6 Questions For A Realtor: How Do I Sell My Home?

I had a conversation with Mark Baughman of The Marks of Excellence Team with Re-Max Traditions about his tips for selling homes. He told me what works (spend your money spiffing up your kitchen and bathroom, people love those!) and what doesn't (Turn off HGTV. They make projects look deceptively simple, which could leave you with a half-completed project to explain to buyers come listing time.) Here are his thoughts on how his team has been putting homes under contract in less than 20 days:

Some mistakes home owners make when they're looking to sell are 
..."pricing their home too high and not making repairs recommended by their realtors."
The first two weeks a home is on the market are very important. This is the period where the most buyers flock to a home. If the house is deemed as over-priced during these initial inquiries, this high-traffic period of opportunity may be lost. If too much additional times passes, you may have to fight the uphill battle of buyers wondering what is wrong with the house that it has been on the market for so long.

In addition, repairs make a difference, so listen to your realtor's recommendations on what you need to do to ready your property for listing.  Mark says "Realtors aren't doing this because we like to make you spend money. We know what makes a house sell."

How do I price my home?
"Contact a realtor to do a market analysis. They should walk through your entire property to get a sense of your home," Mark says. After this, Mark says that they won't dispense any advice until they leave to look at comparables, which are other homes recently on the market with similar features.

What steps should I take to prepare my home to be listed?
"Call a realtor; they'll give you tips and light maintenance you should complete to increase the desirability of your home." After that, they should set up a professional photo shoot to put the polish on your new listing.

So what are some common repairs a realtor may suggest?
Mark recommends keeping an eye out for cosmetic issues such as peeling paint and other light maintenance. For specifics, a professional realtor should visit your home and supply you with a list of specific items to address.
Mark also advises checking out the age of big ticket items such as your roof, furnace, and hot water heater. If any of these are aging, it will come up in an inspection later on in the process, and it is best to be aware of these issues sooner rather than later.

The best time to sell a home is
..."April-August. The kids are in school, and most people don't want to uproot in the middle of a school year."

How long should I expect my house to be on the market?
"The average time in Northeast Ohio is currently 91 days. For a home that is priced right and in good shape, our team is selling homes in the 15-20 day time frame."

I hope the information shared has been helpful, but nothing can replace a one-on-one consultation with a qualified realtor. Mark recommends finding a full-time Trulia and Zillow Premiere Agent to complete a thorough analysis of your home and walk you through the legalities and nuances of the current market in your area. Mark also advises you to make sure that your real estate professional is experienced in selling homes in your area and uses professional photography. Happy home-selling!

Spotlight on Jill Silloway

I've always believed that you can get a great feel for a company by getting to know the leadership. After joining Redwood over a year ago in our Marketing Department, Redwood's rapid growth signaled all the possibilities that lay ahead; what better way to get the gist of an organization's future than to have a sit-down with a member of the team leading us today?

Chief Financial Officer Jill Silloway joined the Redwood team in September 2014 after developing a close relationship with the company through her background in banking. As a member of Redwood's Executive team, she shared her thoughts with me on leadership and success in a corporate environment:

We started off discussing the most valuable thing Jill has learned from being a part of the Redwood team, at which point Jill told me that "Our core values make us a better business." Focusing on the theme of collaboration, which is reflected in several of the core values, Jill addresses the importance of teamwork. For reference, Redwood's core values are:

• Do one thing really well
• Be entrepreneurial
• Serve those you lead
• Deliver more than expected
• Communicate openly & honestly
• Instill family & team spirit
• Demonstrate integrity & authenticity
• Be nice & have fun 

When it comes to Redwood's second and third core values, the question of leadership and how best to contribute in a leadership position is a frequent concern of any professional. Jill's response to the best way to become a leader is to "Take on the functions of the next position without waiting for a promotion; establish stretch goals. Stretch your comfort zone.", which makes a lot of sense: what better way to grow than to challenge yourself?

Recognizing that stretching is not always comfortable, Jill explains that "Flexibility is a big word to me. Hopefully you're surrounded with flexible people. Focus on the end goal and make sure you agree on that goal. Communication is key."

Lastly, some sound advice on serving those you lead: "Make sure that you coach your team. It's rewarding to see a person's skill set improve. When it does, I win, too!"

Do any of Redwood's core values speak to you? Let us know in the comments!

*Written by Sharae Richmond, Digital Marketing Associate for Redwood Living