Strategies to Sell Your Home This Year
Selling a home can be exhausting and daunting … but it doesn’t have to be if you follow these smart strategies.Today’s buyers are better prepared than ever. They’re totally tapped into technology and do their own electronic searches, receive seller disclosure forms, order home inspections, etc. Make sure you’re just as informed and prepared as them.
Selling a home can be exhausting and daunting … but it doesn’t have to be if you follow these smart strategies.
Tackle Those Savvy Buyers
• Today’s buyers are better prepared than ever. They’re totally tapped into technology and do their own electronic searches, receive seller disclosure forms, order home inspections, etc. Make sure you’re just as informed and prepared as them.
• Promote you home using tech-savvy marketing on the Internet, social media, and smartphone. But don’t neglect to have a reachable phone number too. Make sure you answer every call asking to see your home and welcome potential buyers any time they want to come, if possible.
• Get professional quality photos of your entire home for today’s essential “curb appeal” of Internet listings. Don’t scare away buyers with dark, unimpressive photos or a lack of photos. Whatever you do, DO NOT take your own photos! Our photographers have the correct lens to make sure you home looks large and bright.
• Fix any items that may make your house look like it has a potential problem. Maybe you repaired a leak but never painted over it? Now’s the time to get that done! Of course, we don’t want you to cover up any defects, but if the problem has been solved, get rid of any remnants that would worry a buyer unnecessarily.
• Appeal to a buyer’s emotions. Not only do you need to appeal to a buyer’s mind and wallet, but you also need to make their heart skip a beat. How do you do that? The answer depends on your particular home and your most likely buyer, but quick examples include a fresh coat of paint, proper staging or “jujjing”, and de-cluttering.
Be Real About Price & Market
• Study sales prices, not asking prices since the true market is based on what buyers are willing to pay right now. Basically, buyers will only pay what they deem your house in worth in the current market conditions.
• Price your home competitively from the get-go to take advantage of the first two weeks of showings that bring the most traffic to your home. If you mistakenly price your home slightly low, you’ll get multiple offers. You can’t go wrong unless you price your home too high.
• Price your home strategically so that it appears on electronic listings that will reach more potential buyers. Dropping a home from $355,000 to $349,000 means it will pop up more often in search results
• Remember, all real estate is local. Your agent knows the ins and outs of what is selling and what isn’t and why in your neighborhood. Make sure you have an agent who can help you set your price and determine your terms of negotiation when the time comes.
• Pick a good time to sell to attract more buyers. If you can, avoid wintertime or major holidays. But sometimes these quieter periods can be a good time to sell since there’s less competition. Your agent can help with this decision and your timing.
• Selling your home can be emotional since you have fond memories about living there. Try to distance yourself and view it as a financial opportunity so you can stay focused on getting your home sold.
• Keep in mind that not all home improvements will give you a return on your investment, especially those that are very personal to your specific tastes. How much return you’ll get will depend on what was done and how it appeals to the most likely buyer of your home. Something to consider when deciding on your home’s listing price.
Spruce It Up
• Prepare your property and fix what’s broken. It’s that simple – and remember a fresh coat of paint can go a long way!
• Clear away clutter to make your home feel cozy not cramped. Pare down and store large furniture pieces elsewhere.
• Keep it clean and don’t have chaotic countertops in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Make it as move-in ready as possible since today’s buyers are not crazy about doing repairs and replacements (They just like watching DIY shows!). Most buyers don’t want an immediate to-do list.
• Keep in mind what one expert says, “It’s not just a price war, but a beauty contest at the same time.” It’s worth the time and money to stage your home so that your potential buyers can better “see” how to use your living spaces.
Just know that a home will sell for whatever it’s worth, if marketed by your agent correctly. The real estate market is a true market that way. Even in the hottest market, some homes sit and don’t sell. And on the flip side, many homes do sell even in the worst markets. It’s just a matter of how your home is presented and how it stacks up to the competition … so keep these strategies in mind!