Selling a home is a complicated process that requires a lot of work, both physically and mentally. However, you don’t have to spend sleepless nights wondering how to sell your home.
If you have been keeping an eye on your local market and have done your research, you should have a pretty good estimate of the value of your house and that can help you avoid unnecessary stress when it comes to listing. You can get a buyer quickly and move on.
However, selling a home can be a nightmare if you don’t understand the process, have no idea what your home is worth or if you are overly emotionally invested to your house. Either way, there are things you need to keep in mind before you decide to sell your home to help you get more bang for your buck.
How To Get The Most Out Of Selling Your Home
1. Do Necessary Repairs If You Can
Potential buyers will be taking a very critical look at your home. Any paint chips, broken outlets or water stains will be noticed and those things will be taken into consideration if they decide to place an offer.
Get a pen and paper and walk around your home and write down all the things you notice that need fixing or that would turn off buyers. If you have trouble evaluating your home, ask your agent or a friend to do a walk through. Once you have your list, decide what you can and can not do, based on your know-how and budget.
Now some things may be quick and easy to correct. Do them! But don’t disregard them as unimportant. Broken items in your home to buyers signal neglect. They will wonder and surmise that if you haven’t taken care of the little things, what major things have you ignored. Those little things could scare off a buyer completely.
Major repairs, such as windows replacement, can be costly. But don’t write it off your list without proper investigation. You may find that improving the aesthetic look of your home plus the energy saving potential will prompt buyers to place an offer that would be above and beyond your initial investment. A proper cost analysis and home evaluation can help you decide if a major repair is worth undertaking.
Of course, sometimes time and/or budget will not allow you to do all the things you want to do before you have to list your house. That’s ok too. Just realize that you should disclose any problems to prospective buyers and make sure your listing price reflects the market minus repairs the new homeowner will have to make. Don’t ever try to hide or cover up problems with your home. Pretty much every home sale these days includes a home evaluation before a sale is complete. If your house fails it, it could cost you the sale or thousands of dollars to get the deal done.
2. Get Rid of Clutter
A cluttered home also signals neglect and may give the illusion that your home doesn’t have enough closet space or your home is just too small. And that may not be the case at all. You may just have too much stuff that has accumulated over the years. Make your home as clutter-free as possible to create space in your home and to reflect pride in ownership. Get rid of unimportant things and temporarily store sentimental stuff off your property at a friend’s house. You should even consider excess furniture as clutter. If you plan on keeping it, temporarily rent a storage locker till you need it for your new home.
Clutter makes the place look untidy and unwelcoming. You want potential buyers to be able to see their own possessions in your home and they won’t be able to if your stuff is clogging up their imagination.
Check out this post for more declutter tips before moving.
3. Repaint your House
A fresh coat of paint will lift and lighten your home’s atmosphere plus give it a clean and tidy look. Painting your home is one of the most budget friendly upgrades you can make before you list your home for sale. A can of paint and a few hours of your time is all it will cost you but the payoff could be huge. Potential buyers love “maintenance free” homes and if you can cross painting off of their moving list, you could solidify your sale! If you haven’t painted in a long time, or your walls or are scuffed or your colours are dated, perhaps you should re-paint.
Of course, the colours you choose to paint can make a huge difference when it comes to getting potential buyers attention for the right reasons:
- Tin colours can make a place lifeless.
- Contemporary colours makes your home look up to date. (Visit your local hardware store and ask a painting specialist about trending colours.)
- Avoid using bright colours because not everyone likes them and they may not match buyers’ style or decor.
- Neutral colours (especially creamy and white shades) appeal to everyone because they go with everything.
Remember, you are not painting the house for yourself but to attract a new buyer. If you need help choosing a colour, go to some new home open houses in your area and see what colours the walls are painted. New homes are painted with colours that attract the most buyers. That is what you want.
4. Work with a Trusted and Competent Real Estate Agent
I know you may be tempted to sell your home on your own to save a few dollars. But if you do not know what you are doing or you price your home too high, you can lose potential buyers and time while you try to figure everything out. It really isn’t worth it.
A real estate agent will not only help you price your home correctly, suggest improvements and handle all the paperwork. They will verify potential buyers and be your buffer when it comes time to negotiate price. This is especially important if you are emotionally tied to your home. Getting low ball offers are all part of the game and a good agent will be able to secure a good offer for you without letting you get offended or letting a potential buyer walk away.
When it comes to choosing a real estate agent, don’t choose the first agent you meet or a friend/family member because you feel obliged. Your home is your biggest asset and you want to make sure you are putting it in very capable hands. Ask for references. Check online reviews. And interview at least three real estate agents before making your final decision.
5. Use Exceptional Photos for Marketing the House
There is no getting around it. We live in a very visual world. And whether you choose to list your home yourself or use an agent, your home will be listed online. Awesome home images will be instrumental in securing potential buyers to come see your home. And that will increase your chances for offers and eventually a sale. The first impression matters!
Even if you have an agent, you can be a part of the marketing of your home. Make sure your images will be taken by a professional. Don’t take them yourself or let your agent take them unless they are highly skilled. Insist on being there when the images are taken so you can view them as they are done. Moving a piece of furniture or decluttering a shelf may not be noticeable to you in real life but images may reveal otherwise. If you are there, you can make those adjustments and have them take the photos again.
Selling your home can be very stressful and over-whelming. By learning more about the process and making sure your home is in tip top shape, you can get the best offer without a lot of hassle.