Listing Your Home for Sale: A How-to Guide

A recent study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that more than 50% of home buyers found their properties on the internet. Therefore, for selling a house fast, creating a real estate listing is very important and trumps sticking a “For Sale” sign in your lawn. Every homeowner needs to learn how to list investment property for sale. If you make a blunder when listing your house for sale, it might take longer than necessary to find a property buyer. In addition, you might end up getting a lower offer than what your home is worth.

Anyone can learn how to list a house for sale. Just follow our guide:

What to Do Before Listing Your Home

Before creating the actual real estate listing to post online or in other forms of media, there are a few things you need to do first.

Price it correctly

When it comes to a real estate listing, one of the greatest mistakes you could make is to choose the wrong price. If the property is overpriced, many prospective buyers are likely to skip it since it is beyond their budget. On the other hand, if your pricing is too low, you might sell the home quickly but miss out on potential profits. To avoid these extremes when selling your home, take time to think through your listing price. Look at comparable sales in your neighborhood to get an idea of current market values. In other words, conduct a CMA. Work with a real estate agent on setting a listing price that will attract potential real estate investors, while leaving an allowance for further negotiation.

Fix up the inside of the home

Unless you are planning to sell your property ‘as-is’ (which means giving a great discount), you should make an effort to improve it before you list the property for sale. This could be as simple as cleaning up and getting rid of clutter. Fixing up before listing your home also involves adding a coat of paint, repairing broken appliances, or replacing the flooring or roof. Be sure to carry out these repairs and renovations before taking photos for your listing. Don’t forget to depersonalize the home by putting away personal stuff such as photos and memorabilia. In addition, you need to get rid of unnecessary furniture so as to make your home appear more spacious. These home selling tips will help make a great impression on potential buyers during an open house. After all, home staging is a great way to get buyers to make an offer.

Create curb appeal

what to keep in mind when listing your home

The outside of your home creates the first impression for potential property buyers viewing your home. Here are some of the things you can do to enhance the curb appeal before listing your real estate for sale:

Mulch, rake, and weed gardens
Trim bushes and trees in front of windows
Cut down dead tree branches
Clean the driveway and sidewalks
Remove trash cans from the front yard
Remove all the cobwebs around the house

Hire the right real estate agent

Listing your home for sale alone is very risky, whether it is an on or off market listing. If you opt for selling a house without a realtor, you will not only spend lots of time taking calls and showing the home, but you might also be disadvantaged during the negotiation process. Working with a real estate agent will help you avoid common mistakes when listing or selling your house. However, this does not mean that you should hire the first agent that comes your way. Choose a realtor that is licensed, familiar with your target real estate market, and has a reputation for closing sales. Check their website and search online to see reviews from their former customers.

Keep in mind that hiring a real estate agent when listing your home comes with cost implications. Agents usually charge a commission of about 6% of the home’s sales price. However, you can negotiate with your agent for a better rate, especially in for sale by owner (FSBO) situations.

Tips for Listing Your Home

Now, you’re ready to create your real estate listing. Here are a few great tips for the two major aspects of a listing: the description and the photos.

Write a great description

When selling a house, the most important element of your real estate listing is the property description. If potential buyers read it and are not impressed, they might simply leave and look for another property. Here is how to write a real estate listing that sells:

Describe the home accurately – To attract offers when listing your home, make sure your description is accurate. For example, don’t say the property is in ‘excellent condition’ when the heating system is broken. Setting unrealistic expectations will only put off potential buyers when they visit the home. Include details such as the number of rooms, square footage, porches, and balconies.
Describe the neighborhood – Potential buyers will also want to know what kind of neighborhood the home is located in. When listing your home, be sure to mention neighborhood amenities that would interest buyers such as local schools, malls, swimming pools, parks, hospitals, and train stations.
Use the right adjectives – When listing your home, be descriptive without exaggerating anything. Avoid adjectives such as ‘dazzling’ and ‘gorgeous’ which could paint the wrong picture.
Avoid red flag words – For example, words such as ‘cosmetic’, ‘TLC’ or ‘fixer’ imply that the property requires a lot of work. Avoid them since they could negatively affect your listing.
Use proper punctuation – Using proper punctuation will make your description coherent and easy to read. However, avoid ending your sentences with an exclamation!
Highlight unique features – Is the front door an antique work of art? Or do you have a fireplace in the lounge? Such features will make your property stand out from other listings.

Use great photos

When listing your home, writing a great description is not enough. It needs to be accompanied by high-quality photographs of your home. If your images are too grainy or so bright that someone cannot figure out what they are seeing, potential buyers will simply move on to the next listing. You need to use photos that present your home in the best way possible. However, this does not mean that you must hire a professional photographer. With a good smartphone and great lighting, you can take excellent photos. Be sure to have photos showing off every space in your home. Use angles to make your property appear spacious and open.

Where to List Your House for Sale

Besides listing your home on the MLS (Multiple Listing Services), consider listing your home for free or for a small fee on sites such as the Mashvisor Property Marketplace, Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, Re/Max, and Craigslist.

Visit the Mashvisor Property Marketplace now and create a listing for free.

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Listing Your Home for Sale: A Complete How-to Guide