Selling Your Home: Three Fundamental Things You Should Do
Home sellers are often given a huge list of things they need to do in order to sell their home. The list can be quite overwhelming, especially if you have limited time or funds. However, if you look at most lists, you will find that the items can be broken down into three main categories. If you follow these action-items, then you’ll find that selling your home happens quickly. If you don’t, you are likely to leave money on the table.
#1 – Preparation
The first thing you need to do when selling your home is to prepare your home. This is sometimes called home staging and should be done both inside and out. The point of home staging is to make your home look its best. Most people find that starting the home staging process up to six months in advance is perfect.
Here are some specific preparation items to focus on:
- Declutter your home by getting rid of things you no longer use
- Make your kitchen look and feel clean and highly functional
- Clean your home from top to bottom. Consider hiring professionals.
- Spruce up your yard.
- Clean your gutters.
- Make your entryway welcoming.
- Add a pop of color to your front door.
- Don’t sell a vacant home. Rent furniture to help buyers see how your home’s functionality.
The preparation phase is helping your home make the best first impression possible. If you break this stage down into small steps, you’ll find the list quite manageable.
#2 – Pricing Your Home
Understanding how to price your home is critical to selling your home quickly. Remember, the listing price for your home should be based on facts, not on the feelings you have about your home. Listen to your real estate agent as they explain the true value of your home and what you can expect to get at closing.
Your agent will look at comparable homes in the area and base the price on:
- The current market
- Recently sold homes in the area
- Amenities in your home
- Square footage
- Bedrooms/bathrooms
- Updates
Buyers, due to the Internet, come to the home buying process fully aware of neighborhood prices. Pricing your home correctly will keep your home from sitting on the market too long.
#3 – Photography
Nine out of ten home buyers start their search for the perfect home on the Internet. This means that their first impression of your home is often a photograph. If the photos don’t excite a potential buyer, they won’t ask for a showing. That’s why having professional photographs of your home is imperative when selling your home.
Remember, you are selling a product. Your home is competing with other homes on the market. Bad photos cause buyers to assume that your home is not competitive. In fact, homes with poor photos often receive low offers if they receive any offers at all. Make sure your home shows well online with professional photography.
Hiring the right realtor will help you stage, price, and photograph your home in a way that puts your best interests at heart. If you are thinking of selling your home, give us a call. We’d love to hook you up with a list of preferred professionals that can help you with the preparation before hiring a professional photographer to show-off your home’s true value. Then, we’d be happy to talk with you about pricing strategies.
Don’t let the home selling process become overwhelming. Give us a call today.