A Realtor’s Tips for Selling Your Home in the Outer Banks
North Carolina’s Outer Banks offer a 200-mile stretch of barrier islands dotted with stunning vacation rentals and primary homes. Sandy beaches and sparkling waters surround them. Because of differences among the islands, it’s not always easy to sell a home on the Outer Banks.
Any real estate agent knows people looking for an investment property, wanting a second home, or an oceanfront property to call home have unique needs. Add in environmental factors and regional differences in the real estate market, and the sales process requires extensive planning, preparation, and marketing.
Whether you own a family home in Kill Devil Hills, a beach cottage rental in Kitty Hawk, or a condo in Corolla, it’s important to master the home selling process in OBX. The Doshier Team’s experienced Outer Banks realtors created this guide to help you understand the process.
Pricing: What Goes Into Setting an Asking Price
As the seller, you want to get the highest price. It’s key to getting the best return on investment for all the improvements and renovations you’ve paid for over the years.
The Outer Banks market is heavily influenced by investors and buyers looking for a second home. The right price is essential for that reason. If the price is too high, you drive potential buyers away. If it’s too low, you leave people wondering what’s wrong with it.
Real estate agents perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) before pricing a home. They look at the sales prices of similar homes in the area. They also look at pending sales and active listings.
That gives you a general idea. However, you must also consider the condition of your interior and exterior rooms and fixtures, as several upgrades can improve your home’s value.
Preparation: Consider Curb Appeal and Inspection Results
Before a listing goes up, preparing your home for sale is important. The Outer Banks’ salt air, intense sun, and strong winds impact your home’s exterior. If a house looks worn, buyers start seeing the added cost of repairs. Any issues found during an inspection also hurt your selling price.
Curb Appeal and Staging
What does your home look like from the road or beach? If the curb appeal is lacking, buyers may question if your asking price is realistic. A few simple steps improve curb appeal and draw the buyer to your door and into your home to see more.
- Deck Maintenance: Make sure your deck is power-washed of any mold/mildew stains or algae stains. Fix cracked or warped boards. Check that the rails are not loose.
- De-Clutter: If you have too much furniture out on a deck or patio, it can make the space look small. The same is true inside. Buyers are looking at the space and trying to imagine their furnishings in it. If unnecessary furnishings and personal items crowd a room, it becomes hard to see the space.
- Entryway: Make the entryway appealing. A brightly colored door, clean brick or concrete, colorful flowers, and neatly trimmed shrubs enhance curb appeal.
- Fresh Paint: A fresh coat of paint revitalizes a room. Buyers are moving from stark white and prefer earthy tones like sage, bluish gray, or linen.
- Fix Obvious Problems: If you have an appliance that doesn’t work, the buyer will see the replacement cost. A dripping faucet or cracked tile floor drives away potential sales. Fix obvious issues before listing your home.
Pre-Listing Inspections
Consider paying for a pre-listing home inspection. It gives you strategies on what to fix before you sell your home. It also provides essential information you need as you complete forms after securing an interested buyer.
Negotiations: The Purchase Price Isn’t All That Matters
Once there’s an offer, you’ll need to complete a North Carolina Residential Property Disclosure. It covers known issues with your Outer Banks home or rental property. The buyer must carefully read the form and sign it before making an offer and entering into negotiations.
While your realtor takes care of a lot of the paperwork, you need to be prepared for what happens during an OBX real estate negotiation. Your realtor handles marketing and paperwork, but you still need to be ready to decide whether an offer is good enough and what could impact the sale of your property, including:
The Closing: Final Steps Before You See the Money
The final stage of selling a house in the Outer Banks is the closing. A licensed real estate attorney performs a title search to verify that there are no liens on the property and that it can be transferred to a new owner.
As a seller, your responsibility is to clear the home of any items not included in the sale. Cleaning the home is important. You want to leave the home in the same condition it was in when the buyer last walked through. Finally, make sure the final utility readings are complete as those services are transferred to the new owner.
At the closing, the new deed is recorded in Currituck, Dare, or Hyde County, depending on your home’s address. Funds are disbursed, allowing for the sale of the coastal property and the transfer of the keys. The home sale process is complete.
Why You Should Hire an Outer Banks Real Estate Agent
To lower costs, many sellers feel they can do it themselves on a for-sale-by-owner site. While it’s possible, we’ve seen many sellers try, fail, and then come to us. The realities of selling a house in OBX make an experienced, local real estate agent a valuable asset.
An Outer Banks realtor does more than list your property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). They know the area, the environmental requirements, and local sales trends.
Partner With The Doshier Team
Selling a house is manageable when you take it step by step and work closely with an expert experienced in selling homes on the Outer Banks. With a knowledgeable realtor by your side, you maximize your financial return and achieve a stress-free experience from the moment you list your property to the final closing.
With over 35 years of experience in the OBX home selling process, The Doshier Team is happy to help you market your home. We know the area well, as some of the team live and grew up here. We’re available seven days a week by phone, email, or our online form.