Selling a home is one of the biggest financial transactions most people will make in their entire lives. Your house is likely your largest asset, so getting the best possible price when you sell is crucial to reaching your financial goals. 

Working with a knowledgeable real estate agent to market and sell your home can help ensure you receive top dollar. Real estate agents have their fingers on the pulse of the local market. They understand what comparable homes are selling for, what features and upgrades buyers are looking for, and what marketing tactics are most effective. With the right agent in your corner, you’ll be able to navigate negotiations and bidding wars to get the highest possible sale price.

However, you can’t just list your house with an agent and expect them to automatically get you the best deal. Maximizing your profits requires preparation, research, marketing savvy, and negotiation skills. If you want to walk away with the maximum value for your property, you need to take an active role in the process as well. 

This article will provide you with 10 tips to employ when selling your home through an agent. With the current fast-paced market, homes are selling quickly, often above asking price. By using these strategies, you can capitalize on demand and competitive offers to get top dollar for your largest investment. A small amount of additional effort could mean tens of thousands more in your pocket.

1. Price it right from the start 

The most important factor in getting top dollar for your home is setting the right listing price from the beginning. Your agent will pull comps, or comparable sales data, to help you set a competitive yet sufficiently high listing price. Avoid the temptation to underprice to attract more buyers. This strategy often backfires, signaling that something may be wrong with the property. And you can’t increase the price later if you get higher offers than expected.

Do your own market analysis as well before settling on a listing price. Look at similar homes that have recently sold or are still for sale in your neighborhood. Consider additions or improvements you’ve made to personalize your advice. Price your home competitively but also consider testing the upper limits of the market. 

Starting out at the highest justifiable price allows room to negotiate down if necessary, while still maximizing your sale value.

2. Prepare your property 

Before bringing buyers through your home, make any necessary repairs or updates to maximize appeal and perceived value. Concentrate on any issues flagged in your inspection report. Cosmetic improvements like fresh paint, new flooring, updated lighting fixtures, and stylish hardware can also make a big impression. 

Tackle deferred maintenance like leaky roofs or plumbing, peeling exterior paint, cracked concrete, or anything else making your home look dated or poorly maintained. Clean thoroughly, eliminate clutter, and consider staging your home with the help of your agent. 

You want every buyer who views your house to envision themselves living there happily ever after. A clean, decluttered, neutral space allows buyers to mentally start moving their own things in. Curb appeal is also hugely important, so power wash siding, keep the lawn neatly mowed, and add colorful plants or flowers.

3. Be flexible on terms 

In a competitive market, creativity can help your offer stand out. Consider agreeing to terms like allowing the buyer to complete a pre-purchase inspection, providing closing cost assistance, agreeing to a rent-back after closing, or offering other terms to sweeten the deal. 

Certain contingencies may also help you net a higher price, like agreeing to an escalation clause that automatically increases your offer if another bid comes in higher. Your agent can explain the pros and cons of different terms and craft a competitive offer tailored to the specific buyer and situation.

4. Time it right 

When possible, list your home at the beginning of the busy spring or summer home shopping season. Buyer activity typically spikes between April and June as well as late August when families with school-age children are eager to move before the new school year. More buyers touring your home means more potential offers to spark a bidding war.

Avoid listing right before or after the winter holidays when buyer demand tends to be lower. Listing during slow times could mean more months carrying double housing costs.

5. Offer broker incentives 

In competitive markets, your agent may suggest offering bonus commission for the buyer’s agent as an incentive to promote and show your listing. Most agents represent buyers and sellers, and they’ll eagerly show homes offering 3% or more total commission to the buyer’s agent rather than the typical 2-2.5%.

Just make sure your agent still receives their full commission rate. You should not be paying more out of pocket. The extra incentive should come out of the listing agent’s end if they agree to offer a higher buyer agent commission.

6. Market aggressively 

Your real estate agent should have a thorough marketing plan to get your listing in front of the most qualified buyers. Typical marketing tactics include email campaigns to other agents and past clients, social media ads, online listings on real estate portals, yard signs, open houses, brochures for your neighborhood, and ads in local real estate magazines. 

You and your agent should discuss what combination of strategies makes sense based on your home, neighborhood, and target buyers. Agents have access to real estate listing data and know what methods successfully sell homes similar to yours. Support your agent by sharing the listing socially, being available for showings and open houses, and gathering marketing materials like 3D scans, professional photos, and video tours.

Cast the widest net possible to drive up interest. Marketing is your agent’s opportunity to highlight everything that makes your home desirable and worth a top sale price. Provide them with all the tools necessary to get buyers excited about and invested in your property.

7. Be available for showings 

One key to getting top dollar is responding quickly to show your home any time buyer interest appears imminent. Buyers want instant gratification today. If they can’t see your home immediately after touring several other options, they may get frustrated and move on. 

Keep your schedule flexible and avoid planning activities that can’t be changed, postponed, or interrupted. Respond right away to your agent’s requests for showings. This also allows them to bundle multiple showings, so you’re not inconvenienced as often.

Accommodating a buyer agent showing requests demonstrates you’re motivated to sell. Being unavailable could result in missed offers or lowered bids.

8. Review all offers carefully 

In competitive markets, you may receive multiple purchase offers on your home. Resist the urge to automatically accept the highest bid. Price shouldn’t be the only determining factor. You and your agent also need to carefully assess contingencies, earnest money amount, down payment, requested closing date, and other terms that affect the viability of the buyer’s offer. 

An offer that’s $5,000 over another may seem great on the surface. But if it’s contingent on selling the buyer’s current home or requires a lengthy closing period, the lower offer actually is the better deal. Weigh the overall risk and timetable of each offer. Don’t get so caught up in dollar amounts that you gloss over other important offer details and conditions.

9. Negotiate effectively

The buyer’s initial offer is just a starting point for negotiation. Most buyers expect some amount of back and forth. Your agent’s expertise will be invaluable to negotiate properly on your behalf to maximize the final sale price and terms. 

An effective negotiator doesn’t simply reject or accept an offer. Your agent will craft strategic counters, potentially using multiple offers to bid up the price. They may suggest tweaking terms, like requesting a quicker closing date or fewer contingencies. Many sellers leave thousands of dollars on the table by lacking negotiation skills and caving at the first sign of concession from the buyer. 

Trust your agent to press for the best deal possible, even if it requires some patience and persistence. They have your back and understand the market value of your home. Don’t be quick to make concessions or you may later regret settling for less than your property is worth. 

10. Stay patient

If you don’t receive as many showings or suitable offers as hoped right out of the gate, don’t panic. Avoid the temptation to immediately drop your listing price. With your agent’s input, reevaluate your home’s valuation. If priced properly, stay patient for more potential buyers to view the listing. 

However, if you and your agent determine the original asking price was too high, then adjust down accordingly, but don’t sacrifice value just for a quick deal. It takes most homes at least a few weeks to generate buyer interest and quality offers. Trust your agent rather than lowering your expectations after just a few days without a great offer.

Conclusion

Selling for top dollar through a real estate agent requires homework, preparation, and collaboration to get the pricing, marketing, and negotiations right. But taking these proactive steps will help you successfully leverage competitive offers and current demand into the highest possible sale price.

A few weeks or months of effort will be rewarded many times over by maximizing your equity and achieving your financial goals through the home sale. The extra money gained from a higher sale price has long-term consequences for your future.

To summarize, you should price your home competitively but avoid underpricing just to drive more showings. Make any necessary repairs and use staging to showcase your home in its best light. Be reasonable on terms but use creative contingencies or incentives if it gives you an advantage. 

Time your listing for peak buying season and market the property through all effective channels. Accommodate buyer agents on showings, carefully evaluate all offers received, and enlist your agent’s help negotiating the most favorable deal.

With the right prep work and execution, you can maximize your sale price when listing with an agent. But you play just as big a role as your agent. Utilize their expertise while also staying actively involved yourself in pricing, marketing, negotiations, and finding the right buyer for your home.

The current fast market won’t last forever. For now, take advantage of high demand and limited inventory. With the techniques above, you can capitalize on competitive offers and motivated buyers to get the highest possible return on the biggest investment of your life.