Tips for Sellers

Tip #1: Hire A Real Estate Agent

Selling your home is a complex and stressful enterprise and requires careful preparation as well as lots of time. Hiring a  local San Jose Realtor will enable you to maximize your time and the price for your home.

Be sure to choose your Realtor yourself and for the right reason. In other words, shop around and let Real Estate Agents compete for your business. A common mistake made by some home buyers is to select a Realtor based on a referral alone. A good Realtor should be efficient, professionnal and ethical in particular. Expertise in the  San Jose area or the types of properties you are interested in (e.g short sales, REOs, Foreclosures) may also be required.

Your Realtor will typically help you price your home, ensure visibility of your house on the San Jose real estate market, both online and off-line, assist you with the review of purchase offers from potential buyers and help you finalize all paperwork to complete the sale in a seamless fashion.

Tip #2: Price Your Home Right

Home prices are determined by many external factors such as desirability of the area, proximity to top rated schools), home inventory available in your area at any moment, and of course market conditions (e.g. short sales, foreclosures available in the same neighborhood). Factors relevant to your home include in particular natural light, storage and the house floor plan in particular.

The age of your house as well as the type and quality of improvements you conducted in your house will also weigh and may influence upward or downward the market price for your home.

Always remember that the market defines the price of your house, not your Real Estate Agent. 

Tip #3: Invest To Sell

First impressions generated by curb appeal are critical.

Fresh paint on outside walls is one of the key improvements you should consider. Keep your front yard tidy. The back yard is of particular importance as most California buyers look for a place where they can relax and entertain, so make sure it is well maintained and attractive. Landscaping your backyard is always a good idea too.

If you plan to renovate, it is recommended that you start with the kitchen and the bathroom(s), which are generally the two areas that buyers pay the most attention to. Besides the location, home buyers will usually reach a decision based on the number and configuration of the bathrooms, the size and accessibility of the kitchen as well as the quality and age of kitchen appliances.

Tip #4: Help Your Realtor Sell Your House

Share as much as possible with your Realtor to equip him with the best sales pitch. Try not to be present during house visits as buyers do not feel comfortable in the presence of sellers and will hesitate to express their opinions to your Real Estate Agent.

If you plan to live in the house until it is sold, you need to minimize clutter with a view to expose as much as possible the inside of your house.

Finally, be flexible about house visits, which can happen at any time convenient for potential buyers. As a result, ensure that your home is ready for viewing at any moment during the day but also evenings.