You—yes, you — will play a major role in selling your home and pricing it accurately and realistically. You probably now realize that there is no calculable certainty in setting the value of a home. The amount can vary widely from the market value to the appraisal value to the assessed value — and eventual sales price. Also, the current market conditions will affect pricing strategy (seller’s market vs. buyer’s market vs. neutral [balanced] market). So where do you come into play? The partnership relationship between the seller and the agent will factor in in a major way when pricing a home and getting the desired results. The keyword is “partnership.” Even the very best real estate agent’s efforts can be derailed when the seller doesn’t cooperate. For example, the agent can market the property professionally and bring in several qualified buyers, but then the deal is blown because the seller didn’t uphold their end of the bargain (didn’t clean out the garage, didn’t add a fresh coat of paint, forgot to remove the pets, etc.). It’s not all up to the agent you hire. It’s also up to you. In fact, the seller’s time, effort, and investment are the most important components of the home-selling process, and this cannot be overstated. You should be willing to do what it takes to showcase your home in pristine condition in order to get it sold in good time, at a great price. If you can’t do it yourself, then find some help. Of course, you should be working with a real estate agent throughout the entire downsizing process; they can often recommend people who can help you with all the tasks you need to do to get your home in show-ready condition. You might also have friends and family members who can help.
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