Seller's Guide
12 Things To Do Before Selling a Home
Selling a home can be one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life! You really want your house to catch a buyer’s eye. There is no need for you to be ripping down walls or spending an enormous amount of money on new flooring or furniture. We have gone ahead and put together a list of 12 things you can do to prepare your home for selling! These require little effort and money!
1. Declutter
Decluttering can open your eyes to any small repairs that need to be made, cracks in the walls, mold, paint job, etc. Less clutter also means less distraction. It is always good to donate some of your things or even have a garage sale! Having to declutter can give you time to store away all family heirlooms/pictures. Prospective buyers want to see a neutral space, somewhere they can envision their future. Having personalized items inside the house can distract the buyers from purchasing their potential dream home.
2. Deodorize your home
It is very important to have your home thoroughly deodorized before putting it on the market. Having a nasty smell can immediately send the buyers out the door. Treat the root cause of the smell. Once you have found what is contributing to the smell, eliminate it! Change your habits. If you are smoking inside the house, don’t smoke anymore! Vinegar can be used to deodorize any appliances and baking soda can be used for carpets or upholstered furniture.
3. Landscaping
Curb appeal is very important to prospective buyers. They want to feel like their future home is welcoming. Maintenance is key! Start by removing any dead tree branches, weeds, dead flowers, etc. Adding flowers to front of your house can help brighten the look. They can also hide any slight imperfections.
4. Update the Paint
After a few years of living in a home, it is not uncommon to have a few scratches, smudges, or dull paint on your walls! The color of paint on your walls is one of the first things that buyer’s notice. Neutral colors inside your home make it easy for buyers to picture their future inside the home. I would also recommend power washing the outside of the house as well. No buyer would want to purchase a home that does not look well-kept on the outside, not matter how beautiful the inside might be!
5. Fix Repairs
Fixing repairs before putting your house on the market can increase your chances of selling the house! No buyers want a house that needs tons of repairs their first year of moving in, they do not need that added stress! Making sure all appliances work is a great way to start! You can also look at any flooring, ceiling, HVAC problems, roof, etc. Presentation is key to selling a house!!
6. Deep Clean
It is important to do an intense deep cleaning of your house before putting it on the market. Even if cleaning is in your weekly routine, you need to make sure you get into all those nooks and crannies. You cannot overlook that closet that hasn’t been used in years! Work your way from top to bottom. Be sure to make those windows sparkle! With the right amount of cleaning, it can look like a different house in a few days!
7. Complete unfinished projects
No buyer wants to buy a home that is full of unfinished projects. Buyer’s may get intimidated by all the unfinished repairs the seller has in the house. It is a risk that they may or may not be willing to take. On top of the buyer jumping into the ‘unknown’, it will take more time and money having to finish the seller’s repairs.
8. Rearrange your furniture
Get rid of any damaged or oversized furniture in each room! Rearranging your furniture so it can be as open as possible is a great thing to do! It can help buyers visualize their own furniture in each room of the house.
9. Rent a Storage Unit
While you are decluttering your house, be sure to put anything that you may want to keep into a storage unit. This is important for any real estate photos that need to be taken and/or open houses you may have. You can improve presentability of your house for buyers. Having a storage unit can also help keep any valuable items you have away from nosey buyers!
10. Upgrade lighting
Go through each room thoroughly. Taking some pictures might help as well. Open all curtains and turn each light on. Keep in mind that showings could happen at any time of the day! Having a soft light in bedrooms add more of a ‘homey’ experience for the buyers. Strategically placed lighting throughout your house can help present your home to what a buyer wants to see.
11. Hide the pets and kids
While showing a home, buyer’s want to see a clutter less space. This allows them to imagine their future in this house, whether that entails having pets or kids in the future. Buyer’s want to imagine how they would live in the house, not imagine your family living in the house. It is very important to have an empty house for showings. Buyer’s do not need dogs barking or jumping on them as well as kids running around screaming.
12. Pictures
Hiring a professional photographer is something very important you should do as well! Professional photographers know how to capture your home in perfect light and angle. You will have the best possible pictures for your listed home! It will draw more attention and help sell your home fast!
Goal:
To select a price that is right on target and gets your home sold!
Rules of Thumb:
If you are getting showings but no one is writing an offer, it generally means that you are in the range of four to six percent above market price.
If your number of showings is low and you’re experiencing a lot of drive-ups but the buyers don’t come in to see the home, then your home is six to twelve percent overpriced.
If no showings are happening at all, then your house is likely priced twelve percent or more above what the market will bear for your property!
If after 8-10 showings you do not receive an offer, call us to determine if we need a price reduction.
The Real Value of Your Home Is Based on Facts
A good real estate agent will show you the facts regarding the price your home will sell for. The most revealing fact is the price that buyers have been willing to pay for homes similar to yours. These are called comparable sales and are available to every real estate agent in our area.
Don’t select your agent based on the price they say your home will sell for. Remember, the agent you choose isn’t buying your home; your agent is responsible for marketing your home.
Unfortunately, a homeowner will often select the agent who quotes the highest price. Sometimes, an agent who understands this will tell a seller an inflated price to get the listing.
The agent who is willing to list your house at the highest price is the least likely to get your home sold for top dollar. An agent who knowingly takes an overpriced listing usually plans to start “working on you” immediately to get a series of deep price cuts. The problem, besides your frustration and feelings of betrayal, is that all the other agents quickly decide your home is an “overpriced burden” and won’t even consider showing it. You have to cut your price well below fair market value to get the other agents to think of it as a good value! The result is that your home takes longer to sell and you get less money.
The secret to getting the most money and the quickest sale with the fewest problems is to price your home properly, from the start. The facts are available and they are clear and convincing. The best way to select a real estate agent is to find the person with the best strategy for marketing your home.
Working With CANZell Realty To Get Your Home Sold!
Pricing Your Home
When selling your home, one of the hardest things can be deciding on the price. You’ve called us in as experts to sell your home and to help you price it so it will sell. We’re truly dedicated to getting you the most money you can receive from that sale. In addition, we recognize there are many reasons you may already have a certain price in mind. You may be considering...
Your Original Purchase Price
Chances are you paid market value. However, markets change, and today we have to deal with the current market conditions. If you inherited the property and paid nothing for it, would you sell it for next to nothing? Of course not. You’d price it at fair market value and sell it for what the market will bear.
Improvements
Improvements should be made for enjoyment, not resale. You cannot add an improvement to a home, select based on your style, use it, and then expect a buyer to pay the original cost. Likewise, maintenance preserves the value, but does not create value. If you needed a new roof, it was needed as a maintenance requirement and cannot be added to the market price of your home.
Your Need For Money
Your need for money or the fact that you are moving to a more expensive area where you will have to pay more for a home has nothing to do with the home’s current market value.
The Cost to Rebuild Your Home Today
Construction cost does not take into account market value either.
Your Personal Attachment to the Property
- The factors above may influence the price in your mind; but as you can see, they really have nothing to do with what your home is actually worth in today’s market. Over the years, we have often heard these comments from sellers:
- “Another agent said it was worth more.” “People always offer less than the asking price.” “The buyers can always make an offer.”
- “My neighbor was able to get his price.”
- “My house is better than these other homes.” “We paid more than that for our home.”
- “We just painted and added new carpet.”
- “I need this much money for our next house.”
Although some of these comments may be true, they are not valid when deciding on the right price
If you want to know how much your home is worth, fill out the form below:
