Selling a Home

Selling your home or property can be tough for many reasons but in order to get your home ready to sell there are some things you need to consider.

Are you emotionally attached, if it is your “home” you may be and this is something that you will need to consider before you begin marketing.  You have to start thinking of your property as a marketable commodity and de-personalize it.

DE-CLUTTER!  Take a step back and pretend you are the buyer of your home.  Your agent will be very good at walking through as an outsider and letting you know what you need to focus on prior to putting the home on the market.  Clutter tends to collect everywhere so that means when you sweep through the home to eliminate some of your personal items, be sure you open drawers, closets, attics, basements and cabinets.  Also take a look at your yard and the exterior of the home.

How do you improve your home’s value?

The general rule in real estate is that buyers seek the least expensive home in the best neighborhood they can afford. In terms of improvements, this means you want a home that fits in the neighborhood but is not over-improved. For example, if most homes in your neighborhood have three bedrooms, two baths and 2,500 sq. ft. of finished space, a property with five bedrooms, more baths and far more space would likely be priced much higher and likely be more difficult to sell.

Improvements should be made so that the property shows well, is consistent with the neighborhood and does not involve capital investments, the cost of which cannot be recovered from the sale. Furthermore, improvements should reflect community preferences.

Cosmetic improvements – paint, wallpaper and landscaping – help a home “show” better and often are good investments. Mechanical repairs – to ensure that all systems and appliances are in good working condition – are required to get a top price.

Ideally, you want to be sure that your property is competitive with other homes available in the community. REALTORS®, who see numerous homes, can provide suggestions that are consistent with your marketplace.