Sellers FAQ

Seller's Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use a real estate agent?

There is a reason nearly 90% of sellers use a listing agent. Selling a home takes time, knowledge of the local market and negotiating skills. A real estate agent is more than just a sales person. A real estate agent may act on your behalf, providing you with advice and guidance when buying or selling a home. There are times when you need the most current information about what has sold or is for sale, and the only way to get that is with a real estate agent.

When is the best time to sell my home?

There really isn’t a “bad” time to sell your home and timing is greatly dependent on the local market and your personal reasons for selling. You can also take into consideration factors such as local school schedules – most buyers with children will want to move prior to the school year starting if possible. An experienced listing agent will work with you to determine the best time to list your home within the local market to meet your required needs.

How much is my home worth?

Cannot be answered with a generalized answer. The most common method to determining the value of a home is by completing a comparative market analysis. A Comparative market analysis is an in-depth evaluation of recently sold “comparable” homes. A comparative market analysis, also known as a “CMA,” isn’t a crystal ball that determines what a home will sell for, however, if performed by a top Realtor, it should greatly narrow the sale price range. A professionally completed “CMA” will take into account many features of not only a home, but also the local area and neighborhood.

What Should I Do to Prepare My Home for Sale?

Ensuring that your home is ready to sell is a crucial step to ensure that you successfully sell your home. Prior to listing your home:

  1. Clean and then clean some more – your home needs to be in show ready at all times. A dirty home will cloud a potential buyer’s opinion and likely result in a lost sale.
  2. Eliminate smells – strong smells (both good and bad) can be a real turn off to potential buyers.
  3. Clear out the clutter – you want buyers to focus on how great the space is, not how messy it is.  Keep the decor simple – unique decorations, furniture and art can distract a buyer from being able to visualize themselves in the home.
  4. Let there be light – open up all of the windows to let in natural light and consider adding floor or table lamps in areas that are darker. A bright room looks bigger and more inviting.
  5. Get rid of bulky furniture – the bigger the furniture, the smaller the room looks.
  6. Organize your closets – storage space is a huge selling point and a messy closet can detract from what very well may be incredible storage space.
  7. Take care of the little stuff – if there is a list of little things you’ve been meaning to do, do it now. Fix the leaky faucet or paint over the scuffs from when you first moved in your furniture. It’s the little things that buyers have a tendency to notice the most.
  8. Dress up the curb – the exterior of your home is the first thing that buyers will see and first impressions are everything in real estate. Trim your shrubs, weed your flower beds, fix any peeling paint, clean the siding and make your home look inviting.

How Does the Due Diligence Period Work?

North Carolina is a due diligence state, meaning that the buyer has the right to walk away from a contract during the due diligence period without losing their earnest money. However, the buyer generally pays a non-refundable due diligence fee in exchange for this. The due diligence period is a mutually agreed upon time period in which the buyer does all of their inspections, surveys, appraisals, etc. The seller is obligated to make their home available for the inspections. A repair request would be submitted to the seller after the inspection, which can then be negotiated. After the due diligence period ends, the buyer’s earnest money is non-refundable.

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