Thinking About Selling??? Read These Handy Tips BEFORE You List Your Home For Sale
4/1/20191.) RESEARCH YOU LOCAL MARKET - Start the process by researching what the conditions are like in your local market. You can find this information on sites like Realtor.com, Zillow, RedFin, etc. Take a look at some of the comparable sales in your neighborhood to give you a good indication of where your house is sitting. Pay attention to things like, square footage, features, and location. This should give you a good feel for where your price point will be. A Realtor should be able to assist you with this process also.
2.) FIND A LISTING AGENT - It is highly recommended that you enlist the services of a professional real estate agent. there area various ways of finding this person. You could contact your local lender to ask their advice, ask family and friends if they know of an agent, or even scout for one on the internet. When you do find one, make sure you ask them about their knowledge of the neighborhood, connections to possible buyers, and their marketing expertise. The Realtor you choose should be able to give you a thoroughly laid out plan for what they are going to do to sell your home.
3.) BUY MORE LIGHT BULBS - Go ahead and stock up on light bulbs. I suggest the Day Light variety. When showing your home tp potential buyers, all lights and fixtures will be turned on. It is important for all lights to be in working order to showcase your homes beauty.
4.) GIVE YOUR HOUSE A DEEP CLEAN - First impressions mean a lot. Before listing your home, give your home a deep clean. You may want to consider hiring this out to a local cleaning company. Having them go through your home to clean all floors, windows, mirrors, bathrooms, rugs, and any corner in your home where cobwebs, or dust bunnies could be hiding, might just very well be worth the time, hassle, and headaches it saves you. You want to ensure that your place is in pristine condition. You won't want to let foul orders, dirty floors, or dusty surfaces be the reason a potential buyer choose another home in your neighborhood over yours.
5.) DECLUTTER YOUR HOME - Decluttering and having your place in order will go a long way in appealing to potential buyers. When a home is free of clutter, potential buyers are able to envision themselves living in this space, and how their belongings could fit.
6.) CALL A HANDYMAN - You will want to make sure everything that has been on your 'Honey-Do-List" gets done. Finding a local handyman and handing that list over to them will free yourself up for the other things that need to be done before your home is listed. By taking care of these issues (leaky faucet, running toilet, cracks in the walls, broken appliances, squeaky door, etc.) in advance you will be ahead of the game. Otherwise this gives way to potential buyers thinking your home may not have been taken care of properly, which then gives way to those same buyers wondering what else may need fixing right away.
7.) PAINT THE WALLS - Now is the perfect time to give the walls in your home a facelift. Start off by painting the walls in your home a neutral color. Even though you are a Prince fan, and have turned one of the rooms in your home into a tribute room by painting it with purple walls, this may not be everyone,s cup of tea. Think more along the lines of light grey, light beige, and "greige" wall colors. These colors will help make your home appear bigger, brighter, and more welcoming when first entering. Lighter colors will also give potential buyers a blank slate for them to imagine what their color styles could look like in your home.
8.) STAGE YOUR HOME - According to various studies, staging a home really can help the selling process along, and possibly even get you more money. (Look for upcoming tips on How To Stage You Home On A Budget). Don't forget about your curb appeal outside either. A potential buyers first impression of your home happen way before they enter the front door. Make sure your grass is cut, weeds are pulled from your landscaping, any loose shutters have been addressed, gutters have been cleaned out, and any yard knick knack's are stored away (think kids toy's, bikes, yard decorations - this includes the big ones, like a boat or camper.) If the outside is a little faded, you may want to consider a fresh coat of paint on the walls and trim also.
9.) HAVE YOUR REALTOR HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER - Considering many of today's buyers begin their search online, it is imperative to have high resolution, and high quality photos to showcase your property. Your listing agent should be able to direct you to the best person suited to do this job.