Selling a home in Tarrytown can bring a roller coaster of emotions. While you are probably excited about the idea of starting a new chapter in your life, you are also saying goodbye to your current home. The process of listing your home can be easier with a little help. From hiring an agent to netting the highest profit possible, here’s everything you need to know about selling your Tarrytown home.
Determining Your Home’s Value
Many factors can determine a home’s value, including the neighborhood, school district, local amenities, proximity to busy roads, etc. One of the best ways to assess your Tarrytown home’s value is to look at neighborhood comparisons. Study the most recent comparable homes in your neighborhood that have sold. They should be similar in age, home style, lot size, etcetera, and have sold within the last three to six months. By figuring out how much they sold for, you’ll get an idea of the fair market value for your home.
Interviewing Real Estate Agents
Hiring the right real estate agent can either make or break your home sale. When searching for the right realtor, don’t be afraid to ask questions about their experience, marketing tactics, and listing process. The right agent will be happy to answer your questions. You should ideally work with an agent with industry expertise, experience with your local market, and clear communication skills.
Upgrades to Improve Your Home Value
When selling your home, you want to make upgrades that will net the highest ROI (return on investment) during the sale. Home upgrades with the highest ROI include:
- Enhancing your curb appeal
- Remodeling your kitchen
- Refinishing your hardwood floors
- Upgrading your lighting
Good and Bad Times to Sell
While Austin’s climate doesn’t impact home sales the way it does in northern cities, there are still times that are better for listing Tarrytown homes for sale. The best times to sell are between April and August, while the worst times to sell are October to December due to the holiday season.
Staging Your Home and Taking Photos
To best showcase your listing, your agent will recommend hiring a professional photographer and a professional home stager to highlight the best features of every room. Professional photography and home staging are essential to selling a luxury listing.
Selling Your Home
Listing on the MLS
When you work with a realtor, they will list your home on the MLS, which is a multiple listing service. The MLS is one of the most powerful marketing networks in real estate since every realtor has access to your listing’s information.
Open House & Virtual Tours
Buyers looking at listings want to familiarize themselves with the property as much as possible before submitting an offer. Open houses and virtual tours are excellent, low-pressure ways for buyers to see your listing before scheduling a private showing.
Cash vs. Traditional
When presented with an offer, choosing a cash or traditional offer comes down to personal preference. Cash transactions typically close faster, ranging from seven to ten days, while traditional transactions close 30-60 days, on average.
Appraisal
Your home appraisal is the ultimate determining factor of your home’s fair market value. Appraisal contingencies are one of the most common sales contingencies of any sales contract when the homebuyer is working with a lender.
Escrow
An escrow is an arrangement where a third party temporarily holds money or property until all contingencies are met. The purpose of an escrow is to protect all parties through the home-buying process.
Closing Costs
Closing costs are the processing fees owed to the lender at the time of closing. This is typically 3%-6% of the down payment amount. Buyers and sellers both typically pay closing costs, but sometimes buyers will request the sellers pay their share of the closing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Selling Your Tarrytown Home
How Long Does it Take to Sell Your Home in Tarrytown?
As of January 2023, the average days on market for a luxury Tarrytown home is 79 days.
How Can I Sell My Tarrytown House Faster?
If you are working with an experienced Tarrytown agent, they will recommend specific strategies to sell your home faster, including professional staging, photography, etc. But the fastest way to get your home sold is to ensure it’s priced at or slightly below fair market value.
How Can I Get the Most Money for Selling My Tarrytown Home?
When you need to sell your home fast and for the highest profit possible, an experienced realtor is one of your greatest assets. To sell your home for a higher yield, your agent will recommend tried-and-true strategies to get your home sold fast, including selling your house at fair market value, staging your home, taking professional photos and videos of your home, improving curb appeal and keeping your home tidy. By following these steps, you will sell your home for top dollar.
Is Staging My Home Worth It?
If you want to sell a luxury home in Tarrytown, staging your home is one of the fastest ways to accomplish this. On average, professional staging helps a home sell three to 30 times faster than a non-staged home. It can also increase your selling price by up to 20%.
Can I Sell My Tarrytown Home Without a Realtor?
Selling your home without an agent is technically possible. However, it puts all of the responsibility on your shoulders and opens the door for potential legal issues. Those who are considering selling a home without an agent are often trying to save money by not paying an agent. However, research shows that sellers often net a higher profit even after paying a professional real estate agent because the agent is able to sell the home for a higher price. On average, the median sales price listing with an agent is $60,000-$90,000 higher than selling through for sale by the owner.
What If My Home Isn’t Paid Off Yet?
If you have a mortgage on your home at the time of selling, there is nothing to prevent you from selling your home in Tarrytown. If you still owe payment to your mortgage at the time of closing, the title company will take the proceeds from the sale to pay off the remainder of your mortgage. If there is anything left after paying the mortgage, you will also be paid at closing.
What If I Have a Tax Lien to Satisfy?
If the city or county has filed a tax lien against your property, selling your property can be a way for you to pay off your delinquent property taxes and get out of debt. That said, how successful this is will depend on whether or not you earn enough of a profit from your home sale to pay off your remaining mortgage and property lien. For questions on paying your property taxes, consult a real estate attorney or the Travis County tax office.
What Do I Do If My Home Listing Expires?
If your listing expires, you can either choose to renew your listing with the same agent or choose another agent. If you decide not to work with the same agent, your agent will remove the listing from the MLS, and you are free to work with another agent.
Are you considering listing your home? Are you searching for luxury homes for sale in Tarrytown? Let Eric Copper be your real estate guide. With over 17 years of experience as one of Austin’s industry leaders, Eric will help you navigate the Tarrytown real estate market. Contact Eric today to get started.
*Header photo courtesy of Eric Copper
