You might think that listing your house is the only option when you decide it’s time to sell. However, more and more people are opting for a direct sale instead of hiring an agent. You have options when selling your Charleston house. Find out what listing your house is really costing you when selling in Charleston!
To be completely honest, not every house does well on the Multiple Listing Services (MLS). Some properties will require major expenditures and a ton of time and effort in order to sell. Some studies have shown, that is costs over $15,000 to sell your house with an agent! This depends on the value of your house and the agreement you have with your real estate agent. Before you choose to hire a Charleston agent, make sure you understand what it is really costing you to sell your house.
Commissions
Real Estate Agent commissions are typically around 6% of the final sale price. Sometimes this fee is worth it, but remember, this amount will be taken from your final sale price at the closing table. Just like that, you’ll be down a few thousand dollars. This may not seem like a lot, but these costs add up. Especially on a higher valued property.
Administrative and Marketing Costs
Many times, you will be faced with costs such as reimbursements for things like flyers, listing fees, and open house catering. Some agents may even advertise your property using Facebook or Google Ads. Every agent is different, some may pick up the tab for you. Before you sign a listing agreement, make sure you are aware of all it covers. Agents should hold up to their end of the deal as well.
Deep Cleaning
It’s highly recommended that you have your [market_ city] house professionally cleaned before putting it on the market. Especially if you house is dated, a deep clean will freshen it up. Clean old cabinets are much more appealing than dirty old cabinets. Don’t forget about taking care of the flooring in your house. People often forget about old carpets stains which can definitely turn off buyers. If you are not replacing the carpets, you will want those professionally cleaned as well.
Don’t forget, you will need to keep up with the cleaning while the home is listed. If you are not living in the house, you should be sure to keep cleaning supplies at the property. This cleaning kit could include items like glass cleaner, a broom and dustpan, and disinfectant wipes. You will be surprised how dirty a house can be come without anyone even living in it! Potential buyers often track in dirt and loose debris into your house. Consider purchasing a welcome mat for visitors to wipe their feet on before entering. There are often last minute showings and people looking to drop in to see the house so you will want to be prepared. It is a good idea to do a quick clean after every 1-2 showings.
Home Staging & Storage
Hopefully, many potential buyers will be coming to see your house. Usually, this can be arranged with your agent to occur when you are at work or away from the home during the day. With so many people in and out of the house, many sellers will opt to get a head start on packing by boxing up their personal items and putting them in storage until the house sells. By keeping only your necessities at the house, it won’t ever appear messy or cluttered.
You can also opt to have a professional come in and stage the house. Staging helps prospective buyers visualize how they would utilize the space. It can be tough for someone to imagine what to do with a completely empty room. Believe it or not, staging you home can actually make it appear bigger. Empty rooms tend to look smaller than furnished areas. This is especially true in bedrooms.
However, keep in mind that house staging can be pricey. It is important to consider if the high cost is worth it. Pay close attention to the stipulations of the contract. Is the staging company renting the furniture or do they own it? If the furnishings are rented, you may be charged very high fees if your house is staged for longer than expected. Your real estate agent can help you decide what to do.
Repairs And Upgrades
Depending on the condition of the house, these expenses could be small or end up setting you back thousands. As any homeowner knows, sometimes when you find one thing that needs repairing, it can lead to 10 more. And once your potential buyer has they home inspection done, they will likely want to negotiate repairs with you as well. You are under no obligation to make all of the repairs, however, if you want to sell the house, you might want to consider some negotiation.
If your house is way out of date compared to other properties on the market, you will want to refresh some things to make it current. You can have a big impact with small improvements such as new flooring, painting, and fixtures. As with the repairs, these costs can snowball too. There might be a few trips to home depot in your future!
Landscaping
Before listing, you might consider reseeding the lawn, planting some flowers along the driveway, or having your trees professionally trimmed. All of this adds to the curb appeal and overall appearance of the house. You’ll need to keep up with it while it is listed by regularly mowing, weeding and sweeping. If you are not living in the house, be sure to keep a lawn mower and other supplies at the house. You will be more motivated to keep up with the yard if your tools are already on site. Depending on your neighborhood and available time, you might hire a professional landscaping company to keep things in order each while the house is on the market.
Monthly Responsibilities
Like it or not, every day that you continue owning the property, it is costing you money. This is why flippers aim to sell as quickly as possible, they don’t want to hold on to the property longer than you have to. You will have to pay monthly utilities, taxes, insurance, likely a mortgage and costs for monthly maintenance. When you think of all the little things your house needs over time, the bills can add up pretty quick.
As you can see, the costs to sell a Charleston house using an agent can add up quickly. Some properties will cost more than other to prepare for the MLS. In order to save time and money, you can choose to sell your Charleston house to D Gilpin Properties. We will not require any repairs nor charge you any commissions. Before you call an agent, find out what we can do for you!
