A Guide to Selling A Home in Tampa Bay

Steps to Selling A Home Fast and for Top Dollar

In our guide, created by real estate experts, you’ll learn how to maximize your investment and sell a home fast and for top dollar all while reducing your stress by putting you in the driver’s seat.

The best part? You’ll learn how to sell a house fast and receive our guide free of charge, with no-obligation.

Why Are You Selling A Home in the Tampa Bay Area

Selling a home can be emotional and stressful.

Knowing why you are selling a home empowers you to make a good decision. It also determines which selling strategy you use. Further, the reason why you want to sell a house will heavily influence the amount of time, money and energy you are willing to put into selling a home.

Steps to selling a home fast in Tampa Bay, Florida for top dollar can be found in our report.

Why Do You Want to Sell A Home Fast?

There are as many reasons to sell a home fast as there are to sell your home in the first place. Some of the most common reasons are:

• • Employment changes
  • The family needs more space in a bigger house
  • Downsizing
  • To reduce your mortgage payment
  • You have submitted an offer for a home
  • Location
  • Proximity to family or medical facilities
  • Divorce

Once you know why you are selling your home it’s important not to divulge that information to anyone, including potential buyers. Even if you think your reason may not influence a buyer’s decision, it can, and oftentimes will.

How Do You Answer “Why Are You Selling Your House in Tampa Bay?”

Regardless of which above reason fits your situation, the reason why you are selling a home will affect the way you go about selling it.

If, for example, a buyer knows that you are in a rush to sell a home fast, it’s more likely that they will play hardball with their offer.

So how do you answer, “why are you selling your home?” The best way to handle this question is to say that your housing needs have changed and leave it at that. Simple, yet it stops you from being held at a disadvantage during negotiations.

If you do answer with one of the above reasons, you run the risk of your reasoning backfiring and scaring off the buyers. Read below for detailed reasons why you should keep the reason you are selling your house to yourself in order to sell fast and for top dollar.

Employment Changes

Though it may seem harmless, telling a buyer that you are relocating because of employment will make them think you are desperate to sell your home and lead to a lowball offer. Or, they may think that there aren’t enough job opportunities close to home so an aversion to commuting may make them think twice about submitting an offer.

The Family Needs Space in a Bigger Home

There are any number of reasons why your home has become too small. Regardless, your reasons for needing a bigger home don’t mean that the home is too small for the buyer – but that is exactly what they will think.

If you’re looking to move to a bigger home, we created a special report about our Moving Up Guarantee.

Downsizing and Selling a Home

In contrast, you may have the opposite reason to sell a home in Tampa Bay – due to life changes, your house is now too large. These life changes can range from becoming an empty nester or going through a divorce.  Our two free reports guide you through selling a home as an empty nester or things to think about when selling a home during or after a divorce.

However, if you tell potential buyers that you are downsizing they may begin to question whether the house is too big for them or has too much upkeep to maintain.

Selling a Home to Reduce Your Mortgage Payment

You may want to sell a home fast in order to reduce your mortgage payment. But, if your listing price is too close to what you originally paid for your home, without knowing what your home is worth through a home evaluation, they may think that your home is overpriced. Mortgage interest rates are rising and even though this may be your reason to sell your home, it does not need to be disclosed to the homebuyer or buyer’s agent.  We will maximize the sale of your home so you receive top dollar based on a comparative market analysis – in order to potentially offset any rising rates you are encountering.

You Are Waiting on an Offer For Another Tampa Bay Home

Waiting to hear back from an offer for another Tampa Bay home can be exciting, but to potential buyers it’s a red flag that you are desperate to sell. Buyers will take advantage of your perceived desperation by submitting a lowball offer.

The best way around this is to participate in our Guaranteed Home Sale Program.

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors has guarantees in place to ensure you are not stuck with two mortgages!

Selling a Home Due to Location

If you tell potential buyers that you are selling your home because you want to move to a new Florida neighborhood, the buyer automatically wonders what is wrong with the neighborhood you are currently in. The implication that the neighborhood is poor or doesn’t have the features that make it attractive to homeowners will affect the amount of the bid – and whether they put in a bid at all.

Proximity to Family or Medical Facilities

In the age of Covid-19, reasons relating to health or medical facilities can raise flags. Regardless of the reason for your medical condition, some buyers will automatically think of Covid-19 and be scared that you got sick in your home or are contagious. Keep your private medical information private.

Additionally, if buyers know your medical condition or that you want to sell your home because you want to move closer to medical facilities, the buyer may lower the initial offer.

Guide to Selling a Home Fast in the Tampa Bay Area

It’s important to do your research before setting a price to sell a home. Knowing your maximum helps to ensure that you will get an amount as close to your asking price as possible without scaring off potential buyers.

For example, if you set your price much higher than comparable homes in Tampa Bay, some buyers won’t even bother looking at your home because they can get a similar home in the same area for a much lower price. Conversely, if you list your home too low, buyers may assume that there is something wrong with the house and again, not bother with a closer look.

Pricing a home can be tricky. Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors offers  Seller Satisfaction Guarantees help protect you in a variety of seller situations. Sell your home guaranteed with Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors.

How to Set A Listing Price Based on Your Tampa Bay Location

There are many factors that can influence whether you sell a home fast and for the highest price.

Below we break down each living situation and how it affects the price of your home when you want your home priced to sell. Knowing what your home is worth by getting a home evaluation and by looking at homes for sale near me or comps in your area that sold will help you get the best price according to your location.

You Live in an Tampa Bay Area Subdivision

Living in a subdivision makes it easy for potential buyers to identify homes in your area that sold. They will assume that your home is comparable to the homes that have similar floorplans and acreage.

What they don’t consider is the amount of money you have invested in home improvements or upgrades. This is why knowing what an Tampa Bay area home is worth is so important. The buyers may think that you are overpricing your home based on other homes sold in the Tampa Bay area and in that scenario they make a low offer.

You Live in an Older Florida Neighborhood

It’s much harder for a buyer – or you, for that matter – to find comparable homes for sale if you live in an older neighborhood. Some homes have been upgraded while others have been restored, and still others are in their original condition. This is where an experienced real estate agent can help you come up with a fair price.

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors is your real estate expert in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.  Click here to learn more about our real estate expertise in the Tampa Bay area.

FSBO Homes: For Sale By Owner

Some sellers decide to try to sell their home by themselves. For sale by owner homes, or “FSBO” homes, are much trickier than selling a home with an experienced real estate agent.

Pricing your home to sell fast by yourself is difficult. One way you can come up with a reasonable price is to look at what homes in your area sold over the last 6 months and for how much. Another way is to check home sale information at City Hall.

For more tips on how to sell my home without a real estate agent, read our new report.

Go To Other Sellers’ Open Houses in the Tampa Bay Area

Consider it a trial run – going to another home seller’s open house can show you what works and what doesn’t. Some things to keep in mind are:

• • Floor plans and layout of the home
  • Condition and wear-and-tear
  • Downsizing
  • Acreage
  • Location, neighborhood, proximity to schools, shops, restaurants, etc.
  • Upgrades and home improvements

Also pay attention to their asking price. To sell a home fast, make sure you don’t price your home higher than your neighbor’s home unless you have made significant improvements to the property.

Find a Real Estate Agent in Tampa Bay Who Can Sell Your Home

What’s the key to finding a realtor in the Tampa Bay area who can sell a house fast?

Finding the perfect realtor for you.

To that end, we’ve created a list of real estate agent selection factors [link to agent selection criteria page] you can use during the interview process. You can also take a look at our special report that details the hard questions real estate agents hate and why you should ask them.

Thinking about selling your home without a real estate agent?

According to a recent survey by The National Association of Realtors pertaining to people who sold their house themselves, nearly three-quarters of them would not do it again. The reasons why included:

• Difficulty setting a selling price
• Trouble with marketing
• Legal issues and liability concerns
• Lack of time

If you’re serious about selling a home fast, the experienced agents at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors in Tampa Bay is the smart choice.

Why Winn Team Realtors is the Best Choice to Sell a Home in the Tampa Bay Area

Our real estate agents have the experience and expertise to sell your house fast and for top dollar. Even better, we have the facts to back up our claims. Just take a look at some of our statistics:

• • • • Our homes sell 48% faster than those of average agents
      • We have a database of 8,276 pre-qualified buyers
      • We can sell homes before they even hit the market

To sell your home fast and for top dollar, start by getting a home evaluation with us for FREE.

How To Prepare A House Before Selling

When it comes to selling your home, appearances matter. Many homebuyers buy houses based on emotions, not facts. Having a home that looks and feels comfortable and inviting will work wonders in your favor.

Clean Thoroughly and Fix All Repairs

Much more than an average cleaning, your home needs to be buyer-ready. Giving the house a deep clean – and keeping it tidy on a daily basis – will ensure that clients see your house and not your mess and clutter.

Not sure where to start? Here’s a list of things to get you started:

• • Declutter
  • Capture all the dust bunnies
  • Repair squeaky doors and cabinets
  • Give minor repairs some TLC
  • Fix any cracks in mirrors

Don’t take the chance that a buyer will be turned off by dirt in your home. It’s important to remember that you are competing with other homes, including brand-new homes that have been professionally cleaned. Err on the side of overcleaning – “fine” is not going to be good enough for a potential buyer.

Deodorize Your Home

Part of doing a deep clean is deodorizing your home.

It is probably obvious that pet and smoke odors will turn away buyers. But seemingly “normal” smells like those from cooking can also be a dealbreaker. Don’t leave anything to chance – thoroughly banish odors from your home well before showings.

Sell a Home Fast in Tampa Bay by Motivating Buyers

One of the best ways to sell a home fast is to understand the motivation behind potential buyers. This helps you pick a selling strategy and set the tone for future negotiations.

Generally, most buyers simply want the best home for the least amount of money. But some are more motivated to buy than others. For example, if the buyer’s home has already sold or they need to relocate for their job, you can use this information in negotiations to sell your house for top dollar.

Don’t Move Out Before You Show Your Home

Moving out before you show your home has been proven to put the home sellers at a disadvantage. Empty houses are harder to sell because they look depressing and it’s much harder for the homebuyer to envision themselves in the space if they can’t immediately see how it functions.

It also sends a clear message that you are desperate to sell and this information can be used against you in negotiations, costing you thousands of dollars.

Know the Homebuyers Bottom Line and Their Window to Close on the Home

Knowing the homebuyer’s budget and their timeframe for the home closing will help you immensely in negotiations.

One of the most important aspects of this pre-negotiation is to find out how much the buyer is qualified to borrow. If the homebuyer puts in a lowball offer, it’s possible that they are capped at that amount by their lender. Ask their real estate agent about their ability to borrow for the home, including the down payment.

Finding out how quickly the buyers need to close gives you another advantage in negotiations. Would they “like” to close on the home or do they “need” to close on the home? The answer can make a big difference in your strategy.

Ideally, you will close on the house within your timeframe with no risk, and not the buyer’s.

Keep Emotions in Check During Negotiations

Selling your home can be an emotional process. You undoubtedly are attached to the home and feel strongly that it is worth every penny.

However, being emotional during negotiations will almost always backfire.

Strive to remain neutral and objective throughout the negotiations.

How to Handle a Low Offer from a Homebuyer

If you receive a low offer from a homebuyer, it’s important to remember that most buyers will put in a low offer because they expect some back-and-forth negotiations to take place.

Low offers can be used as a great starting point for negotiations. Here are two ways to handle a low offer from a buyer.

Stay Calm and Remain Neutral

Low offers can be upsetting if you let them.

The last thing you want to do is let your emotions ruin negotiations. Don’t take a low offer personally or assume that it means you won’t be able to get your asking price.

Instead, take an objective look at the offer:

• • Does it detail the offering price?
  • Is there a satisfactory deposit on the down payment?
  • Repair squeaky doors and cabinets
  • What have they supplied as the closing date?
  • Do the homebuyers have any special requests?

Take this information and use it to your advantage by objectively negotiating.

How to Negotiate With a Counteroffer When Selling a Home

Just because you received a low offer doesn’t mean that the potential deal is dead. Most buyers expect a counteroffer. It’s wise to counter with an amount that is just below your asking price – this shows the potential buyer that your asking price is firm and that you didn’t take their low offer seriously.

Once you have weeded out the buyers who are on the fence from those that are serious about your home, you’ll be able to negotiate and sell your home fast.

However, if your house doesn’t sell, contact Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors for the answers you need to sell your home fast.

How to Calculate Your Listing Price to Sell a Home Fast in the Tampa Bay, Florida Area

If you’ve sold a home before, you know that calculating a reasonable listing price can be tricky.

The first question most home sellers have is how much is my home worth and how fast will my house sell?

Getting help from an experienced real estate agent in the Tampa Bay area to help you calculate how much you can sell your home for is the most expedient way for your house to sell.

Selling a Home for Cash

A great way to sell your home fast is to sell it for cash. Selling your home for cash allows you to purchase a new home without creating more debt.

Cash homebuyers can be rare and hard-to-find. At Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors, we have a database full of cash home buyers who are ready and willing to pay cash for your home. Our exclusive marketing systems automatically search and sort for cash home buyers who are prequalified and motivated to buy a home in cash just like yours.

Don’t worry – unlike other real estate agents in Tampa Bay, we will never ask you to leave your home for a showing unless we know that the potential homebuyer is serious and motivated.

Sell A House Fast in Tampa Bay with Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty – Winn Team Realtors is your best way to sell a house fast in the Tampa Bay area. To get started on your real estate journey, call us at 727-353-6636 or email us at winn@winnteamrealtors.com.

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