The Top 7 Things You Should Do to Sell Your Home Quickly
1. Price it Right. Find out the value of your home, either by doing your own research or by hiring an agent to run comps for the area. Once you know the value of your property reduce the asking price by 15%. This will generate a rush of buyers and offers on your house that will bid up the price to where you originally wanted it to be or more. It takes courage to take that risk but listing your home low is the best strategy to sell your home quicker that the competition.
2. Let There Be Light. After the physical location of the house, light is the one thing that buyers say they want more of in a home. To maximize the light in a house take down or open drapes, clean the window (yes the screens too), change lamp shades, add brighter light bulbs and trim any bushes that maybe be blocking light from entering the house.
3. Find a Local Agent. Picking the wrong agent to list your home is a sale killer. Make sure you hire a real estate agent that is a local expert that has recent experience selling homes in your area. Interview your agents the same way you would interview a potential employee.
4. Don’t over Upgrade. Starting a home makeover project and doing large home improvements when you want to get your house sold quickly won’t get you a good return on investment and will take valuable time. Instead of taking on a large project before you list and market your house, walk around it with a note pad and write down anything you see that needs to be touched up, fixed or updated. Getting quick fixes done prior to listing your home can save time and could mean the difference between a quick sale and a long drawn out sales negotiation.
5. Remove the “You” From Your House. Adding your own personal touches like family pictures and keepsakes is what makes your house feel like a home. It also can have a negative effect on potential buyers, making them feel like they are in a home that belongs to someone else and can keep them from visualizing themselves living there. Prior to showing your home to buyers make sure you remove any personal items from the house. Hiring a staging company will maximize the full potential of your home’s layout and that will show in the amount of offers you receive.
6. The Kitchen Counts. You’re not selling your house you’re selling your kitchen. That’s how important the kitchen is to the quick sale of your house. If your kitchen isn’t in tiptop shape then consider updating your appliances. Stainless steel appliances can change the entire look and feel of a kitchen and should give you a full return on your investment.
7. First Impressions Count. When selling your home first impressions are crucial, in fact, buyers will have already started making their decision to buy your house before they ever walk through the front door. Making your buyers feel warm and welcome is just as important on the exterior of your home as it is on the interior. Start by adding flowers or inexpensive shrubs that add color to your home and entryway. An inexpensive can of paint and a little sweat-equity goes a long way and adds tons of curb appeal.