Home for sale – a sign in front of a brick house
When a seller decides to put their home on the market they’re generally ready to find a buyer as quickly and efficiently as possible. Are you a seller looking for a faster and easier sell? Here are 5 tips that will help you achieve your goals.
- Curb Appeal We’ve all heard the term but what does curb appeal mean? Basically this…does the outside of your house make buyers want to see the inside? You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. A nicely cut yard, beautiful landscape, a clean driveway and an inviting porch increase the likelihood that buyers will want to see more. Showing that the exterior of your house is well-kept will lead buyers to believe the entire house is well-maintained.
- De-Clutter Any clutter in the house (i.e., clothes on the laundry floor, piles of toys, boxes stacked up, messy overstuffed closets, a garage with no room to park a car) gives the impression that the house is small and has no room for storage. Buyers want storage. Generally 85% of buyers are looking to upgrade to a larger home or buy their first home after renting a small apartment. De-cluttering will send the right message. Send unused and/or unneeded items to the nearest thrift store. They will be grateful for the donation and it’s a tax deduction for you. Another tidbit is to pack away personal items, knick-knacks and collectibles. You want the buyer to be able to picture their own things in your house. Allowing buyers to “mentally move in” will get you one step closer to moving out.
- Deep Clean Do a deep clean (sometimes called Spring Cleaning) or hire a professional cleaning team to make sure everything looks its best. Dust the house from ceiling to floor. Clean windows inside and out. Carpets should be professionally cleaned. Tidy up closets and cabinets. Check light fixtures for dust build-up. Pressure clean the home’s exterior.
- Go Neutral It is a common thought of sellers not to make interior changes (as in paint, etc.) because the buyers will want to make their own changes. That sounds very logical but the truth is most buyers purchase on emotion, not logic. The buyers are going to walk through your house and have either great feelings about it or not. Approximately 79% of buyers only want to buy homes they can move right into. Follow what builders do. Builders are in the business of selling homes and most of their model homes are very neutral. I suggest buying a little paint and neutralize those outdated colors.
- Home Inspection and Home Warranty Buyers love to know that this huge purchase they are about to make has had the best care possible and it will continue after they move in. Think like the buyer thinks and you’ll do great with the sale of your house. Consider hiring a home inspector. It’s most likely that the buyer will hire one anyway – but having a home inspection to present to a potential buyer (especially if any needed repairs have been fixed) will give you a leg-up in the market. Being honest about your home’s condition will help you avoid problems with a contract or your closing. Also, consider offering a home warranty. 8 out of 10 buyers prefer to buy a home with a warranty. Homes with warranties return a sales price that averages 3% higher than homes sold without. Homes on the market with a warranty included have been known to sell 50% faster than homes without a warranty.
The most important time in marketing your house is the first 30-45 days. Make sure your house is in its most sellable condition from day one.
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