What to Consider Before Selling Your Home

 Selling your home is a huge leap forward in your life, so it's vital to be as prepared as possible before you put it on the market. Small changes can make a huge difference in how much your property is worth.

 

Before you list your home, take the time to consider each of these ideas and think about the impact they'd make on the price you can grab for it. 

1. Does the Exterior of Your Home Shine?

One of the biggest things to keep in mind when you're selling your home is that the exterior needs to wow and impress! This is the first part of your property people will see when they pull up and the first thing that will influence their opinion on whether or not they want to buy your property.

 

To update things, look into adding a brick cladding system, or check the brick cladding on your property and make sure it's in good shape and able to protect the property. Creating a safe and inviting home is vital to getting buyers in the door.

2. What Do Your Listing Photos Highlight?

When people look at your home's listing, the photos need to pop up and tell them to look at your home more. Not only should they be high-quality, clear, and well-lit, but these photos should also be able to guide their eyes from room to room to show off the details that make the property incredible.

 

Highlighting areas like a gorgeous white stone fireplace will make a lot more sense than catching a great photo of the bathroom sink. Take your time, and be purposeful in the angles and subject matter you choose. Hiring a professional photographer can make this step a lot easier!

3. Is There Noticeable Dust or Debris in the Home?

Dust and debris in a home can scare away buyers in the blink of an eye. When people are picturing their future in a home, they don't want to be confronted by gross debris and skin shed by whoever owns it first.

 

Deep clean the entire home, but focus your energy especially hard on areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. These areas are especially prone to dirt and gross residue, so wipe that away and clear the minds of buyers.

4. Have You Staged Your Property?

Did you stage your home? A staged property will sell faster while also bringing in far more money than a home that fails to do so. You can stage using your own furniture if you have modern belongings, but most sellers turn to furniture rental companies that will stage the house for you.

 

This lets your home look brand new and professionally decorated without causing you to go deep into debt buying furniture that you don't want or need.

5. How Old is Your Roof and Siding?

Your roof and siding will need to be updated every twenty to fifty years, depending on the materials and the weather conditions of the area you're in. A wood shake roof can look incredible, but if you don’t properly maintain it and keep it in good working order, it could prove disastrous for your home’s value.

 

The older these parts of your home are, the less likely buyers will be interested in sealing the deal. Update them for that good return on investment every seller wants.

6. Can Your Home Handle Moisture or Water Damage?

Water is one of the most destructive forces out there, able to whittle away wood or stone over the years or floor a home and ruin it from wall to wall. If you want to protect your property and give buyers a chance to have faith in the house they're looking at, look into waterproofing technology.

 

Not only will this keep moisture out, but it can help lower insurance rates and give buyers peace of mind in a wild climate that's been shifting over the last few years.

7. Are All Brick and Stone Surfaces in Good Shape?

Brock and stone are huge deals in 2023, as many buyers are looking to return to natural textures and more earthy tones. Consider power washing the exterior of your home and heavily cleaning any surfaces of these materials on the interior of your home as well. These are the stars of the show, so it's vital that you let them shine.

 

If your home doesn't have any brick or stone but instead has a lot of natural wood, make sure to make that shine instead. Work with what you have, but make the buyers think it's a dream come true.

Your Home Should be an Eye Catcher!

Whether your home is sixty years old or six months old, you should be able to sell it in no time. Follow some of these ideas before you put your property on the market: they could make you hundreds of thousands more. 

Courtesy: Max Shafer. a freelance writer that loves sharing his knowledge and expertise on real estate. He lives in Land O’ Lakes, Florida where he enjoys spending time with his wife and researching real estate trends in his free time. Max’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource launching in Fall 2022.

No Substitute For Exerpience in WInston Salem Real Estate

 Funny real estate story (at least it is funny now).

I had mentioned in a previous story that I had started as a part time Realtor and was not very good.   I can tell you from experience you do not get good at this until you have had many real life experiences.    You would probably agree that this is the same with everything we do in life.

One of the 1st transactions I ever did was to help a family from NY find a new home.   We found one that was perfect for them.  It had just been built by an individual builder.   As part of his marketing, he included appliances in all the marketing.

Fast forward to the closing day.   Everyone was very excited.   The buyers got the keys and met the truck to move in.   All I can say is the fun started.   The builder had removed the brand new refrigerator!!   My inexperience led me to think that since it was new construction and all the marketing showed the fridge, that it would be left for them!   

Wrong!    The contract has a place for personal property.  I learned an expensive and important lesson.   ALWAYS list the items the buyer wants in the contract even if the seller has disclosed it conveys.   Better to be safe than sorry…

Needless to say that the buyer got a great closing gift from me (a new refrigerator) and they did become lifelong friends!   There is NO substitute for experience.

Home Selling Process - Winston Salem

The home selling process can be an emotional and trying experience.   Not only is it emotional, it can be a trying experience.   One way we can see this, is the number of ads we see from the so called I-Buyers.   

You know, the ones saying guarantee offers on your home.   

Think of Selling?  Review the document Selling with Roby

What you might not know is that several of these I-Buyers got out of the business of buying homes (Zillow) and several others are now in financial trouble.   Needless to say, traditional real estate is much safer and should be a good experience that a good Realtor can insure.  Besides, often these I-Buyers are real estate companies ultimately trying to get your listing!

When preparing to sell your home, it should be an enjoyable experience.    While most agents sell you by walking in and say I will do this and that.   Hope it works!

As your selling agent, we are a team.   I want to meet and understand WHY we are doing this and what you want in an Agent.   I always attempt to understand your desires and I address each of them with how we can handle it and we walk through what to expect at each step of the transaction.    We go over what we all believe is the best way to get the best price on your home.

I can guarantee you up front we will communicate at a minimum, weekly!   You will be updated on all showings feedback.    When offer(s) arrive, you will be thoroughly updated on your rights and what we feel is the best response.      

I have had great pride with getting repeat business from numerous clients and strive to make this happen.  

Once your home sells, I will help you find your next home with the same diligence and care.

Increase The Value Of Your Home

 Oftentimes, I get asked by seller clients ‘how can we increase the value of our home?’ or ‘what can we do to sell for the highest price’  As you can imagine, this is a very broad question with many potential answers.   

Let’s assume for this discussion that you are not looking at major renovations.   Major renovations require that we do a thorough analysis of current value, future value and the ability to recoup the cost of the renovations.  

Minor renovations are often more cost-effective than major renovations. Minor kitchen upgrades provide a good example – say, replacing an old sink with a shiny stainless-steel model, installing better faucets, replacing cabinet door knobs, refinishing/painting cabinet doors, or doing other relatively minor jobs.  The kitchen will often sell the house!  Make it stand out!

Presentation is considered essential to increasing the value of your home and to selling it quickly.  Relatively small changes can keep buyers focused on what’s best about your home.  Making sure the home is thoroughly cleaned, all lights work properly, the exterior (where applicable) is well kept.   

 

Lastly, I tell people that the 1st place to start is for them to recall back to the time they were buying.  What stood out to them and what was the most important aspect of the home they purchased.  Keeping this in mind will go a long way towards meeting your goals.

Most people do not know why I entered the field of Real Estate - Winston Salem

 Most people do not know why I entered the field of Real Estate. I was asked a very valid question many times’ Why would you leave a good paying job for a 100% commission business as a Realtor?’

The answer is complicated (financially) and very simple(family) at the same time. I obtained my real estate license in 2000 taking classes at night. This was kind of a whim thing but something I had been thinking about, so I just did it.

My real job was a software consultant that took me to many places in the US and Canada and I met some great people. I was dabbling in real estate part time ( more on that later but being part time, I was not very good at it, admittedly).

Then things changed dramatically. I was on a job in Greenville SC. Thankfully not too far away when the planes hit the towers on 9.1.2001. My wife and daughter were upset and wanted me home. I sent an email within an hour resigning my position and drove home immediately.

I did take a short term contract with consulting while I was readying myself for this big change. Within 6 months, I was a full time Realtor. I was very lucky that my prior career required me to be very good at 2 things. I was constantly educating customers with a customer service focus and I had to be very prepared.

Being a full time Realtor requires that same focus and one that I embraced. 21 years later and succeeding during some very rough down markets, has enabled me to be good at what I do and very good at taking care of my clients.

In the end, I did not miss any more of life events and I was very happy with the decision. 

About Roby Robertson - Stiving To Be Your Winston Salem Area Realtor

 

I am:

Easy going family man passionate about helping people.   My friends see me as an athletic person, lover of sports, fun and my family. 

I am a good communicator, and I am real estate knowledgeable, patient with people and have a desire to educate about our options and transactions.  

I want: 

People to see me as an intelligent, smart real estate agent that goes above and beyond for his clients. I want people to know I’m very knowledgeable about the real estate market and how buying and selling a home succeeds best.  I’m also a man of family and love to golf.

Forsyth Counties Most Expensive Homes