What You Need to Know When Selling a House for the First Time in Santa Cruz

Selling a house can be an overwhelming undertaking at any time. It is no small task and involves a lot of time and work and often patience. And the process can be especially overwhelming and frustrating for those doing it for the first time. But with some planning and preparation, the process can be made much more manageable for first-time sellers, even allowing them to sell quickly and for more. Read on, then, to find out what you need to know when selling a house for the first time in Santa Cruz.

Tips for First Time Home Sellers!

Hire a Professional to Make Repairs

The first step in selling a house is making needed repairs. Your house has to be in good repair and looking its absolute best when it hits the market. And the consensus among industry pros is that you hire a professional to make those needed repairs.

“Start compiling a list of projects for your handyman to take care of, so that you can complete the work quickly and efficiently. Several improvements that are typically made before putting a home on the market include repainting walls or touching up paint, patching any unsightly holes in the wall, installing light fixtures, replacing burnt-out lightbulbs, and regrouting dirty tile.”

Next, make sure that your home is super clean, like white glove test clean. By decluttering and cleaning your Santa Cruz home it will look much bigger and brighter. Also when a Santa Cruz homebuyer sees a dirty home, they feel that the home may not have been well kept. And we don’t want to give buyers any reason to look elsewhere. Help your Santa Cruz home shine to prospective homebuyers by polishing any hardware like door knobs or handles on your cabinets and making sure that those tile floors and countertops shine by deep cleaning even the grout.

The taking care of the outside of your Santa Cruz home, when preparing to sell, is also important. It is the first impression your Santa Cruz homebuyer will have when they arrive at your Santa Cruz home. Something that can give a big bang for the buck is power washer. You want to wash the years of dirt and grime and grit off your driveway, the sidewalk, even the exterior of your home.

You also want to pay attention to the front door. As an agent, it takes sometimes a few seconds and sometimes a few minutes for me to open up a lockbox to get us into the house. And this gives the buyer a chance to really look around at the entry while they’re waiting. Take a moment to make sure there isn’t any peeling paint on the door or cobwebs around the lights. The entry should be inviting. Add some new plants with pops of color, make sure to remove any dead or unhealthy plants. They may not make your Santa Cruz home as appealing.

Stage It

Next, you’ll need to stage your home. Did you know that 77% of buyer’s agents said that staging a home makes it easier for buyers to visualize themselves living in it?

Unfortunately, this is a step often neglected by those selling a house for the first time in Santa Cruz. But it shouldn’t be because staged homes typically sell more quickly and at a better price. “Unlike an empty home, where buyers have to use their imaginations to envision what life would look like inside the home, a staged home enables buyers to more easily visualize their furniture and belongings inside the space.”

Before you begin staging, though, be sure to declutter and depersonalize thoroughly. “This means getting rid of the majority of your picture frames, extra knick-knacks, and anything that makes the home look smaller than it actually is. Remember: less is more when it comes to staging a home.”

Get Top-Notch Listing Photos

Also of prime importance for selling a house is getting top-notch, professional-quality listing photos. Great listing photos are more important today than they’ve ever been because so many buyers do most of their house hunting online.

“Most home buyers start their search for a house online, which means your listing photos will be the first thing they see. Make them count with top-notch, professional quality. Your listing photos could be the difference between a home with no traction and a home with multiple offers. In fact, in markets that are saturated with buyers, you may have multiple bids from homebuyers who haven’t seen the property in person yet.”

Your best bet is to hire a professional real estate photographer to take your listing photos. Also, some agents include listing photos in their package of service. To discover more about this, consult a Santa Cruz agent at 831-588-2334.

Price It Correctly

Selling a house calls for correct pricing, neither too high nor too low, but in line with market value. Getting the price right is critical and often difficult for those selling for the first time.

“What you don’t want to do when selling a home for the first time [is] make one or more price cuts while it’s on the market. Price cuts often signal to buyers that something must be wrong with the home (after all, why isn’t it selling?). Listing the home too high will also prolong the amount of time it takes to sell the property. To avoid price cuts, be sure to price it right the first time around.”

To price your house correctly, you can have a Santa Cruz agent perform a comparative market analysis. This will allow you to know what very similar homes in your neighborhood have recently sold for. For pricing assistance, contact an agent at 831-588-2334.

Be Prepared for Closing 

The final step in selling a house is closing. And you need to be prepared for closing day and what you’ll encounter at the closing table, chiefly the mountain of paperwork.

“Assuming the home passed inspection, and the buyer secured their financing, you’ll soon find yourself with a handful of closing documents to sign. Make sure to do your homework beforehand, so that you know exactly what you’re signing.” You can ask your agent for a summary of all the documents before closing.

In addition, you’ll “be expected to hand over all keys to the new buyers. Other items you should leave with the buyers include any remotes or devices that control home systems. Information on punch codes as well as warranties and manuals for various appliances should also be left with the buyers.”

Hire an Experienced Santa Cruz Agent

One of the best things you can do when selling a house for the first time in Santa Cruz is to hire an experienced local agent. A good agent can guide you through the whole process and negotiate the best deal possible. Our agents have the expertise and experience and are ready to assist you. So if you’re selling a house for the first time in Santa Cruz, contact us today at 831-588-2334.

I’m Shemeika Fox, your Santa Cruz real estate expert and your personalized real estate concierge. I’ve helped hundreds of sellers in Santa Cruz and the surrounding counties since 2005, sell their homes and understand the overwhelm. I have found that by having a plan to follow, you can better prepare your home for those Santa Cruz house hunters.

To learn more about Fox Realty Group’s listing strategy and marketing plan, prepping your home for sale, showing your home, and strategizing during negotiations, reach out to me for a confidential complimentary consultation. I’m Shemeika Fox, your Santa Cruz real estate expert and your personalized real estate concierge. As always, I’m here to help.

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