Selling a Home in Nichols Hills

If you’re considering making moves on the Nichols Hills real estate scene, you might be wondering how to best position your property to receive the highest offers and sell without all the stress. Thankfully, there are numerous steps you can take to ensure that your home-selling experience is as stress-free and successful as possible. Read on for expert guidance from the Jennifer Kragh Group.

When the time comes to sell your home in this affluent Oklahoma City suburb, one of the first tasks is to determine its fair market value so that you can come up with a list price. You might have an idea of what you’d like to sell the home for, but the talented real estate agent you hire will use their extensive experience in the market to help you set a competitive and accurate price. One of the major tools at your agent’s disposal is a comparative market analysis (CMA), which compares your home with similar homes that have sold in the last six months or so.

 

Having this comparison will allow you to set the price right to begin with, rather than setting it too high or too low and having to adjust it down the line.

The first step in selling a home in Nichols Hills is to hire a real estate agent who knows the ins and outs of this residential neighborhood of luxury homes. Research several agents and narrow down the list of candidates to about three or four. Sit down with each one and ask a number of questions, including how they plan to market your home and go over their recent track record of success. You should be able to tell from their answers whether they will put your best interests first or if they view you as just another client. Go with the agent you feel is trustworthy and communicates well.

Remodeling the kitchen, adding new smart appliances, freshening up the bathrooms, and adding a deck are the projects that bring in the most return on investment. Your agent will be well-versed in the features that local buyers expect to see during their house hunts, and they can advise you on which upgrades will be most beneficial.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the best time to sell your home is usually during the peak selling months of May, June, July, and August. In the fall and winter, the real estate scene slows down considerably, with January being the slowest month for home sales and buyer activity. Of course, if you must sell your property during these months, your agent will be by your side. They will be ready with a solid selling strategy that is sure to get results, no matter the season.

Before selling a home in Nichols Hills, it’s important to declutter and depersonalize your home, make any cosmetic repairs, give the interior a fresh coat of paint, rearrange the furniture to show off the floor plan, and give it a deep cleaning. You want your home to sparkle inside and out. That will set the stage for a professional photographer to take high-quality images of every room for a sharp online listing. Hiring a professional photographer is a great idea, as they know all the correct tricks for taking compelling photographs of large interior spaces.

Your agent will list your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is a way for brokers to share information about houses for sale. The MLS allows brokers to connect sellers with buyers, which is an excellent way to get your home seen by the most viewers.

Once you’ve thoroughly prepared your home and are ready to list it, you’ll also want to schedule an open house in order to attract as many potential buyers as possible in a short amount of time. Most sellers schedule open houses over consecutive weekends in order to attract the most foot traffic. A successful open house can lead to receiving offers on the spot. In addition, a number of interested buyers will schedule follow-up private showings. Your agent will organize and coordinate open houses on your behalf.

Many sellers wonder if accepting a cash or traditional offer is a better choice. If a buyer is paying with cash, it will shorten the closing process because it eliminates the need for the buyer to obtain a mortgage. Otherwise, expect a traditional sale where the buyer finances the purchase via a bank loan.

The appraisal process occurs after a buyer has made an offer and before a mortgage is issued. The home lender orders the appraisal to determine whether the contract price is appropriate, given the home's condition and features.

It’s important to be financially prepared to pay closing costs, which will be a percentage of the sales price. These costs include title service fees, title insurance, transfer tax, recording fees, buyer incentives, and the real estate agent’s commission.

Some simple ways to expedite selling a home in Nichols Hills are to price it competitively and respond quickly to requests for private showings, especially offers. Other ways to facilitate a faster sale are to offer to pick up the buyer’s closing costs or offer to buy a home warranty. Your agent will expertly negotiate with the buyer’s agent so that both parties are comfortable with moving forward in the transaction.

Yes. According to the 2021 Profile of Home Staging, 23% of sellers’ agents reported that staged homes see an increase in offers from buyers compared to unstaged homes.

While for-sale-by-owner is an option, teaming up with a pro will be a major asset to your sale. Your real estate professional has been handling transactions for several years and is an expert at aggressively marketing your home to the right buyers using the latest techniques and then negotiating for top dollar. Plus, an agent is well-versed in handling the many documents and disclosures during the closing process. An inexperienced seller can make serious mistakes that will cost them money.

When you’re ready to begin selling your home on the Nichols Hills real estate scene, reach out to the Jennifer Kragh Group to get results. These Oklahoma City experts are ready to help you achieve all your goals. Reach out today!

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