Selling a home can seem like an overwhelming and painful process. At Raines Realty we try to take the pain out of selling. As sellers ourselves, we know how unnerving the process can be. Holding high the value of great customer service, we strive to make the home selling process as easy as possible for you. And our responsiveness is crazy good. We will actually make you think we aren't really real estate agents!

So are you ready to sell, but not sure where to start? Let's start with the basics.

Letting Go. Are you able to let go of your home? So many dreams and memories are associated with a home, especially a home that has special meaning. It's difficult sometimes letting go. So disassociate yourself with your home. Make a mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that the house will no longer be yours. Sounds silly, but say goodbye to every room.

Price your home. The asking price you set for your home significantly affects whether you will profit in the sale, how much you will profit and how long your home will sit on the market. Our knowledge of the overall market and what's selling - or not selling - will be very helpful to you in determining the price. The objective is to find a price that the market will bear but won't leave money on the table. Every home should sell if it is priced correctly. The true value of a house is what you are willing to sell it for and what a buyer is willing to buy it for.

Prepping and Staging your home. Pack up personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers tend not to see past your personal artifacts. You want buyers to imagine the walls as their own. If you haven't used it in over a year, why is it still sitting in the room? You probably don't need it. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets. Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. If you take the time to clean a closet or cabinet it leaves the impression that you have taken great care of the rest of the house. Remove/Replace Favorite Items. If the chandelier in the den is a family heirloom, replace it now. If a buyer never sees something, they won't want it. Make Minor Repairs and CLEAN. Remember that first apartment you owned that you wanted to make sure you got the security deposit back on? Clean. Clean. Clean. And then clean again. Check Your Cub Appeal. If a buyer won't get out of the car because they don't like the exterior of the house, you'll never get them inside to see how great it is. Mow the yard and trim the bushes. Does the front lock and handle work? Is the paint chipped? A little flowers always adds some cheer. But if you plant them, don't forget to water them!

Market your home. Now that you're ready to sell, we will set up a marketing strategy to sell your home. There are many ways to get the word out including the MLS, Yard Signs, Open Houses, Social Media, Media Advertising, Agent to agent. We will use all of these tactics to bring the most buyers to your home.

Be Ready. Allow your house to be shown as much as possible. The more people who look at your house, the better! You can't sell your home, typically, if no one sees it!