Be Prepared

August 22, 2024

By Isabel Guzman, Realtor®

Video Transcription

Hello Mockingbird Heights! In a previous video, I recently shared the secret to selling your home—the secret to ensuring the most successful experience and getting the highest possible price for your home. And that secret is to start early, right? In this video, I'm going to explain exactly what starting early means and what you can do to prepare in advance to ensure the best experience possible.

I'm Isabel Guzman, Broker Associate and Realtor with eXp Realty. I've lived and played in Mockingbird Heights for over 13 years, and no one has sold more resale homes in Mockingbird Heights than yours truly, making me your Mockingbird Heights expert.

So, what does starting early really mean? Well, it means you'll have a better, more pleasant experience when selling your home. Selling a home can be stressful—there’s lots to do to prepare. And by not starting early, you can end up empowering some buyers. They may be more emboldened to throw those lowball offers, push back on negotiations, and simply, you might walk away with a little bit less money. So, I must stress that starting early can truly make a difference.

Now, what are some of the things you can do to start early? The number one thing you can do to really make a difference is to have a pre-listing home inspection. This is probably one of the most important steps you can take when starting early and preparing to list your home.

Some will say that a home inspection is not a good idea because then you have to disclose everything found in the inspection report. And that’s true, but it’s also true that it gives you the upper hand to know the exact condition of your home. Because, number one, you can take care of these issues upfront. Oftentimes, the issues that come up in the inspection report are minor and can be taken care of ahead of time. And guess what? Once you make the repair, you don’t have to disclose it.

For example, if you have a broken window—you know as a buyer, you wouldn’t want to purchase a home with a broken window, right? That wouldn’t be your preference. Well, if you have a pre-listing home inspection and you’re aware of it, you can fix it before the home goes on the market. And again, once it’s fixed, you won’t have to disclose it.

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to avoid those expensive minor repairs requested by buyers that could be taken care of with a $5 trip to Lowe’s. Often, buyers request repairs by professionals, and it does make a difference—these are things you could have taken care of yourself.

Did you know that the number one deal killer in a transaction is the home inspection that the buyer will have during the option period? Those inspection reports can scare a buyer away, even when it’s not anything to be concerned about. Knowing the condition of your home will put you in control.

If you're ready to put your home on the market and work with the right agent to achieve your real estate goals, please reach out to me for a free, no-commitment consultation. I’m your expert—let's turn your selling experience into a success story.