If you’ve ever sold a home, you know that getting it ready to go on the market can be a challenge. One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a seller is trying to do everything on your own. Here are my top 4 tips to help you prepare your home for market:
- CONSULT YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT
BEFORE MAKING ANY MAJOR UPDATES OR REPAIRS:- Sellers sometimes fall into the trap of assuming that their home must be “done” before they ever call the agent, but an experienced listing agent is a useful resource in deciphering what actually needs to be done before you list your home on the market.
- Not all repairs, updates, or cosmetic improvements ensure a high return on investment, and tackling these projects without consulting your listing agent can be a costly mistake.
- GET HELP WITH CURB APPEAL PROJECTS
AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE ON ARRANGING YOUR SPACE
TO ENSURE YOUR HOME IS SHOWING DAY READY:- While it is fun to decorate our homes to live in, it is often an overwhelming task to redecorate our homes before a sale. Ask your agent to offer guidance on ways to declutter and neutralize your decor and furnishings to maximize your home’s visual impact for prospective buyers.
- If your home is vacant, consider staging it. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, “eighty-one percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.” Tasteful furnishings and accessories help demonstrate your property’s scale and showcase its features in photos and in person.
- SPEAKING OF PHOTOS, ENSURE YOUR LISTING
PHOTOGRAPHY IS TOP NOTCH:- Savvy listing agents know that high-quality listing photos are the foundation of a successful marketing strategy.
- These photos will be featured on social media, in the multiple listing service for other real estate agents, in print ads, and on consumer sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, and they will be your home’s first impression to nearly every prospective buyer who comes to see it.
- Click Here to learn about the professional photography services we offer to each of our sellers.
- GET YOUR DUCKS, OR DOCS, IN A ROW:
- If you have had major updates or repairs done to your home in the past ten years, it may be wise to track down those receipts. Having the paperwork on hand to demonstrate the actual age and repair of your roof, windows, HVAC, and appliances can help you and your real estate agent during the initial listing phase and during the negotiation of inspections and repairs once you are under contract.
These are just a few tips on how to prepare your home for market, but don’t feel like you have to go through it alone. Call me today to learn more about my Full Service Sellers’ Program. I’d love to answer your questions or assist you with your next sale! – Lisa Langenhennig