What's the secret?

July 22, 2024

By Isabel Guzman, Realtor®

Video Transcription

Hello, Mockingbird Heights! Do you want to know the secret to selling your home successfully? You likely landed on this video because you received a postcard, came across a social media post, or saw some announcement that hinted at a powerful secret. If you're thinking about selling your home, this secret will maximize its value—and it truly is a secret because many people don’t know it. In fact, some will tune into this video just to see if there really is a secret, and what it might be. Well, I’m here to tell you that yes, there is one.

This secret is the single most important action you can take to maximize the value of your home. 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 here than me, making me your Mockingbird Heights expert.

So, let’s get to the secret. But before that, you may be wondering, how do I know this secret? Well, I know because we’ve worked with so many sellers using this secret and have seen concrete results—it simply works. Frankly, you could meet 10 or even 100 other real estate agents, and they might not be able to pinpoint this secret. Now, of course, there are lots of great agents out there, no doubt about that. It’s just that it’s rare to run into someone like myself and my team, who dive deep into the nuances, the statistics, and any possibility of learning more about how we can bring more value to our clients. We take the time to analyze what others don’t.

So here it is, and it’s actually very simple: the secret to maximizing the value, the potential, and the experience of selling your home is to start early. If you start preparing your home well in advance and not at the last minute, you will maximize its value. Again, you will likely not hear this secret from many other agents for two big reasons.

First, when you call a traditional real estate agent, they might come into your home and say, “Let’s sell—I’m ready, you’re ready, let’s list next week!” But in reality, the right approach is to take a step back. 99% of the time, we know it will benefit our clients most if we take our time and guide them thoroughly through all the things that should be considered before going on the market. This takes time, resources, and just a little extra effort, but I guarantee it’s well worth it.

The second reason you won’t hear about it is simply that many agents aren’t aware of it. Now, let me take a step back for a moment—some people, some sellers, do not have the luxury of taking time to get ready to sell. I get that. So if you need to sell your home quickly, if you need to put it on the market very soon, I believe we’re still the best option for you. We’re prepared with all our experience and systems to be ready to execute, no matter what the situation. But again, at the end of the day, starting early is ultimately the best route to go, when possible.

We have found that those who do start preparing early will sell their home twice as fast, and I’m talking about in any market—a seller’s market, a balanced market, any market. Now, you may be wondering what I mean by “starting early.” Well, I’ve found that the sweet spot is at least one month before. I’ve seen people start as early as three weeks, and it works just as well. But you also have those who take their time and start two months, three months, or even six months early—it’s actually never too early.

Starting early means a few things, and it can mean something different for everyone. For example, if you’ve only owned your home for two or three years, it’s fairly new, so there might not be as much to do as if you’ve lived in your home for 10 or 20 years. If you have an older home, it’s very possible you might need to do some minor repairs, decluttering, and serious packing early on. Starting early means you’ll be able to make an executable plan that’s less stressful and more cost-effective. We all know last-minute repairs can really make a difference and definitely cost more than necessary.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve helped someone sell, and I’ve had tons of ideas and suggestions that I knew would add value and make their home more attractive to buyers, making the whole process easier. But because we didn’t start early, there wasn’t enough time to get those preparations in order. Starting early will mean you’ll have a better, more pleasant experience. Selling a home is stressful, it’s overwhelming, and there’s a lot to do. Plus, by not starting early, you can empower buyers a bit more—they may be emboldened to throw lowball offers, push back on negotiations, and you might simply walk away with less money.

If you’re ready to get your home sold 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 Isabel, your Mockingbird Heights expert—let’s turn your selling experience into a success story.