Buying or selling a home can be one of the most stressful things you can do, especially if it's your first time on the market. Anxiety, sadness, restlessness, and stress are the most common emotions you might feel during the transaction process. However, the experience of buying or selling a property does not have to be a hard time.
Whether it is logistical challenges, emotional overload, or inexperience, we have prepared a guide for you so that the purchase or sale of your property is as smooth as a walk in the park. So, if you’re looking at Columbus, Indiana, houses for sale or other gorgeous properties in the area, read on for a cheatsheet to make the process go without a hitch.
1. Set your goals
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Before starting the process of buying or selling your property, establish your primary goals. Define what you want, whether it’s a luxury condominium, a single-family home, a resort property, or a vacation home. Setting your goals will help you make better decisions aimed at achieving that goal.
Although real estate agents are experts, they cannot read your mind. If you want to speed up the process and make sure you transmit all your requests to them, consider the essential aspects that the property must meet: the number of rooms, location, square footage, neighborhood, and more.
Keep this in mind before meeting with your real estate agent and convey your ideas to them. The best agents have a lot of knowledge and experience, so they can help you make a decision.
2. Contact an agent at least 45 days before listing
Efficient planning is the key to success. This motto applies to everything, especially in real estate. Once you have decided to sell your property, you want the help of an expert agent. They can help you with the legal process and ensure your property has enough exposure for buyers to see it. Take the time to understand the details before listing the property.
Contacting the agent at least 45 days in advance gives you a margin of time to work on the repairs you need or if you want to make any improvements to add value to your property. If you want to avoid stress, forget about wanting to sell your property within a week. The recommended time is 45 days or more to fine-tune every last detail before the sale.
3. Get a home inspection
One of the worst mistakes you can make when buying a home is failure to perform a home inspection before paying for it. This holds true whether you’re looking at single-family homes for sale in Columbus, Indiana, condominiums, or spacious estates with tons of acreage. No matter what, you’ll want to be sure that the property is in excellent condition without the threat of any major future repairs.
The fear of being scammed and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a property that is falling apart is reason enough to feel stressed. The best way to avoid this type of scam is to invest in a home inspection, which is only about $500, but the peace of mind that a qualified inspector gives you is priceless. Home inspectors are experts at finding even the slightest flaws in the property. During their inspection, they take note of every detail in the home, from cracked walls to leaky pipes, and then the inspector prepares a written report detailing the results.
Investing in a home inspection can save you a lot of money on future repairs or even save you from purchasing a property riddled with damage and flaws that will cost you time and money to fix in the future.
4. Take advantage of technology
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If the time of the pandemic left us with something good, it was the multiple technological innovations that became a trend during this period. For example, virtual visits became essential due to health precautions and social distancing rules, and sellers and real estate agents gave a new meaning to virtual visits. Although these have existed in the past, they were only limited to a few minutes of video calls and many photos conveniently taken from the property's best angles.
However, due to the need for better conditions for virtual visits, several software applications were developed, and improvements to existing ones were implemented to provide a better experience for the client interested in buying the property. This opened the door to multiple possibilities. Now, sellers are not limited to offering their properties only to buyers from the same area or even the same state. Today, thanks to the advancement of technology, it is possible to schedule virtual visits with buyers from abroad without all the stress of having to vacate the home to show the property.
5. Hire the services of a professional
Whether you're buying or selling a home, nothing will cause you more stress than doing a bunch of new things by yourself that you're not ready for. Hiring the services of a real estate agent will not only simplify the process but will also provide the peace of mind of knowing that the purchase or sale of your home is in good hands.
Agents prepare and train for years to deal with these situations, and they can be of great help to you in achieving the goals you have set for yourself. They have knowledge and contacts and are ready to use them in your favor to provide you with quality service.
However, it is not about hiring the first real estate agent you come across. You have to analyze and evaluate different options before choosing the professional with whom you will work to sell or buy a home. A poor choice of agent can be the difference between meeting your goals or becoming frustrated by missed opportunities.
Thankfully, the Nolting Team is here to make the process easy, whether you’re looking at Columbus, Indiana, real estate, homes for sale in Batesville, Indiana, or Seymour, Indiana, real estate. This is a group of expert agents with extensive knowledge of these wonderful communities. With excellent customer service and a drive to succeed, you’ll find your new home (or sell it!) in no time.
*Header photo courtesy of the Nolting Team
