When To Contact a Realtor® to Sell Your House
As you start thinking about selling your home, you begin building a mental to-do list: repair the backyard fence, scrub down the bathroom tiles, declutter the garage, arrange your next living situation… There’s a lot to do — you know you’ll need to reach out for some professional help. But when should you contact a Realtor to sell your house?
For that initial contact, “There’s no such thing as too early,” said Daniel Del Real, a top real estate agent in Modesto, California, who sells homes 68% faster than the average agent in his market.
“For our clients, we tell them as soon as you start thinking that this is something you might want to do… that’s the time to contact us, whether it’s a month in advance or two years in advance,” Del Real says. “Our initial conversation just gives them more information so they can go deeper into discussion to see if it’s even the right time for them to do it.”
After that, then you can start thinking more seriously about how long it will take to get your home fixed up and “show ready.”
In most cases, agents like to have at least three months to prepare everything and ensure the job isn’t rushed.
“That’s good timing,” shares Carmen Gonzalez, a top real estate agent in Orlando, Florida, who works with 76% more single-family homes than the average agent in her area.
However, much of the timing depends on the condition of the home and the needs of the client.
“If someone is a minimalist and they live like their home is a showpiece,” they could contact an agent in as little as a week or month before putting their home on the market, says Greensboro, North Carolina agent Beth Sauer, who has 15 years of experience.
