Selling Secret #1: Make sure the price is right
Find out your home’s worth, then lower the price by 5 to 10 percent. You will be overwhelmed by buyers with several bids and they will bid up to more than your home’s worth. Most sellers are intimidated by this risk, but it is the best method for selling a home in today’s market.
Selling secret # 2: Keep it simple
Buyers do not enter an agent’s office and ask to see homes priced at a specific price like $358,786 dollars. Instead they ask to see homes between $300,000 and $325,000. Price ranges that are in 25K dollar or 50k increments is what you should go for. Moving your home down to $350,000 (the next price point down) would increase your potential buyer pool. NEVER price your home at 299,999.00 because everyone searching for 300,000-350,000 won’t see your home because you believed 299,999 “sounded like a bargain”.
Selling Secret #3: Clear out the junk
Every buyer is on the hunt for storage space. They just can’t get enough of it! Make sure your closets are neatly organized and the junk is gone! Here’s a tip: take half of what’s in your closet out then neatly organize what is left. Don’t think for a second that buyers won’t snoop around your house!
Selling Secret #4: Let the sunshine in
Keep the lights on when you leave for a showing. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer says they want in a home. Take down the curtains, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
Selling Secret #5: Hide any evidence of Fido
As much as you love your adorable pet, he won’t be able to warm the hearts of potential buyers. Not everyone is an animal lover. Hide the bowl of dog food, chuck the kitty litter and call the carpet cleaner. You don’t want to leave the impression that your house is not clean. The best thing to do is send the pets to grandma’s house or a pet sitter during showings.
Selling Secret #6: Don’t over-upgrade
Keep the upgrades quick and simple! Don’t waste your money on an entire house makeover. It’s likely you won’t get your return on investment if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware,etc….. Call 757-717-1003 to talk to our agents to find out what you should do.
Selling Secret #7: Take the home out of your house
One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. This includes family photos, Tchotchkes, and personal awards and keepsakes out of the house. Pack it up. If you have a family of 6 people and a single person is planning on living there. They start to question themselves saying “well maybe this is an area only for families. Single people shouldn’t live here.” Or Vice Versa.
A family comes and looks at your house and they see Single people partying in your pictures…and they say “Oh is this a Party neighborhood? ” We have a home stager that will come out and do a consult with you to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space. IE. “Make the house “look bigger”
Selling Secret #8: Focus on your kitchen and master
You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen and the Master bedroom– that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get A HUGE portion of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $8,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. If you have a little money to spend, buy some fancy stainless steel appliances.
Selling Secret #9: Be ready for show time
Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. If it’s NOT inconvenient to have your house on the market, your are doing something wrong. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.
Selling Secret #10: The first impression is the only impression
No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. We recommend mimicking everything you see in a fine hotel room. Many people leave stacks of paper, junk mail and laundry laying around the house. What they often don’t realize is that potential buyers sometimes dwell on the little things like that instead of the house.
Bonus Secret: Take all offers seriously
Once you get an offer and if you’ve got the house looking fabulous it’s time to get down to business. We recommend responding to all offers no matter the amount. Never take any amount personally, you never know what the buyer’s final amount really is. It’s business and should be treated that way.
Bonus Secret: SMELL IS IMPORTANT
Having the house smell really good and clean is so important. When you live in your house sometimes sellers don’t even smell that the house smells like Cat urine or dogs. One of the first things anyone notices when they walk into a home is odor.
A strong odor can put off even the most interested buyers in an otherwise beautiful home. Smokers, pet owners and even people will children should be aware that others may smell odors in their home that they may no longer notice. For set-in smells like cigarette smoke, a paint job and new carpeting can make a huge difference.
The small investment can make the difference between someone making an offer and someone walking away. Don’t overdo it with the candles or air freshener, though. Even pleasant smells can turn buyers off if they are too strong.
Many buyers may wonder what you are trying to cover up or may be distracted by the smell in general. But, when you’re selling, make it welcoming by a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even baking some cookies to make the house smell like fresh baked cookies is always a treat. Even keep those cookies out for them is an extra plus!
