There is a lot that goes into listing and selling a home. No reason to be overwhelmed.
You have decided to save the 6% listing fee and take on the selling of your home yourself. Good news is, you don’t have to go at it 100% on your own. There are professionals out there beyond a good real estate agent that can make the listing/selling of your home smoother and less stressful that won’t cost you 6% of your sales price.
Accurate property data, a good listing price, and market exposure are the makings of a great listing. A real estate appraiser can help you out with 2 out of the 3.
Accurate property data – if you read my previous blog on sq.ft., you know that your local appraisal district is not the best source for the sq.ft. of your home. When you hire a real estate appraiser, the appraiser will come out to your property and measure, giving you confidence the sq.ft. you are advertising is accurate. An appraiser can also help you with understanding how appraisers count bedrooms, additions and converted garages. Chances are, your buyer will be using a lender, so being on top of this from the start is a good way to not be surprised before closing.
A good starting list price – this is the main objective of an appraisal. A good appraiser will compare your property to the most comparable sales in the market, selecting the best sales and listings for comparison, and give you an opinion of value to help you determine what price to start your listing at.
If you are thinking about listing your property “by owner”, consider hiring an appraiser to help get your listing started on the right foot.
Eric Geiser is a Certified Real Estate Appraiser with over 18 years of experience in the Lubbock Market. He holds an SRA designation through the appraisal institute and a HMS certification (home measuring specialist). Give Eric a call today at 806-470-2272 to discuss what options are available for you.
