Steps for Selling Your Home in Puerto Rico & Florida
You’ve made the decision to put your home up for sale. Whatever the reason — moving up from your starter home, job relocation, or retirement — it’s a big change. Whether this is your first time selling or you’ve done it before, here are nine smart steps to take for your most successful sale.
Find a Pro to Help You
Our agent has earned their professional Realtor® designations through education and licensing. They must adhere to a strict code of ethics, and have pledged to work for your best interests. They have deep knowledge of Puerto Rico and Florida and our unique housing market, including comparable home prices, how long they stay on the market, the best times to sell, and a network of trusted partners in the real estate world. That means you’ll never have to go it alone to obtain the best price possible when you sell your home.
Price It Right
Too many people overestimate what their home is worth and are afraid of taking less. So, they’ll price it high, figuring they can always drop it if they don’t get an offer. Our TEAM MEMBER will do research on comparable house sales, assess your home’s condition, and work with you to find a price that’s realistic. If you shoot too high, you might actually lower your final price, because homes that are priced too high tend to sit on the market. When buyers see a house, they know has been on the market for a while, they tend to feel more comfortable making a low-ball offer. But working with a trained Broker/Agent can help you optimize your price so that your transaction concludes quickly — and you get the best price possible.
Make a Good First Impression
Curb appeal is real. So, spruce up the garden, put down fresh mulch, paint your front door, and keep the entryway clean and uncluttered. Our TEAM will have tips and tricks to make things look great, whether you do it yourself or bring in outside help.
Cut Through the Clutter
Clear out closets, be ruthless with knick-knacks. Think about it as the first step of your move, if it helps. Pack up out-of-season clothes, but remember to mark the boxes well. If you don’t have enough space in the attic or basement, rent a storage space. Our TEAM can help by giving you a fresh perspective on how your home looks to prospective buyers.
FIX Details
A fresh coat of paint goes a long way toward making a home look and feel well-cared for. Anticipate what an inspection might find — have you gotten used to the dripping faucet? Or the peeling paint near your gutters? To get the best offers, put a little time or money into making the small repairs that can add up costing you big if you let them go.
Stage Rooms for the Buyers
Think about how the spaces in your home will most likely be used. For example, If you’re an empty-nester who’s taken over the kids’ bedrooms for an office or hobby space, consider downsizing your workspace and adding an inexpensive inflatable mattress made up as a bed. The more you do to help prospective buyers visualize how they’ll live in your home, the more interest you’ll generate, along with well-priced offers.
Be Flexible
Buyers will want to see your home. But they don’t want to see you in it. If you want to sell, you have to accommodate them. Have a realistic talk with our TEAM MEMBER before your home goes active. How much time do you need in advance of an appointment? Can you be out and leave a clean house with an hour’s notice? Or is 24 hours more do-able? Most people will be looking at houses before or after work hours and on weekends.
Think of Your Pets
You love them, but not everyone does. Take them with you or make arrangements so they’ll be safe within your home, and to minimize their impact on your home for showing. Clean up dishes and food. Keep your yard cleaned up and litter boxes tidy. Fish tanks should be clean. A barking dog creates a more stressful environment for buyers — and Fido, too. Take measures so your cats don’t escape if they’re indoor felines. Our network team showing buyers your home want to minimize any dangers or stress for your pets, and will carefully abide by any showing instructions our TEAM has entered into our MLS.
Keep Calm and Carry On
Selling your home can be stressful — and there can be moments of uncertainty as you work through the process of getting offers, making counter-offers and getting through to the final settlement. Our TEAM has gone through this before and can offer advice and encouragement.
