How to Sell your Home for More than your Neighbor’s House
How to Sell your Home for More than your Neighbor’s House
How to Sell your Home for More than your Neighbor’s House
“I want to sell my house for less than my neighbor did,” says no homeowner ever. Everyone wants to sell his or her property for top dollar. Use these tips to prep your home to sell and be the benchmark for your neighborhood:
GLAMOUR SHOTS
Your first impression to potential buyers will likely be through photos online—make that impression count! The devil is in the details and buyers will weed out your home if it doesn’t look appealing online. It takes time to make your house “market ready” and a little preparation before the listing photos are taken will go a long way. Clear the clutter, make pre-listing repairs and give the house a deep clean. The more clutter you take out in the beginning will mean less you’ll have to pack later! Your Agent can give you advice on tasks that need to be completed to have it sparkling and ready.
HOME RUN SHOWINGS
Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but reality is worth thousands of dollars. Your home needs to look better in person than it does online—no clutter, clean rooms, fresh smelling and a general sense of calm in the living space. Calm sells, stinky chaos doesn’t.
The house should be warm and welcoming to potential buyers. Set the temperature so it is comfortable to take time to look. If it is freezing outside and the heat is not on, nobody is going to stay around too long to admire the house. Turn on the lights, light the fireplace and set the “home sweet home” vibes on high.
FIX THE LITTLE THINGS
Everyone knows they need to declutter, clean, remove family photos, etc. Oftentimes the “little things,” like small repairs that have never been top of mind, will add up to a big bad impression to potential buyers. Deferred maintenance will affect your sales price and often the repairs are relatively cheap fixes. Your agent can direct you to specific repairs that need to be done and can help with recommendations for professional services, should you need them. Don’t let a bunch of $50 repairs cost you $1000s in sales price.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
No matter the state of your house, the best thing you can do is to price it right the first time. Granite countertops and a sparkling blue pool are great, but if it’s overpriced, nobody will be buying it. Not every house is perfect, and that’s okay—as long as it is priced accordingly. Overpricing will kill a sale every time.
Sometimes it seems like a broken record, but all these strategies are tried and true. “Move in ready” is overused in listing write-ups for a reason—because most buyers want to move right in, without having to do a bunch of work. If you take the time to prep for sale, you’ll be move out ready in no time.
Lisa E. Priest loves glamour shots and is a local REALTOR® and Property Manager with Picket Fence Realty, Inc. You can reach her via phone or text at 903-948-3343 or at Read More.
