Spring Selling: A Guide for First-Time Home Sellers to Achieve Success in the Real Estate Market

Are you a first-time home seller looking to sell your property this spring? If so, there are some things you should know to make the process as smooth and successful as possible.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that the real estate market has changed from what it was a year ago. While there are still many buyers searching for homes, the pandemic-era frenzy has mostly passed, and higher mortgage interest rates have made it more difficult for buyers to afford to go as high as they did before.

However, sellers still have an advantage in that there are many more shoppers searching for homes than there are properties available. So if you have a move-in-ready home with curb appeal and in a desirable area, priced to sell, it’s likely to move quickly this spring.

But if your home needs repairs or improvements, it’s important to take care of those before listing it. Make those repairs you’ve been putting off, add a fresh coat of paint, swap out those ancient light fixtures, and deep clean your entire house thoroughly. Also, don’t forget the yard – first impressions matter, and the front of the home is the first thing that most potential buyers will see when they arrive for the open house or showing.

Another important aspect of preparing your home for sale is staging it. A professional stager can help show potential buyers an idealized version of what their lives might look like in your abode. Staging can be especially handy if you’re trying to show buyers how to best utilize smaller spaces.

When it comes to pricing your home, it’s important to have that difficult conversation with your real estate agent about an appropriate price for the house. Recognize that the housing market has shifted, and the peak is behind us. Higher mortgage rates have made it impossible for many buyers to go as high as they did a year ago. It’s important to remove emotion from your pricing decision and look at the comps of recent sales in your area with your real estate agent to determine an appropriate price.

Finally, it’s important to remember that selling a home can be a stressful and charged situation. You may have to make concessions, including helping buyers with closing costs, reducing the asking price, or temporarily buying down mortgage rates to help the sale go through. But with plenty of demand from eager homebuyers, most sellers still have the upper hand in the current market.

By following these tips, first-time home sellers can be successful this spring and achieve a smooth sale of their property. Reach out to Eric and Janelle Boyenga of the Boyenga Team or visit www.BoyengaTeam.com.