selling your home in this environment can seem daunting, but there are some simple things any prospective seller can do to increase their chances of a stress-free sale with a great return.
Here are 5 simple ways to ensure you profit wisely, when putting up your Austin home for sale.
Do Your Research on the Current Real Estate Market
Savvy sellers need to think like buyers, and know the market. Before listing your Austin home for sale, you should already have an idea of what’s going on in your neighborhood. Getting the best return on your Austin real estate starts with an Austin home search to see what’s out there in terms of Austin houses for sale. Keep an eye on prices, overall market activity, nearby developments, anything that might impact your sale.
And don’t forget to plan for your own future: research where you want to live next, and budget for buying that great new home, as well as the moving costs.
Get Organized Before Listing Your Austin Home for Sale
Every home sale starts at your filing cabinet. Property documents, floor plans, appliance manuals, inspection reports, building certifications, utility bills — the more information you have on hand, the easier it will be for you and your agent to list your Austin home for sale and provide buyers with the information they need. A prepared seller is more likely to get a quick sale at a good price, so dig out those papers!
Find the Right Agent to Represent You in Your Austin Home Sale
We’ve covered how to find the right Austin TX real estate agent on the blog before, but we can’t repeat it enough: choosing the right Austin Realtor® is the single most important thing you can do when selling your home.
There are a lot of real estate agents, who can list your Austin home for sale, but finding the right fit is essential. Your Realtor® needs to be professional, they need to know the market, they need to be able to provide you with the right advice, and they need to have a great track record.
Most importantly, they need to share your vision for what you want to achieve with your sale, and tell you how they’ll help you get there. That includes from the initial stages of listing your Austin home for sale through closing, and possibly even helping you find your next new home.
Talk to your friends, family, and colleagues about their agent experiences, and meet with a few different Realtors®. A great Realtor®, or Austin real estate broker, is your partner in the home sale process!
What Are Some Quick Wins When Putting Up Your Austin Home for Sale?
You need to figure out two things before you list your Austin home for sale: what work is absolutely necessary, and what work can I do to increase the value of the home at the lowest cost?
Start out with maintenance projects like fixing doorknobs and faucets, mending fences, fixing cabinets — all of the little jobs that may have gone by the wayside. Then make sure there are no bigger issues like the roof, the foundation, plumbing, drainage, or electrical work that need to be addressed. All of these things can affect the price that you’ll be able to feasibly get when listing your Austin home for sale.
Finally, look at the cosmetic touches like painting, landscaping, and quick updates of kitchens or bathrooms that can boost your sale price without too much outlay. Try not to get bogged down in major renovations that won’t provide a return. As always, your real estate agent can help you find the right balance.
Check out our reference guide on 6 Simple Home Updates to Help You Get a Great Return on Your Austin Home Sale.
Turn Your Home into Your Buyer’s Home
Now that you’ve decided to list your Austin home for sale, you’ve found a great Austin TX real estate agent, and you’ve done all of the necessary repairs and renovations, it’s time to do a big clean. Unless you’re minimal minded, it’s likely you’ll also need to declutter some before showing your home.
You want the home to feel open and spacious, so pack away some clothes to make the closets look more roomy, and make sure that there aren’t too many knickknacks, family photos, pieces of artwork, kids’ sports trophies, or other personal items hanging around.
Consider your furniture, and if you need to move anything around or put some pieces in storage, or rent display furniture to give a room the right feel. Keep the decor restrained and neutral, so that prospective buyers can project their own tastes onto the space. And make sure to put away the kids’ toys, the dog bowls, and the cat’s litter box before potential home buyers come through!
Selling a home is one of life’s big events, and while it can seem stressful and overwhelming, a bit of planning and organization can go a long way. Working with the right people, from real estate agents to contractors to decorators, can maximize your sale price, and minimize the sleepless nights, when you’re looking to put up your Austin home for sale. Our Austin Realtors can help connect you with the right professionals.
If you’re considering selling your home, and need a Realtor® to help you prepare your Austin home for sale, give our Austin real estate agency a call. Our Austin real estate agents are among the best in the city. We’ve been helping homeowners sell their Austin TX homes since 1972. Habitat Hunters also has an on-staff Austin real estate lawyer to help you through the legal aspects of the process. Contact our Austin realty company today!
