Tips to Sell Your House
Selling your house can be a real stress test. There is so much to do to get ready to list your home, but it doesn’t stop once you list your home for sale. You need to keep it up until the house is sold. And by sold, we mean the buyer has signed on the dotted line and has the keys to their new house and you have moved out.
The whole process can seem a bit overwhelming. But there ARE ways you can make the process a little easier. Here are 10 house selling tips to help you along the way. We even included a bonus tip that can save you thousands!
House Selling Tip #10: Make it Look Less Like YOUR Home
Depersonalizing your home is one of the most important steps in selling it. Potential buyers won’t be able to imagine living in your house if it includes personal keepsakes, memorabilia, and family photos. To maximize the potential of your house, consider hiring a professional home stager. Staging is simply the art of arranging furniture in a way that best displays the floor plan and makes the most of the space.
House Selling Tip #9: Clean the Closets
This one is somewhat related to number 10. Every buyer wants storage and can never have too much. Get rid of half your stuff and then organize the rest. You can bet buyers will look in your closets, so make sure you keep everything neat and tidy. You want the perception to be that there is plenty of space and storage.
House Selling Tip #8: Brighten Up the Space
Maximize the amount of light in your home. Good lighting (both natural and electric) is the number one priority for buyers after location. Clean the windows and take down the drapes. Change the lampshades. Increase the wattage of the light bulbs. Cut the bushes to allow for sunshine. Make your home brighter and more appealing.
House Selling Tip #7: Hide the Pets
It might seem like a cuddly pet would be a good idea to attract potential buyers. But that’s not the case. Some people are not cat and dog lovers. Buyers won’t be able to see past the bowl of dog food, kitty litter box, or pet hair sticking to their clothes. This will make buyers view the house as dirty. Send the pets to a pet hotel if you are hosting an open house.
House Selling Tip #6: Be Careful with the Upgrades
It pays off to make quick fixes before you sell. Not so for mammoth makeovers. If you start a major renovation project before your home goes on the market, you won’t get any of your money back. Do updates that are worth the investment and will bring you top dollar. Give your walls a fresh coat of paint. You can clean the curtains or buy new, inexpensive curtains. Clean the grout and replace door handles, cabinet hardware, closet doors, track, leaky faucets, and make sure they are in good condition.
House Selling Tip #5: The Most Important Room in the House
Your house is not being sold; your kitchen is being sold. This really is how important the kitchen is to buyers. It can make or break a sale. There are many benefits to remodeling your kitchen. The best part is that you will probably get 85% back. If your kitchen is old, it may cost you a few thousand dollars to install countertops. A buyer might want to pay $10,000 less if the kitchen looks outdated. Painting and new cabinet hardware are the quickest and most affordable ways to update your kitchen. You can give buyers a blank canvas to help them envision their style. Buy one stainless steel appliance if you don’t have the money to replace all of them. Why only one? When people see one expensive appliance, they tend to think that all appliances are high-end.
House Selling Tip #4: Always Be Ready for Showings
This is one of the house selling tips that some people struggle with. You should always have your house ready to show – you never know when a buyer will want to schedule an impromptu showing. It is important that your home is ready and available to buyers whenever they want to visit the house. Do not leave dishes in the sink. Keep the bathrooms sparkling clean. Also, make sure that there aren’t any dust bunnies in corners. Although it’s not the most convenient thing, it will help you sell your house.
House Selling Tip #3: Price Your Home Competitively
This is one step that many sellers (especially first-time sellers) mess up. You cannot put emotion into the valuation process. Your realtor can help you by looking at “comps” in the area. Comps is the industry slang for comparable home sales. Once you and you’re your realtor determine the value of your home, cut 5% or so off the cost. You will be more likely to see multiple offers early on. This is especially important in difficult markets.
House Selling Tip #2: First Impression is Everything
Buyers will pre-judge your home even if it is beautiful inside. Because of the accessibility of online photos, videos, and virtual tours, potential buyers have already seen your home online and formed opinions before they even show up. So the first impression is very important. You want people to feel safe, comfortable, and welcome as they enter your home. Brightly colored flowers and shrubs can be used to beautify your home’s exterior. Your home’s curb appeal can often bring you a return of 100 percent. It is also important to have an entryway. To you, it’s a place you use to store your keys and coat. When you show it to others, add a bench, fresh-cut flowers, or cookies to make it more welcoming.
House Selling Tip #1: Choose the Right Agent
Here we are, the most important of the house selling tips. Hiring the wrong real estate agent is a sure way to lose a sale. You need a knowledgeable agent who is familiar with your area. They should be monitoring the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) frequently and keep up to date on what properties are available in your area. They should be readily available to answer questions and help with all parts of the selling process.
BONUS TIP!!! – Don’t Waste Money with Traditional Real Estate Agents
Most real estate agents charge a fee based on the price of your home – usually 6%. So, the more expensive your home is, the more you have to pay them even though they are doing basically the same work. Seems fair? We don’t think so either. But you have other options. You could choose a Flat Fee Real Estate Agent. A flat fee agent will list your home for the same fee (usually much cheaper) regardless of the sale price. A flat fee broker is just one kind of discount real estate broker. With flat fee brokers, however, you may even be able to choose what services they perform for you and therefore have direct control over how much you pay them.
We hope you found these house selling tips helpful. Now go and save yourself potentially thousands of dollars by choosing a flat fee real estate agent when you list your home for sale!