I'm Planning on Selling my Charleston Home. Where Do I Go Then?

You’ve decided to put your Charleston home on the market. This is likely one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make, so you might ask yourself: where do I go from here? How can I increase my chances of getting a top-dollar price for my home? What challenges and opportunities lie ahead? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the decisions you must make when moving. With this article, we’ll provide you with encouragement and wisdom on how to proceed best. 

You’ll need to do a few things to get your home ready to list. First, you’ll need to decide what your listing price will be. There’s a good chance that your home’s value has changed since you bought it, and it’s essential to look at the hard facts to determine how best to proceed when pricing your property. The current state of the local market will directly impact what your home is worth. Consider working with a realtor who can run a Comparative Market Analysis for you. This report will show you what similar properties in your area have sold for in recent months. If you want to increase the price you can charge for your home, consider doing a few upgrades that will raise your ROI — or return on investment — and help your home stand out on the market. 

After you find a real estate agent to partner with, you will work together on a marketing plan to reach potential buyers and generate greater interest in your home. Your realtor will create an online listing using high-quality photos and a detailed description of your home’s top-selling features, promote your home on social media, and connect with other real estate industry professionals who may have buyers interested. 

It’s hard to say. Right now, the Charleston market is fairly competitive. Despite recent upticks in interest rates throughout the country, average sales prices in Charleston have risen recently. Homes spend less time on the market than they did one year ago, with many spending between four and six weeks for sale before going under contract. If you hope to sell your home quickly, you’ll have to work harder when marketing or staging your property to ensure it grabs buyers’ attention. 

That ultimately depends on your requirements, including your motivation for moving. Are you looking for a home with ample square footage? Is it time to downsize? Have you recently experienced a life change, such as a new addition to the family or a job promotion that requires a home office? Are there any must-have features your home should have? If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you may want custom cabinets, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and smart technology. On the other hand, if you enjoy hosting gatherings and events, you might benefit from having a formal and informal living room, a spacious backyard with a patio, and a large dining room. 

Perhaps you’re selling your home because you’ve decided it’s time to live life in a different city or state. As you think about where you may head next, it’s helpful to consider what sort of lifestyle you’re looking for. Charleston is a moderately sized metropolitan area with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. If you want to move to a larger city, perhaps head north to Charlotte, south to Jacksonville, or west to Atlanta. If you’re simply looking for a fresh start in a similar city, Columbia, South Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia, are just a little further inland.

There are many things to consider when buying and selling a home simultaneously. If you know you will be staying local, you might want to go ahead and start looking at available Charleston real estate. The difficult decisions come when you find a property you love, and your current home is still on the market. Do you wait to buy until you’re under a contract with your original home? Do you throw caution to the wind and make an offer on a new home when you’re still responsible for another property? 

There are benefits to either option. Selling first ensures you don’t have to take out multiple mortgages at one time. The downside is that you risk needing a place to live if you’re still shopping for a home, and if it takes a while, you may have to find a short-term rental. At the same time, you won’t have to worry about finding a place to live if you buy first, but you may have to juggle multiple mortgage payments while you wait for your previous home to sell. 

One of the most crucial components of any real estate transaction is the realtor you choose to work with. Your realtor will help you market, stage, and show the home you’re selling. They will help you determine the best possible price point for your home and help you pick the best offer. The good news is that if you purchase in the same area, you can partner with the same realtor for your home-buying journey. At this time, they will show you available properties meeting your needs and negotiate with the seller’s agent to get you a fair price. 

Whether you’re selling or purchasing Charleston real estate, our talented real estate professionals at the Andy Bovender Team are here to help. We have a wealth of incomparable knowledge and experience, from marketing luxury properties and navigating the waters of a multi-offer situation to creating deep connections with clients and communicating with other agents, mortgage brokers, home builders, and beyond. Contact me, Andy Bovender, or my team today to start the successful sale or purchase of your home.