One of the questions many people ask themselves when embarking on the adventure of leaving Seattle and moving to another country is what to do with their most valuable asset: their home. Generally, there are two options— to rent or to sell. It can vary from person to person depending on many circumstances: finances, property location, your emotional attachment to the house, tax obligations, etc. So, when selling your Seattle home when moving abroad, have in mind these things:
Choose an agent
As soon as you start thinking about selling your Seattle home, it is recommended to find an agent. Your agent can be beneficial: he can come and look at your home and suggest what you may need to tackle before selling. Of course, there are so many agents to choose from, but it is essential to be picky and choose a good one that serves your interest! Interview several agents before you find a good one.
You want an agent doing real estate full-time who knows your neighborhood well. His experience is essential: how many houses he has sold, what his promotional materials look like, how much he charges. It is crucial to talk about the team, the working style, the listing agreement, past examples, and what sets him apart from the other agents! You need an agent that will go the distance for you.
When to sell?
Thinking about selling a house might be very stressful, and it is essential to consider so many things. One of them is when is the best time to do it? Usually, people sell their homes mostly during the height of the season, starting with April, May, and June. Why? Families with children generally look to transition at the end of the school year, but single families are during spring. The best time would be before this rush. It could benefit you because there would be fewer houses to sell on the market, so there are more chances for you to sell well with less competition.
However, a home will sell anytime, and lovely homes will always attract interested people to buy regardless of the time of the year. At the same time, you will not start thinking about selling your Seattle home and list it over the holiday season, right? Only if you need to leave it then; otherwise, people are too busy with Christmas or Thanksgiving. The best time to sell your home is the moment that works best for you, depending on your needs, like moving abroad for whatever reason you might have.
Prepare you home
Get in touch with your real estate agent as soon as possible because, now that you have decided to move abroad and your objective is selling your Seattle home, you are in a seller’s market now, so getting your property ready to sell might not need so much preparation. The agent will help you prioritize things before starting to do the work.
It is recommended to get your house and your windows cleaned, get your yard tidied, and try to re-paint the interior as well. You should not remodel the entire house or have major infrastructure repairs.
Also, when you think about moving abroad, apart from prepping the house for selling, you need to declutter and search for help for the stuff that you’ll take with you to your new place. Experts from Professional Movers Canada advise hiring help with moving and storage. Professional movers can make it simple and minimalist. It will save you a lot of stress and trouble.
Set the right price
Easier said than done, but pricing might not be the most straightforward task. Mostly, home pricing is an art. How do agents help you determine the market price for your house? They will look for similar houses in the same neighborhood and use their experience to find a reasonable price. It’s no easy task! It is so important not to underprice or overprice it either. If you start with a low price because you hope to attract many buyers, it might not be the case. It can look strange, or if you succeed in drawing, you will lose money because you have not set the right price.
Overpricing is not a good idea, even if you believe your house is worth more than your agent recommends. Usually, a home gets more attention in the first week, so being too expensive, people will not be interested. And if you lower the price after, it will not get more interest either. The best way is to price it at the market, usually on the agent’s advice.
Market your home
It is highly recommended to at least stage your home lightly. A staging professional can walk through your home and determine how to make your place look fabulous for selling. Then it is essential to think about taking pictures of it. Professional photographers are a must-have because they can make a huge difference! That ensures your home looks its best on the Internet and in print. Also, a professional video or a 3D home tour can positively impact and attract more buyers!
Marketing materials, such as flyers, brochures, yard signs, and home books, are also excellent. Choose an agent that will go above and beyond and produce many marketing materials for you. Then get the word out online (specialized databases or even Craigslist!) and prepare for open house tours from the first week your place was listed!
At the same time, if you are moving to the Greater Toronto Area from the US, you must also find a place to live and move to. So, it is good to benefit from professionals’ help in any aspect possible. Selling your Seattle home when moving abroad has never been easier!
Selling your Seattle home can be easier than you think
So, when considering selling your Seattle home when moving abroad, try to prepare well, and you will avoid many mistakes that people make from lack of research and preparation. Also, coordinate the purchasing or the renting of a new home and the moving of your stuff. Not an easy thing, but with professional help, it may go very smoothly and quickly. Good luck with your new exciting life abroad! Meta Description: Are you thinking of moving abroad? Then there are a few ideas on what to do when selling your Seattle home to move abroad.