Simple Tips For Selling Your Home

Simple Tips For Selling Your Home

April 30, 2018
Hardwood
Mannington Versailles

Selling your home is not only a big deal, it's a stressful time in your life with questions circling your head 24 hours a day... Will it sell quickly? How much do I need to spend in order to put it up for sale? What if it sits stagnant on the market? Relying on a few simple tips can help make the process go a little more smoothly for you. 

Price it right from the start

Sellers often think they should start the asking price high and then lower it later if the house fails to sell. However, that can result in a slower sale. Often times, the seller ends up at a lower price because of this practice. The first 30 days on the market is the most activity that sellers will see. If the price is too high, you’re giving the impression to buyers and their agents that you may not be willing to negotiate or you’re not serious in selling.

Curb Appeal!

First impressions are exactly that… a first impression that is nearly impossible to reverse or undo. Make the first encounter count by enhancing the outside of your home. Planting colorful flowers around the large oak tree or replacing the drab mailbox can make quite a difference. Perhaps refreshing your front door with the same paint color or adding a pop of color will draw the eyes of the buyers to your home over another in your neighborhood.

Depersonalize and Declutter Your Space

We get it… you want to have thirty pictures of your children and grandchildren on the walls of your living room because you love to look at them and you love to talk about them. However, prospective buyers want to imagine THEIR family in that space, not yours. Remove knickknacks and excessive furniture that you don’t need to have around for the time being. If need be, rent a storage unit for a month and remove as much furniture and other items to create that appearance of large space you want to show off. Remember, a half-empty master bedroom closet will create a wonderful illusion of lots of storage.

Updating the Inside

In today’s market, put your best foot forward when putting your home up for sale. When buyers come to your home, they are trying to visualize themselves in your home. Whether it’s replacing your carpet, touching up paint, replacing hardware on your cabinets or updating the lighting throughout, you need to invest time and money to create an impression that others will not forget. Remember, when potential buyers come to visit your home, they want to feel like they have just come home. That’s always the impression you want to leave on a prospective buyer.

Stage Your Home and Photograph, Photograph, Photograph!

A professional home stager will see your home from a buyer’s perspective. They know how to highlight the strengths and soften the weaknesses. If you can't afford a professional, ask a couple of friends to do a walk through with fresh sets of eyes. They can offer their perspective of decluttering your home, as well as ideas on curb appeal. Also, the first impression for buyers will be from the photos of your listing. How often have you looked at listings online, only to skip those with little to no photos? Have at least 6, if not more, photos of your listing online to attract perspective buyers. Regardless, staging is a necessity in every home and photos impress from the very beginning, so be impressive!

Be Flexible and Always Ready!

Always be ready for prospective visitors. Your agent will contact you several times at the last minute for a showing. This means that the house should always be clean and ready to show within the hour. Also, the more flexible you are about the times you allow your house to be shown, morning, noon, night and weekends, the better.