Selling a House in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is one of the most iconic places in the world to own property. Its reputation as "The American Riviera" is well earned. Santa Barbara houses are known for their picturesque beauty, true depictions of West Coast Americana. It's no wonder they're in high demand regardless of market conditions -- a successful sale is almost always within reach... if you know what to do!
If you're thinking about selling your Santa Barbara home, we've got you covered through the entire sales process.
Here are the three, easy steps you need to take in order to sell fast and for more money.
1. Research the Top Real Estate Agents in Your Neighborhood
Santa Barbara County presents an incredible range. From the surf at Rincon Point to the nightlife on State Street to the hilly mansions of Montecito -- there are so many unique features of each zip code. While this makes Santa Barbara and its neighboring cities awesome as a collective community, it can make it much harder when it comes to real estate. Just as the landmarks and vibes of each part of Santa Barbara can greatly vary, so too will the local market factors. The median home price will fluctuate across all the popular neighborhoods
A great real estate agent in one neighborhood of SB may be a not-so-great real estate agent in another neighborhood.
Honestly, just a 10 minute drive can make a world of difference in an agent's ability to find the right Santa Barbara buyers. You want an agent who has sold homes near yours -- having the experience of hosting open houses and talking to local buyers (and other sellers) gives invaluable knowledge that will only benefit your home sale. Using a top agent expedites the selling process, greatly aids the likelihood of inducing a fair cash offer, can expertly negotiate with a buyer's agent, and helps keep closing costs (e.g. home inspection fees) at a minimum. You also want an expert in property types like yours -- single family homes are a different market than retail store fronts.
Also, many real estate agents are known to, ahem, exaggerate their reputations. You want real, objective data on who has sold what, so you know who's legit and who's all talk. This can be a challenge -- how exactly does one fact check? Even if you have access to the MLS (multiple listing service), this doesn't give you the full story of active listings and sold homes. In Southern California, many home sales happen off-market. And computing all those numbers yourself takes time and energy.
Luckily, TrueParity has built a simple tool for you to identify the top agents in your area. Check it out HERE. Agent performance matters, so you should always know who can deliver for you.
2. Calculate the Fair Market Value of Your Property
The second thing you need to do before you can cash in your Santa Barbara home is to find out exactly what selling price it could command in the local real estate market. (Makes sense, right?).
While this seems straightforward, it's anything but! Sites like Zillow will use rudimentary formulas based on price-per-square-foot -- but the only certainty with those estimates is that they will never be 100% accurate. To get a true estimate of the value of a home as is in Santa Barbara, you need someone who knows all the comparable houses in your immediate vicinity. This type of valuation takes into account all the critical features for each neighborhood -- proximity to landmarks, freeway access, views of the Pacific or the mountains. A comparative market analysis is part science, part art.
Moreover, calculating a price for your home truly depends on what someone is ultimately willing to pay for it. A cash buyer is every seller's dream; so you need to know what cash offers are getting floated for Santa Barbara homes similar to yours.
EXPERT TIP: An experienced real estate agent is happy to provide a free home valuation.
Industry professionals understand how much of the house-selling process happens before a listing agreement is signed, so they relish the chance to demonstrate their value up front. If you want to sell quickly you need to take advantage of this!
TrueParity helps Santa Barbara sellers get free home valuations from top agents all the time. Shoot us an email or give us a call and we'll get the ball rolling for you. Our team of experts understand how to navigate the entire process intelligently.
3. Post Your Home on TrueParity to Connect with the Right Real Estate Agent
Once you're ready to get your home on the market, it's time to make the best agents in your neighborhood compete for your business. Another concept that most sellers don't even realize is that they can absolutely negotiate terms with a handful of potential listing agents at once.
Think about it. For someone who wants to buy houses, Santa Barbara represents the rarified air. So for an agent, they know they'll be able to find potential buyers in no time - most properties for sale in Santa Barbara get multiple cash offers. That means agents are willing to discuss commission fees, strategy, budgeting, and more. (And yes, whether they can get you that no obligation cash offer). Whether you're considering agents from national brokerages like Berkshire Hathaway or local boutiques like Village Properties, you want to be able to compare agents objectively.
At TrueParity, we built a platform for homeowners to evaluate and negotiate all of these things online (or offline, if preferred). Get started here, we never charge home sellers a single dollar!
If you want to sell your Santa Barbara house fast and for the best price, it starts by making your agent show you what they can do for you. It starts at TrueParity.
Thinking about selling your Santa Barbara home? Don't settle for anything less than the perfect home-selling process.
See how TrueParity can help you achieve a successful home sale.
