Are you thinking about selling your home?
Or, has your house been on the market way too long, with no offers?
As always, Condition, Location, and Pricing are the keys to selling your home, more than ever in today’s market where buyers have a surplus of homes to choose from.
The following article by Jim Sexton, Broker for John Hall & Associates was published in the most recent “Broker Agent Magazine” and focuses on the Condition of your home.
In the latest issue of REALTOR® magazine, they cited a HomeGain survey which found that staging could increase the sales price by $2,275 to $2,841. Simply cleaning and decluttering could add $2,093 to $2,378 to the final price.
Considering those statistics lets review some small projects that can create big bucks and faster sales:
- Decluttering –Clutter eats equity because it eats square footage. Buyers want maximum square footage so clean out all excess furniture, toys, personal items and collections and let the buyer see the space.
- Cleaning – Sparkling windows, clean counters, freshly vacuumed floors, beds made and bathrooms cleaned all make a positive impression on buyers.
- Painting – It doesn’t cost much but it can have a huge impact, just be sure that the colors are neutral and fresh.
- Repairs – Replace cracked switch plates, replace light bulbs, touch up cracks, etc. Buyers tend to “horriblize” even the smallest repairs, deducting anything they see from the offering price.
- Curb Appeal – Don’t forget the outside of the house, sweep walks, clean out flowerbeds, trim trees and paint that front door. Be sure that the house welcomes people from the curb.
- Appeal to the Senses – Smoking, cooking and pet odors can be distasteful to buyers. A thorough cleaning can help neutralize odors and for open houses and broker tours, try baking cookies or apple pie.
Probably the most significant part of this advice is to do it before the property hits the market!
You have the maximum buyer and broker interest the first few weeks after the property hits the market, don’t waste that opportunity with a property that doesn’t show well.
When it comes to “staging” remember this, your car depreciates the minute you leave the lot, and yet you have it detailed before attempting to sell it. Your home has most likely appreciated, it deserves the same close attention in order to demand top dollar.
Think about it.
All of these tips are easy to do, and at low cost. In today’s market, you need every possible reason to entice a potential buyer into your home and encourage them to stay so they can really see and experience your home.
And the longer they stay, the more they see.
So, if you really want to sell your home, do what it takes to do it right. Follow these these tips, so you can sell your house for more.
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