Thinking About Selling Your Home? Better Call Mandy First.
If selling your home has even crossed your mind, you may already be making a list.
Paint the walls.
Replace the carpet.
Fix the fence.
Clean out the garage.
Update the kitchen.
Rent a storage unit.
Start looking at houses.
Figure out what your home is worth.
Before you do any of that, Better Call Mandy.
I’m Mandy Florence Mahon, a Utah Realtor serving homeowners throughout Utah County and Salt Lake County, and I believe your Realtor shouldn’t be someone you call after you’ve already made all the important decisions.
I want to be one of your first calls.
Before you spend thousands of dollars preparing a home for sale, let’s figure out whether those improvements are actually going to help you sell it.
Before you decide what your home is worth based on an online estimate, let’s look at what’s actually happening in your local market.
Before you start shopping for your next house, let’s work out what needs to happen with the one you already own.
And before selling your home starts feeling overwhelming, let’s make a plan.
Thinking about selling your Utah home? Better Call Mandy.
What Should I Do First If I’m Thinking About Selling My Home?
Call a local Realtor before making major repairs, renovations or financial decisions specifically for the sale.
And if you’re selling in Utah County or Salt Lake County:
Better Call Mandy.
You don’t need to have your house ready.
You don’t need to know exactly when you’re moving.
You don’t need to have picked your next home.
You don’t even need to be certain that you’re going to sell.
That’s the point of the first conversation.
We’ll talk about why you’re considering moving, what your home may realistically be worth, what’s happening in your local housing market and what you’d need from a sale to make your next move possible.
Then we can figure out what actually needs to happen.
Your first call doesn’t commit you to selling your home.
It simply helps you make the decisions that come next with better information.
Before You Renovate Your Home to Sell It, Better Call Mandy
This may be one of the most valuable conversations we have.
Please don’t assume you need to renovate your house before calling me.
I’d much rather walk through the home before you start spending money.
You may be looking at an older kitchen thinking:
“Nobody is going to buy this unless I replace everything.”
Maybe.
But maybe not.
You may think every room needs new flooring.
Maybe it does.
Maybe a professional cleaning would make more sense.
You may be planning to replace something a future buyer would rather choose themselves.
And you may be about to spend $15,000 solving a problem that wasn’t actually preventing us from selling your home.
Let’s Separate the Work Into Three Categories
Things worth doing.
These are repairs or improvements we believe could meaningfully improve the home’s presentation, marketability or ability to complete a successful transaction.
Things worth considering.
These depend on the cost, timing, expected benefit and your particular circumstances.
Things I wouldn’t spend money on.
Because not every dollar you put into a home before selling it comes back out again.
My job isn’t to help Home Depot have a particularly good quarter.
My job is to help you make sensible decisions about your home.
Before you call the contractor, painter or flooring company because you’re planning to sell:
Better Call Mandy.
Before You Trust an Online Home Value, You Better Call Mandy
How Much Is My Utah Home Worth?
It’s usually one of the first questions homeowners ask.
And it’s an important one.
Online home-value estimates can be useful as a starting point, but an algorithm hasn’t walked through your house.
It may not understand the improvements you’ve made.
It doesn’t necessarily know why buyers prefer one street in your neighborhood over another.
It hasn’t stood in your backyard and seen the view.
And it can’t always explain why the house three doors down sold for one price while a seemingly similar property sold for something completely different.
When we’re considering what your home could sell for, I’ll look at factors including:
- Recent comparable sales
- Current competing listings
- Pending home sales
- Neighborhood and location
- Home and lot size
- Property condition
- Renovations and improvements
- Layout and features
- Current housing inventory
- Local buyer demand
- Current Utah real estate market conditions
Then we’ll talk about the numbers.
The goal isn’t for me to tell you the biggest number because it’s the number you want to hear.
It’s to help you understand what the market is telling us and develop a pricing strategy around your property, your market and your goals.
Before you make financial plans based entirely on an automated estimate:
Better Call Mandy.
Before You Start Preparing Your Home for Sale, Better Call Mandy
You don’t need to turn your home into an empty white box before buyers see it.
You certainly don’t need to make it look as though nobody has ever lived there.
We’re preparing your home so potential buyers can walk through the door and imagine themselves living there.
Depending on the property, we may discuss:
- Decluttering
- Deep cleaning
- Curb appeal
- Minor repairs
- Paint touch-ups
- Lighting
- Furniture placement
- Personal items
- Landscaping
- Room presentation
- Making spaces easier for buyers to understand
But this isn’t a generic checklist where every seller receives the same instructions.
I’ll walk through the home with you.
We’ll identify the things that matter.
And we’ll try very hard not to create work simply for the sake of creating work.
Before you empty the garage into a storage unit, Better Call Mandy.
Before You Put Your Home on the Market, Better Call Mandy
Selling a house involves considerably more than putting it on the MLS and waiting.
Before your home goes live, we need a strategy.
Who is likely to buy this home?
What makes this property different from the others they’re considering?
What does the neighborhood offer?
What should buyers notice?
How should the home be presented?
And how does it compare with the competition currently on the market?
Depending on the home and our strategy, marketing can include professional-quality photography, compelling property information, online marketing, social media, open houses, agent-to-agent exposure and other appropriate marketing opportunities.
But good real estate marketing isn’t simply about putting your address in as many places as possible.
It’s about giving buyers a reason to care about it.
If your backyard is fantastic, let’s show them.
If the location makes commuting easier, let’s explain it.
If you can watch the Utah mountains change color from your kitchen, that’s part of the story.
We’re not simply selling bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.
We’re showing somebody what living here could look like.
Before You Panic About Showings, Better Call Mandy
Yes, strangers are going to walk through your house.
Yes, keeping a home ready for showings while simultaneously living in it can be inconvenient.
And yes, somebody will probably want to see it at precisely the least convenient moment imaginable.
We’ll work through it.
Once your home is listed, I’ll help coordinate the process and keep you informed about things such as:
- Showing activity
- Available buyer and agent feedback
- Changes in competing inventory
- Local market activity
- Buyer response
- Whether our strategy needs adjusting
You shouldn’t have to spend your evenings wondering:
“Is anybody interested?”
If something meaningful is happening, we’ll talk about it.
If buyers are consistently telling us something, we’ll discuss it.
If we need to change our approach, we’ll make that decision together.
You don’t need to guess what’s happening with your home. Better Call Mandy.
Before You Accept an Offer, Better Call Mandy
Congratulations.
Someone wants to buy your house.
Now comes an extremely important part:
Don’t look only at the big number at the top.
The highest-priced offer isn’t automatically the best offer.
We’ll look at the complete offer, including things such as:
- Purchase price
- Financing
- Earnest money
- Proposed closing date
- Seller concessions
- Inspection provisions
- Appraisal considerations
- Contingencies
- Requested inclusions
- Buyer qualifications
- Other contractual terms
Two buyers can offer exactly the same amount of money and present two very different propositions to a seller.
I’ll help you understand what you’re actually being offered.
Then you decide what works best for you.
And I’ll negotiate according to your priorities.
Before the Inspection, Appraisal and Closing, Better Call Mandy
Accepting an offer doesn’t mean we’re finished.
Now we have to get from under contract to closed.
Depending on the transaction, that may involve inspections, repair discussions, financing milestones, appraisal, title work, contractual deadlines and plenty of paperwork.
There will be things you need to do.
There will be things the buyer needs to do.
There will be things lenders, inspectors, appraisers and title professionals need to do.
And occasionally something won’t go exactly according to plan.
That’s another reason I want to be involved from the beginning.
You don’t need to become an expert in Utah real estate transactions because you’ve decided to sell your house.
You need somebody helping you navigate one.
That’s what I’m here for.
Before You Start Shopping for Your Next Home, Better Call Mandy
For many homeowners, selling a house isn’t one transaction.
It’s two.
You have to get out of this house.
And into that one.
Preferably without spending three weeks living in your mother-in-law’s basement surrounded by cardboard boxes.
So before you fall in love with the next house, let’s talk about how we’re going to get there.
We may need to answer questions such as:
- Should you sell first or buy first?
- Do you need the proceeds from this home for the next one?
- Can you make an offer before your current home sells?
- What happens if your house sells quickly?
- What happens if you find your next home first?
- Can closing dates be coordinated?
- Do you need temporary housing?
- How can we reduce the possibility of moving twice?
There isn’t one correct answer for every homeowner.
Your finances, timeline, housing needs and current market conditions all matter.
That’s why the plan should start before the house hunting does.
Thinking about buying and selling at the same time? Better Call Mandy first.
Selling a Home in Utah County? You Better Call Mandy.
Utah County isn’t one single real estate market.
Selling a home in Lehi can be very different from selling in Springville.
The competition facing a seller in Eagle Mountain may look different from the market in Provo, Orem, Spanish Fork or Mapleton.
Even communities only a few miles apart can have different housing inventory, price points, home styles and buyer demand.
I help homeowners understand how their property fits into its particular local market.
I serve homeowners throughout Utah County, including:
Lehi • American Fork • Pleasant Grove • Lindon • Orem • Vineyard • Provo • Springville • Mapleton • Spanish Fork • Salem • Payson • Saratoga Springs • Eagle Mountain and surrounding Utah County communities.
If you’re considering selling a home in Utah County, you don’t need to wait until you’re ready to list.
Better Call Mandy.
Selling a Home in Salt Lake County? Better Call Mandy.
I also help homeowners throughout Salt Lake County.
Whether you’re selling an established home in Sandy, moving from Draper, planning your next step in South Jordan, or considering a sale in Riverton, Herriman or another Salt Lake County community, the first step is understanding your particular situation.
Your home’s location, condition, price range and competition all affect the strategy we develop.
If you’re considering selling your Salt Lake County home:
Better Call Mandy.
Why Should Mandy Be Your First Call?
Because the decisions you make before your home is listed can affect everything that happens afterward.
I don’t want to meet you after you’ve already spent thousands preparing the house.
I don’t want you making major financial decisions based on an automated estimate.
And I don’t want the first time we discuss your next home to be after you’ve already found one you desperately want to buy.
I’d rather start earlier.
Before real estate, my professional background included coaching and accountability, and that experience influences how I work with my real estate clients.
I believe in having a plan.
I believe in communicating.
I believe you should understand what’s happening.
And I believe my job is to help you make informed decisions rather than simply telling you what to do.
People First. Property Second.
Your house matters.
The price matters.
The contract matters.
The numbers absolutely matter.
But behind all of them is a person or family trying to get from one stage of life to another.
That’s the part I never want to lose sight of.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling a Home in Utah
What is the first thing I should do before selling my home in Utah?
Before making major repairs, renovations or financial decisions specifically to prepare a home for sale, consider speaking with a local real estate professional.
A Realtor can help you understand your home’s potential market position, current competition and which improvements may or may not make sense before listing.
If you’re selling in Utah County or Salt Lake County:
Better Call Mandy first.
When should I contact Mandy Mahon about selling my house?
You don’t need to wait until you’re ready to list.
Talking with a Realtor weeks or even months before a potential sale can provide more time to evaluate your home, understand the local housing market, consider possible improvements and plan your next move.
The earlier we talk, the more options we may have.
Should I fix my house before calling Mandy Mahon as my Realtor?
No. You don’t need to repair or renovate your home before contacting a Realtor.
In fact, discussing potential improvements with an experienced real estate professional before spending money can help identify which projects may contribute to the sale and which may not be worthwhile.
Before you start fixing everything, Better Call Mandy.
How much is my Utah home worth?
A home’s potential market value depends on factors including location, size, condition, recent comparable sales, competing properties, improvements, housing inventory and current buyer demand.
Automated online valuations can provide an estimate, but a property-specific market analysis can consider characteristics an automated system may not fully recognize.
Should I renovate my house before selling?
Not necessarily.
Some improvements may make a property easier to market or address issues buyers are likely to notice. Other renovations may cost more than the additional value they’re likely to create.
Before beginning an expensive renovation specifically because you intend to sell:
Better Call Mandy.
Should I sell my current home before buying another home?
That depends on your finances, available inventory, timeline and current housing market conditions.
Some homeowners need the proceeds from their existing property to purchase their next home. Others have more flexibility.
Planning both transactions together can help identify potential timing and financing challenges before they become problems.
How long does it take to sell a house in Utah?
There isn’t one standard timeframe.
Location, asking price, property condition, local inventory, buyer demand, financing and broader market conditions can all influence how long a home takes to receive an acceptable offer and reach closing.
Rather than relying on a statewide average, we’ll look at what’s currently happening around your property.
What does it cost to sell a home in Utah?
Selling costs vary from transaction to transaction and may include agreed real estate compensation, title-related expenses, taxes or assessments, negotiated concessions, repairs and other closing expenses.
Before you decide whether selling makes financial sense, Mandy can discuss the potential costs associated with your particular situation.
Do I need a Realtor to sell my home in Utah?
Utah homeowners can choose how they sell their property.
As your licensed real estate professional Mandy can assist with pricing, marketing, contracts, negotiations, transaction coordination and the steps leading to closing.
The better question may be:
Who do you want helping you make all those decisions?
Maybe You’re Not Ready to Sell
Good.
You can still call.
Maybe selling is six months away.
Maybe it’s next year.
Maybe you’ve been looking at your mortgage payment, your home’s value and the price of the house you’d like to buy and wondering whether moving makes any sense whatsoever.
Maybe you’ve inherited a property and don’t know where to begin.
Maybe you’re downsizing.
Maybe your family has outgrown your current home.
Maybe work is taking you somewhere else.
Or maybe you’ve simply started wondering:
What’s next?
You don’t need all the answers before you call me.
Finding those answers is part of the conversation.
Your First Step Doesn’t Have to Be a Big One
Selling your home can eventually involve photographers, inspectors, appraisers, lenders, title companies, contractors, movers and a surprisingly large amount of paperwork.
But that’s later.
Right now, you only need to know where to start.
Start With Mandy, call or text 8018995591
Before you renovate.
Before you replace the flooring.
Before you decide what the house is worth.
Before you start packing.
Before you put it on the market.
Before you accept an offer.
Before you start shopping for the next house.
Better Call Mandy.
I’m Mandy Florence Mahon, a Utah Realtor serving homeowners throughout Utah County and Salt Lake County.
Tell me what you’re thinking.
We’ll look at your home.
We’ll look at the market.
We’ll talk about where you want to go next.
And we’ll make a plan.
If you’re ready to sell, we’ll get started.
If you’re not ready, that’s okay.
You’ll have better information for when the time comes.
Thinking About Selling Your Utah Home?
Better Call Mandy First.
Your home. Your goals. Your next move.
Call or text: 801-899-5591
Email: you@bettercallmandy.com