4 Things You Must Do to Sell Your Home
I am not sure if it is what seems to be the never ending winter break for the school kids or the fact that everyone is tired of the weird "On Wednesday, we expect snow" forecast, but everyone seems to be ready for Spring. Historically, a warm up in the temperatures has meant a warm up in the real estate market. So chances are many of you are considering a move in your near future. Whether you are selling your house on your own or hiring a Realtor to assist you in the sale, these tips will get you on your way to SOLD!
1. Spruce up your entryway. A fresh coat of paint on the front door, a new doormat, a clean porch, and tended flower beds will go a long way. First impressions are certainly lasting impressions. Chipping or faded paint on the front door and a wreath from Christmas (and it happens to be April), can leave the buyer with a less than welcome feeling and, more importantly, may signal the buyer to think the rest of the home is not routinely maintained.
Super Seller Tip: Your Realtor will ask for a key to the front door to place in your property lockbox for showings. If you use your garage for your entry to the home, you may need to spend time locating a key and insuring that the lock is functioning correctly. A Realtor showing your home does not, and should not, struggle with turning the key to lock or unlock the door.
2. Spring Clean. Buyers will look in every nook and cranny of your home with a critical eye. Clean your oven and microwave. They will look in there. After showing many homes, I have concluded that everyone has their "one thing" when it comes to determining if a home is well kept. My "one thing" is the floor in the small corners behind doors, not sure why but it is a very specific detail I always look for. Others may zero in on the HVAC vents, the top of the water heater, or the caulking on the windows or bathrooms. Be prepared for anything.
3. The staging is real. Your home, with your decor and your specific taste, is harder to sell because it is very personal. A buyer needs to be able to see themselves living there. They need to picture their decor and their furniture. I'm not from the school of "make it a blank slate," but I do believe most of us have too much: too much on our bookshelves, too much in our closets, too many spices in the spice cabinet, etc. Staging is selective reduction and the end goal is to make your home look as warm and inviting to as many buyers as possible. Pinterest can be a seller's best friend when it comes to staging your home. Remember to keep yourself open to moving decor and/or furniture pieces into different areas of the home when you are staging to sell!
Super Seller Tip: Removing pictures of your family not only helps with depersonalization and staging of your home. It helps to safeguard the privacy of your family.
4. Get a home valuation from a Realtor. Sure there are places that will give you an estimate, but even the most popular website will tell you that their estimate is not accurate. Derived from public data and a secret math algorithm, this estimate is not going to be a true reflection of your home's current market value. Invite a Realtor in your home to give you an accurate current market value based on your home's features and the current sales of like homes. Ready to get your home valuation? Click here to get started!
Super Seller Tip: Home valuations are just for home sellers. Considering a large home improvement project? Contact your Realtor first to see what similar homes in the market are featuring and how those updates impact their value.
