All home Sellers want to get their home sold quickly, and here are a few tips to follow to make that possible. Remember that you have to often spend money to make money!
GET YOUR HOME IN MOVE-IN READY CONDITION. This may include fresh paint, new carpet, or updated light fixtures – some of the least expensive and most effective ways to enhance the saleability of your home. Remember that you are trying to remove as many Buyer’s objections as possibly, so you don’t want to leave that room you decided to paint hot chili pepper red – neutral colors sell in new construction every day. Worn or dirty carpet will turn Sellers off every time. Prospective Buyers begin deducting THEIR estimated costs of work to be done from your sales price, so don’t even give them that opportunity.
UPDATE WHAT YOU ARE ABLE. If all the homes for sale with which you are competing have granite counter-tops, how likely is your home to be chosen if it still has outdated laminate counter tops? Get a quote to complete the job. There are many updates and improvements you can make that WILL increase the value of your home – consult your local Realtor before taking on any big, expensive projects.
CURB APPEAL MATTERS. People make impressions of your home before they ever walk in the front door. If the entry, porch and front yard landscaping are welcoming and clean, Buyers will have a positive opinion of your home and be more eager to enter and consider it for their purchase. Power wash the cobwebs off your porch and front shutters, clean out your gutters, plant a few annuals or put out some pots of colorful flowers – maybe paint the front door and add a seasonal wreath.
STAGE YOUR HOME WHEN POSSIBLE. This expense is not in everyone’s budget, but I HIGHLY recommend it if you are able. Effective home stagers transform your home into one that highlights the positives of your home and creates an emotional attraction to your home. De-cluttering can not be emphasized or encouraged enough. The less furniture you have, the more spacious your home appears. Closets that are not filled to the brim show prospective Buyers that there is plenty of room for their belongings.
7 Top Tips for Getting Your Home Sold Quickly
YOUR HOME MUST BE SPOTLESS. If you are not a clean freak, hire someone to clean for you. Light fixtures need to be washed or dusted; windows need to be cleaned, your home should pass the white-glove test! A clean home with no odors is essential. When prospective Buyers smell cat odor or tobacco or anything else they consider offensive, they will turn around and walk out.
MARKET YOUR HOME AGGRESSIVELY. Choose a Realtor who provides professional photography, virtual tours and extensive internet advertising. People are shopping online – and now particularly from their smart phones. Make sure your Realtor’s marketing material reflects the way people now house shop in order to get your home sold quickly.
NOTHING WILL WORK IF YOU OVER-PRICE YOUR HOME!
PRICE YOUR HOME COMPETITIVELY. If you over-price your home, it will sit on the market and run up “days on market.” Don’t be greedy – be realistic. The comps your Realtor provide accurately reflect what your competition is selling for and you need to analyze that data with your real estate professional. If the house down the street sold for $100 per square foot, but had MULTIPLE amenities that your home doesn’t have, you can’t price at the same level. Take time to study your competition, current activity and closed sales – the numbers don’t lie.
There is no magic formula that works every time. But, following these 7 top tips for getting your home sold quickly will increase your chances of success.
If you are interested in selling your home, I am happy to preview it, bring some comps and advise you of how best to prepare your home for sale. And better to start on the process as early as possible, so you’re not rushing to get your home in tip-top shape. Do call me for an appointment! 918-852-5036
Content written and published by Lori Cain.
