Important First Steps As You Start To Work With A Realtor To Sell Your Home

Selling a home is always a really big step. It can be hard to say goodbye to a place you've lived in and owned. There's also a lot of prep work and paperwork involved! Working with a good real estate agent can make this big step a whole lot easier, as your agent will guide you along the way and make sure everything is done on time. But you can probably still benefit from a few tips in the early stages of selling your home.

1. Have your agent walk through the home before you start making changes.

Before they sell their home, most people do benefit from making some changes and updates. But the changes and updates that are best to make depend on the home and on the market in your area. Before you spend $5,000 to replace a carpet or dedicate a weekend to repainting the living room, have your real estate agent walk through the place. See what projects they recommend. You can also ask your agent to give you a list of beneficial projects in order from most to least important. You can then start at the top of the list and accomplish as many things as you can, depending on how much time you have.

2. Take your agent's advice on pricing the home.

Ultimately, you get to decide on the price that you ask for your home. However, your real estate agent will make some suggestions, and it is really wise to take those suggestions. Homeowners tend to over-value their homes because they love their homes, but if your agent insists your home is not worth what you think it's worth, they are probably right. Remember, your agent benefits from selling the home for as much as they can, too, since they earn commission on the sale. They have your best interests at heart when suggesting a price. Overpricing a home can cause it to sit around and not sell, which isn't good for anyone.

3. Pay for professional photos.

Some agents automatically have professional photos taken of every home they sell. Other agents leave it up to the seller whether or not they opt for professional photos. But in almost every case, having those photos taken is worth it. These days, more than ever before, home buyers shop with their eyes. If your photos are not great, you won't have nearly as much interest.

Selling a home is not easy, but with the tips above, it doesn't have to be that hard, either. For more information about working with a real estate agent, contact a local realty office.