questions to ask before selling your home

3 Questions to Ask Before Selling Your Home

Similar to buying a house, selling your home comes with its list of to-do’s. Staging your home, hiring a home inspector, and booking professional photographs are only a few things to complete before the sale is final. Here are 3 questions to ask before selling your home to set yourself up for success and a smooth closing.

3 Questions to Ask Before Selling Your Home

Can I Afford to Sell My House?

Although you are going to receive money when the house is sold, it takes money to make money. While some costs are obvious (commissions to listing and buyer’s agents), other costs may sneak up on you. These are just 3 expenses that sellers overlook.

  • Professional photographs – About 4 in 10 buyers start their home search by browsing listings online, with photos being viewed first. So, it’s important that you’re making a good first impression. While the cost of photos varies by area, expect to pay anywhere from $300-$1000 for high quality photos.
  • Landscaping – The front of your home is the first thing buyers notice when visiting your property. You’ve heard it before, but curb appeal is crucial, especially in a competitive market. Improving your landscaping (planting flower beds, plants, trees, etc.) can increase your home’s value by over 10% so it’s worth putting some money toward improving your landscaping. These costs vary depending on size of the landscaping job.
  • Staging – Staging a home helps prospective buyers visualize the property as if it was their own. Staged homes also sell 88% faster and for 20% more than non-staged homes. So whether you plan to just stage the main floor or if you plan to stage your entire home, it’s important that you consider this cost.

Should I Hire a Home Inspector?

Many home buyers will include a home inspection contingency in their offer. This means that if any major problems appear in a home inspection report, then the seller will either pay for the repairs or lower the price of the home. But some agents recommend sellers to hire an inspector for a pre-inspection. This allows sellers to fix major problems ahead of time. Pre-inspections typically cost anywhere from $200-$500.

Am I Ready to Pay Closing Costs?

Closing costs are a big part of selling a home so asking yourself if you are ready to pay closing costs is one of the top questions to ask before selling your home. You can expect to pay roughly 2% of your home’s sale price. This will likely be one of the top expenses you pay as a home seller.

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