In the event of selling a home for the first time, many sellers may not know entirely what their responsibilities are in terms of the things that need to be done. Much of what goes on, goes on behind the scenes and is conducted between the agents or realtors that are representing the involved parties. The sellers responsibilities begin and end with what is happening inside the home itself. Let's get started here, are there any fixes or renovations that the realtor has recommended? If so then this is the best place to start. Hopefully we are not talking large-scale renovations here, ideally there would be little that needs to be done aside from perhaps a few cosmetic upgrades. If this is not the case then you may want to reconsider the time line for the home sale.
It is the sellers primary responsibility to ensure that everything that is in the house works, and works well. Buyers don't like to see fixtures that don't work, like leaky faucets, light switches that don't work and so on. Also try to think about what needs to be replaced. If there is anything that looks as though it was installed in the 70's then that may be a good place to start. Old light fixtures should be replaced with nice looking new ones that suit the style of the home. This same practice is important for many aspects of the home that may seem a bit out-of-date. These things can quickly drag down the offers that you will receive. It is also the responsibility of the seller to maintain the home in spotless condition so that the realtor can do their job and get as many qualified buyers through the home as possible. Homes really need to be in top condition to garner the kind of interest necessary for a quick sale. The realtor can always give some pointers as to what could help the home sell better but it is the choice of the seller as to whether or not they take that advice. Remember that the real estate market is a fast moving and sometimes tricky game. Your home is competing with many others and it is up to you to distinguish it from the others. Do you have a game plan of what to do to make this happen? If you stay focused on making your home as appealing as possible then you realtor can concentrate on their job, the selling of the home.
Virginia Wherland is a REALTOR® as well as the founder and broker of Associates Realty. Associates Realty is proud to specialize in Edina, Minneapolis real estate. For access to the beautiful homes and properties in Minneapolis, contact Associates Realty today or visit us online at www.associatesrealty.net
