Selling your home can mean the chance to move on to another chapter in your life. When you’re retired, you have the time to really get your home ready to sell, too. That can give you the opportunity to look at your house with a critical eye and decide what you should really do before you list. With a good seller checklist, you can work your way right through from one item to the next, to reduce the chance of surprises as you list and sell your home in retirement. Then you can enjoy spending time at your new home, and you won’t need to worry about any work that needs to be done to the old one, if it hasn’t been sold yet.
Does your home need repairs?
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As a retired person, you have the opportunity to really spend time in your home and see it with a critical eye. Take a look around like a buyer would, and consider the things that might stand out – and not in a good way – to a stranger coming into your home. If there are problems with your home that you haven’t gotten around to fixing yet, now would be a good time. That way any buyer who comes to an open house or for a showing will see a home that appears to be well maintained. Even small problems can seem like big problems when a buyer sees them, so you don’t want to give buyers any reason to start being concerned about quality
Is it time to declutter?
Getting all of the personal items out of your home can mean a space that looks bigger. Buyers will also have an easier time seeing themselves in that space, and that means you may be able to sell your home faster. When a buyer comes into your home and your personal things are everywhere, they can be difficult to overlook or ignore. Not all buyers will have that concern, but many of them will. You don’t want to take the chance of a potential buyer passing up your home just because of your knickknacks and pictures, though, so it’s best to remove them and put them away for your new house. That way you can keep buyers happy and also protect your things from any damage that might take place during a showing or an open house.
Would staging your home bring out its true charm?
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Staging a home is important, because it helps buyers see how the space can be used. When a buyer can see the use of the rooms, they are better able to determine whether their things would fit there, and if the rooms give them what they need in their new home. Overall, you should turn each room into what it would most commonly be used for, no matter how you would personally use it. If you are using a bedroom as an office, for example, turn it back into a bedroom while your home is on the market. Then you can feel confident that there won’t be any buyer confusion.
What is your plan (and budget) for marketing?
Budgeting and planning are both vital when it comes to marketing your home. Some retirees are on a tighter budget than others, but even with a small budget you’ll have many options for doing something great with your marketing and advertising. There are so many different ways to market a home today, and some of those ways can even be done for free or at a very low cost. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money to market your home, whether it’s a modest home or a much larger option. The way you market (your plan) is often much more important than the budget itself.
Is your home’s price set properly?
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You have undoubtedly been through everything and gotten your home ready to sell. No matter how great it looks, though, you won’t get very far if the price isn’t right. Pricing your home the right way can mean buyers who are very interested in what you have to offer, and who will overlook small problems or issues with your home because of the low amount they are being asked to pay. That can be great news for buyers, but it’s also good news for you if you really want to get your home sold. Price your home in a way that works for you, and that is fair based on the comparable homes in the neighborhood around you.
How can you best accommodate buyers?
Retirees can make great home sellers, since they can accommodate buyers at different times, making it easier for a buyer to come see their home, even on short notice. The more accommodating you are to buyers, the better off you and the buyers will be. Allowing them to see your home on short notice, holding open houses, getting back to buyers promptly if they contact you, answering their questions, and more can all help you get your home sold. While a seller’s willingness to work with someone may not make or break whether that buyer purchases the house, it can affect how a buyer feels. If that buyer is deciding between your house and another one, your openness and willingness to work with the buyer on all aspects of the transaction could make all the difference.
