When Should You Contact a Realtor About Selling Your House?

If you’re selling your home for the first time, you probably have a lot of questions about the overall process of doing so. Some that might have come on your radar might include questions like where do I start? How much is my home worth? What steps do I need to take to get started? A lot of these questions could be answered by a real estate agent. Agents are the professionals who are going to help you during every step of the process and are going to be your best option for selling a house the right way. If you’re now wondering “well, now when should I hire a Realtor?” We have a few ways to determine when.

You Are Buying and Selling at the Same Time

If you’re someone who needs to both buy a house and sell a house at the same time, we suggest you look into contacting a real estate agent on the earlier side of around 12-weeks prior to your start date. Because of all of the steps that will need to go into both buying and selling, it’s best to contact the professionals right away. Usually, people will hire a separate buying agent and selling agent. However, some agents and brokers will offer to do both at the same time. Familiarize yourself with the regulations in your area and communicate your needs and goals to the agents who you interview. 

Your Home Requires Maintenance and Repairs

If your home is in need of some updates before you can list it on the market, then you have some wiggle room before you list your home on the market. Sometimes, these repairs can take a few weeks to complete, especially if they’re a little bit more extensive. Contact an agent 6-8 weeks before you plan on selling your home. This will give you some time to finish all of the necessary updates and repairs before making any big selling moves. 

You Are in a Time Crunch

Some people need to sell their home as quickly as possible. Whether it be to move for a job or because they inherited a house that they don't want to keep up with, some sellers need professional help fast. If you fall into the category of wanting to start and end the selling process ASAP, then consider contacting a real estate agent 1-4 weeks prior to selling your home. They’ll be able to provide expert advice and guidance off the bat and help you to sell your home quickly.

You Have the Time to Put Towards Selling

While some people might be in a rush to sell, others are willing to take their time. Usually, this is because people want to sell their homes for a high price but oftentimes people are willing to take things slow. If this sounds like you, contact an agent around 12 or more weeks before you plan on selling. Meeting with someone right away will give you a lot more flexibility and options during the process. You can move through the motions of inspections, marketing, staging, and negotiating with potential buyers.

This Is Your First Time Selling

If you’ve never sold a house before, you’re likely going to have a lot of questions regarding where to start. Selling a house can be an overwhelming process, and having an expert on hand to answer questions and provide help will help ease a lot of the anxiety that comes alongside selling a house! Contact a real estate agent 12 or more weeks before you plan on getting started.

Depending on your situation, the time when you should contact a Realtor will vary. Some people are in a rush, while others have some extra time to spend on working through the steps. Additionally, people’s experience levels and the amount of work they need to put into making updates will also affect when they should contact an agent. Determine your goals and situation and make a decision based on that!

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