8 Essential Tips That Get Homes Sold Fast (And For Top Dollar)
Tip No. 1 Know why you’re selling.For Most people, selling their home means cashing in their biggest asset. In other words, it must be handled with great care if you hope to protect-and capitalize on – your investment.
This was written with one goal in mind; to give you the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce stress that comes with the home-selling process.
Tip No. 2 Clean like you’ve never cleaned before.
Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour, dust…well, you get the idea. If your living room feels crowded, take out very piece of furniture you can get away with. If your homes still isn’t ready to appear in House Beautiful, then clean some more. Remember, you’re not just competing with other people’s homes-you’re going up against brand-new homes as well.
Tip No. 3 Fix everything no matter how insignificant it may appear.
The step that squeaks, the light switch that doesn’t work, the hairline crack in the bathroom mirror-they might be minor annoyances to you, but they can also be deal-killers. The problem is that you never know what will turn a buyer off. Even something minor that’s gone unattended can suggest that perhaps there are bigger, less visible problems present as well.
Tip No. 4 Remove all traces of you from your home.
When you toured other people’s homes, you may have felt some discomfort. This probably occurred because you saw, heard or otherwise sensed something that made you feel as if you were intruding into someone’s life.
The last thing you want others to feel in visiting your home is that same sense of discomfort. Avoid this by making your home as neutral as possible. Anything that interferes with a prospective buyers’ ability to see themselves living in your home must be eliminated. A few carefully chosen knickknacks and family portraits may add warmth and character to the home, too many are a distraction. Avoid unique or trendy color schemes-paint and carpet in neutral shades of white or beige.
Tip No. 5 The little touches can make a difference.
While personal items can detract, other small touches can help make your house a home to buyers. A well-placed vase of flowers, accent pieces of sculpture, potpourri in the bathroom-all can enhance the attractiveness of your home in a subtle, soft spoken way. Try perusing any of the home magazines for tips.
Tip No. 6 Don’t let a smell be your downfall.
Odd smells kill deals quickly. All traces of food, pet and smoking odors must be eliminated. Even when you’re sure they’re gone, don’t encourage prospective buyers to imagine things. If they know that you’re a smoker or that you have a dog, they’ll start smelling odors and seeing stains that my not even exist. Be safe—don’t leave any clues.
Tip No. 7 Disclose everything.
Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond the laws to disclose all known defects to their buyers-in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem, he can’t come back with a lawsuit later on.
Tip No. 8 Hire an Experienced Real Estate Professional
Remember this:
Maximum Exposure=Maximum Home buyers=Maximum Price
A successful , experienced real estate professional can bring your home the maximum exposure it needs. You’ll want the most qualified real estate professional who’s sold numerous homes because they’ve gotten the job done for many other home sellers. How can an inexperienced person give you advice on something that’s so important? It takes years to learn and become an expert at anything. The most qualified agents have skills in marketing, pricing your home to sell, photography, home staging, negotiations, qualifying home buyers, sellers disclosures, real estate contracts, inspections, etc….
If it sounds like selling a home is a lot of work, it is. It’s to be expected when selling anything of such great value. If you’re thinking of making a move give us a call at (956) 784-9874 to see how we can help you get your home SOLD.
