If you’re one of the lucky Americans to be happy where you live right now, then consider yourself blessed (seriously!). But if your eyes are going blurry from looking at Zillow.com nonstop, or you haven’t even seriously started looking for a new home yet because you’ve heard how competitive it is out there — then I’m here to reassure you, we can get through this together! It’s important to have a game plan and be prepared, so let’s get started, shall we?

According to Realtor.com, the average list price of homes has gone up this month by 9.4% compared to last year, and mortgage rates remain at all-time lows at around 2.88%. So it’s no surprise if you’re eager to leap to a new place!

These questions are a great starting point for anyone curious about where to start when it comes to putting your home up for sale:

1. What is your availability and when will your real estate agent be able to enter the home for a showing? If you have a job, kids, or any obligations that could prevent your home from being open for a showing then list those out NOW! Before you hire an agent, plot out your schedule so that you never have to waste time coordinating availability for showings in the future. This is one of those things that may seem super simple, but way too often I see this interfere with selling homes. The more prepared you are, the faster your home will sell.

2. Selling your home ASAP means you need to work with the right person. Like I always say: Who you work with matters! How do they market and build hype around homes? Does the realtor your considering use social media? Are they well-connected? Do they have a multi-faceted marketing strategy? All of these questions are interconnected and super important. You can easily google yourself or point-blank ask the agent and see how they pitch themselves.

   I personally use a multifaceted plan that’s unique for every seller. I’m proud to say that I am a social media expert and use a mix of traditional and digital tactics when selling a home.

3. Should you use a real estate agent? I’m obviously biased and this was a trick question because the answer is 1000%, YES! Even as a realtor myself, I would never sell my own home. Being a realtor is way more than just putting a sign in the ground. A good realtor is an expert negotiator. It’s important to have a professional with an outside opinion do the negotiating for you so that money and emotions don’t get in the way of you sealing the deal.

   If you’re concerned about losing money by hiring a professional then my suggestion would be to raise your price 3% to cover the cost. It’s so important to trust the agent you pick, which is why you should do your research and ask them Qs ahead of time to see if it will be a good match.

Real estate is all about relationships and I’m an open book! Let’s chat if you’re still looking for an agent or want to know what your home is worth. xoxo - Erica