Selling your home can be a very stressful process! So many things go into selling your home that, without a professional realtor to help, it can be hard to deal with. I am going to assume that you have already decided to hire a professional to make the process go a lot smoother, but it doesn't stop there. There are many things that only you can do to make sure that everything in your control is done for your home to SELL FAST! Sometimes it is a little tricky for a real estate agent to tell you what you need to hear without hurting your feelings, so I'm going to do it for them. These are 5 things that you, the homeowner, need to keep foremost in your mind:
1) DON'T OVERPRICE
The real estate market is booming right now, but over pricing a home can keep it from ever being shown. According to www.thebalance.com buyers won't make an offer on overpriced homes because they do not want to offend the seller. They believe that if the seller would take a lower price, they would have already had it at a reasonable price. Buyers also assume that the seller must have turned down low-ball offers from other buyers because surely someone, somewhere along the line, had offered a reasonable price to the seller. But many times, there are no offers at all. Don't be offended if you get a low-ball offer, be patient and willing to negotiate.
2) STAGE YOUR HOME
I get it! You have a personal attachment to everything in your house, but to a potential buyer it can be a very distracting. A buyer might be shown 5 houses in one day, so don't let your house be referred to as "the house with the mannequin collection.” Personal items including photos should be stored away. When a potential buyer walks in, you want them to imagine how this could be their dream home. The buyers may not enjoy seeing pictures of the first time your son peed in the back yard. Staging includes the outside too. Make sure the Yard is clean, the side walks pressured washed, and yard is clean. This is the very first thing the potential buyer will see. Be sure to make a good first impression.
3) PETS HAVE TO GO
Unfortunately, not everyone loves pets. If your house is being shown it is best if you take your pets with you. No one wants some random dog humping their leg no matter how cute he is. Honestly, if possible, remove all evidence that pets live there. Trust me, it will be one less thing that could potentially be a deal breaker.
4) REMOVE CLUTTER
This one is extremely important! As a real estate photographer, there is nothing more impressive than walking in a home that is spotless. The first thing I say to myself is "I could totally see myself living here." You want all the attention to be on the features of the home and not on the toys thrown all over the floor. Nobody wants to step on a Lego, trust me! Hide away all dirty laundry. You don’t want to be the house remembered as the one with the leopard print thong hanging from the ceiling fan. Also, don't leave anything that you would be embarassed by if your mother saw it (Wink Wink). I understand how difficult it is to keep your house "show ready", but it is SO IMPORTANT. Also, make sure your house smells good. There is nothing worse than walking in a house that stinks of moth balls or pets.
5) ALWAYS BE READY TO SHOW
Always be ready for your house to be shown!! People are going to want to look at your house at the craziest times- sometimes even ruining your dinner routine. Get ready to eat out and sacrifice your precious time riding around wasting time for people to look at your house. So many people put their home on the market and then it’s takes an act of Congress for it to be shown. Buyers are ready to buy NOW! If they have to wait to see your home but get to see four others, they are likely going to forget about yours and buy one of the others. Selling your home is annoying, but the only way it will sell is if it is being shown, a lot!
These are only a few things that a seller can do to make sure their house SELLS FAST. Always listen to your realtor. They have your best interest in mind. It might be hard to hear sometimes, but don't take offense. IT'S FOR THE BEST. You can find more tips to get your house SHOW READY by clicking on the link. I hope I've helped you sell your house fast!