Selling Secret #1: Always be ready to show your home!
You never know when your next buyer is going to walk through the door. Be sure your home is “show-ready” at all times – You will need to accommodate potential buyers schedules and be available whenever they want to come see the place. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the floors clean, bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dishes in the dishwasher. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.
Selling Secret #2: The buyers first impression says it all!
Buyers will judge your home before they walk through the front door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel welcome and safe as they approach the house. Clean and spruce up your home’s exterior with new brightly colored flowers and plants. Entryways are important so you will want to add a welcome touch by adding a sitting bench or fresh flowers.
Selling Secret #3: The kitchen comes first.
Your kitchen can make or break a potential sale – That’s how important it is! If your kitchen does not have a wow factor, consider remodeling your kitchen to appeal to buyers. The best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. Consider a few thousand dollars to replace countertops to prevent a buyer from knocking $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. If your budget does not include a complete remodel try the most cost effective way to upgrade – new paint and cabinet hardware. If you have a small budget available, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the kitchen.
Selling Secret #4: Take the home out of your house.
Its very important to de-personalize your home before selling. The more personal items in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Remove a large percentage of items like family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Staging your home can be very effective and helps showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.
Selling Secret #5: Don’t over-upgrade right before selling.
Quick fixes before selling is a great strategy that will pay off. Large makeovers, may not help you in selling your home faster. Getting your money back if you do a large improvement before you put your house on the market may not happen. As an alternative, do upgrades that will pay off and get you top dollar. Consider putting a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Replace door hardware, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix any plumbing issues and clean the tile grout.
Selling Secret #6: Conceal the critters.
You might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you’d be wrong. Not everybody is a dog- or cat-lover. Buyers don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the critters to a pet hotel for the day.
Selling Secret #7: Play the agent field.
A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong broker. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know what properties are going on the market and know the comps in your neighborhood. Find a broker who embraces technology – a tech-savvy one has many tools to get your house sold.
Selling Secret #8: Let the light in.
Brightening up a house can work wonders for its size and charm. According to a survey conducted by HomeGain.com, lighting up a room typically costs less than $400 and adds a $1,500 boost to the final sale price of a house. Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Clean dirty windows, update lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
Selling Secret #9: De-clutter and empty your closets.
This is the time when you go through your belongings and discover that there isn’t anything worth keeping. Ideally, your rooms should look open and kind of empty (marketers call that spacious) Storage is something every potential buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Remove half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize the remainder. It’s commonly known that buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.
Selling Secret #10: Find the value of your home and price it right.
Find the value of your home by consulting with a realtor, then consider taking 15 to 20 percent off the price. You may be swapped by buyers with multiple bids — even in down markets — and they may bid up the price over what it’s worth. It takes real courage and most sellers just don’t want to risk it, but it’s the single best strategy to sell a home in today’s market.