Draft a Winning Team to Sell Your House

Sometimes in order to sell a house you have to act like you’re trying to win the Super Bowl: you have to have the right team.

To get the most for your biggest investment, you’ll want to draw buyers away from the new development down the street and that cute little fixer-upper around the corner. And that means you may need some special expertise.

“When the market is exuberant, you may be fortunate enough to do a good job selling your house without a team,” says Ron Phipps, a broker with Phipps Realty and Relocation Services n Warwick, Rhode Island. “In a normal market or a buyer’s market, a team isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.”

Unless you’re selling the house yourself, start by selecting an agent. The agent will essentially be your selling team’s quarterback and he or she can advise you on the pros you need, offer referrals and give you an estimate of just how much money you need to spend versus how much you’ll get back at the closing table.

The smart move? Audition at least three agents, from three different firms, says Phipps.

What you want to know is what they think your house is worth and how they plan to market it, he says.Hold off sharing personal information and financial details. You need to first understand how each agent would price the house (and why) and exactly what each would do to market it effectively.

Here are some other critical issues to consider before you hire an agent:

How creative is the agent with marketing?
Does the agent understand Internet marketing? (Eighty-five percent of buyers start there, says Phipps.)
How sharp are the person’s negotiating skills?
How will the agent position the property for maximum exposure?
How much has the agent sold this year? What is his or her performance record?
What price range does the agent normally represent?
How do the agent’s list prices compare to actual sales prices?
What you want is a successful agent who understands your neighborhood and has a good track record with homes of similar value to yours. You want an agent with whom you can build a relationship of trust, says Phipps, so go with your gut.

Your agent’s assessment and marketing plan will likely determine the other members of your team:

A home inspector: Get a prelisting inspection. The home inspector will give you a heads-up if there are any problems that need to be addressed. With this information in hand, you can decide whether to fix the problem or discount your home accordingly. Having a home inspection is a good preemptive move that can keep negotiations from falling apart after a serious offer. The price for an inspection generally runs between $300 and $500, although it could cost more if you have a large home.

You can get a referral from friends, neighbors or your agent, or use the professional who inspected your home before you bought it. Look for an inspector who is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI.org), a national organization that provides ongoing education and a code of ethics. (The site also includes a rundown of requirements for inspectors in each state and contact information for the state bodies that oversee inspectors.)

If your state licenses home inspectors, be sure to go online to the agency that regulates them to make sure the one you choose has a valid license to do business. Phipps adds that you should avoid inspectors who are also contractors.

A cleaning crew: This is a must if you’re a smoker or you have animals. And it’s not a bad idea if you have a busy family life, either.

Phipps says that one of his recent clients had a beautiful home that was also very messy. But the residents were so accustomed to it that they didn’t notice it anymore. So he hired a team of cleaning pros (for about $250), held an open house—and got an offer that day.

Want to take it a step further? You can hire a professional organizer to come in and declutter your home or a designer or stager to make it look more appealing to buyers. (A good real estate agent should be able to recommend pros in your area.)

A contractor or building professional: Depending on the home, you might also need a contractor to fix major or minor problems. Ask for referrals from your agent or from friends who’ve had recent work done. When you talk to the contractor, make sure he or she is licensed, bonded and insured. Get several references—and call all of them. (Basically, you want to verify that the work was first-rate and completed on time and on budget, and there weren’t any problems.)

“No team can make it to the Super Bowl without collaborating brilliantly,” says Phipps. “Effective home sales are very similar. If you want a great outcome, not an okay outcome, engage the support of a team.”


Discover EDGE contributor Dana Dratch is a freelance writer from Atlanta, GA.