Selling your home is one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do because there is so much at stake, especially money. But besides the stress-making high stakes, there’s so much much of it that’s out of your control. And a large part of the process involves simply waiting – waiting for the inspection report, waiting for offers to come in, waiting for buyers to get financing, waiting for closing to take place, and so on. But you can significantly reduce all this stress. Here are 5 tips for a stress-free home sale in Olympia.
1. Be Clear About Your Goals and Objectives
The first step to take toward a stress-free home sale in Olympia is getting clear about and then communicating your goals and objectives. If you know your home-sale destination, it’ll be much easier to get there with less stress.
What, for example, is at the top of your priority list – the best price or a quick sale? What is your bottom dollar, and what concessions are you willing to concede to buyers? What do you want to do yourself, and what do you want to hand off to others?
Then, when you get clear on these goals and objectives, communicate them to your agent. That way, you and your agent can work in tandem as allies and partners to achieve the same outcome. You can avoid a lot of stress when you (as well as your agent) have a clear plan in mind.
2. Get a Pre-Inspection and Do the Prep Work
Another way to achieve a stress-free home sale in Olympia is by having your own pre-inspection done – and then dealing with the problems discovered early on. When you address problems before a buyer’s inspection, you can head off much of the stress.
It’s worth noting that “95% of contracts that fall apart do so because of conflict during the inspection. By addressing major issues ahead of time, like the roof, sewer, or HVAC, you can limit the undue stress and lost time that frequently accompany a sale.”
3. Familiarize Yourself With the Process
A major source of stress for many home sellers is that, owing to limited or no experience, don’t really know what to expect. But if you go into it with a fairly clear idea of what the home-selling process entails, how long it will take, and what it’ll cost, you’ll encounter fewer stressful surprises. As they say, forewarned is forearmed, especially when it comes to a home sale in Olympia.
So do your homework, taking the time to learn about the local real estate market, steps in the sale process and transaction, and exactly what your and your agent’s responsibilities are. Be sure to talk to friends and family members who have recently sold homes. And don’t forget to consult your Olympia agent at (208) 353-3176.
4. Vet/Qualify Buyers
The last thing you want is to believe you’ve found the right buyer and have a sale locked in, only to find out that buyer can’t get financing after all. So an important part of a stress-free home sale in Olympia is taking the time to vet and qualify buyers.
Typically, the two major steps involved in this are as follows:
- “The first step is the standard lender [pre-approval] letter and phone call. The lender [pre-approval] letter should disclose what they qualify for and under what terms. The phone call should give the seller peace of mind that the lender is local and available to talk if issues come up.”
- “The second part of qualifying your buyer is proof of funds. Get a screenshot of a bank balance that shows they have the necessary money for the down payment, and if appraisal gap coverage is part of the contract, that they have the funds for that as well.”
5. Hire the Right Olympia Agent
Maybe the best thing you can do to ensure a stress-free home sale in Olympia is to hire the right real estate agent. A good agent can help you navigate the whole complex process and provide guidance in the many steps along the way.
Here’s some of what you’ll encounter and have to deal with in the home-sale process:
- Determining which updates will yield a justifiable ROI
- Performing prep work and staging
- Pricing competitively for a sale
- Marketing both online and offline
- Negotiating purchase agreement and terms
- Getting through the appraisal and inspection
- Doing the final walk-through and closing
Because selling a home is such a stressful process, it’s often said that agents are also therapists. There’s actually a lot of truth in that. And that’s why hiring the right agent is so critical.
It’s just a fact: having the right agent can significantly reduce home-selling stress. So if you’re ready to make your home sale in Olympia as stress-free as possible, contact us today at (208) 353-3176. There’s no need to have more stress than you have to.