What Can a Seller Do to Make Their House More Attractive to Buyers?
Once it has been decided that you want to sell your home it is time to get serious about doing it. The longer you put off actually listing the property the less motivated you will become. Do some preliminary research to educate yourself about the real estate market in your area. What information should you be looking for?
An easy way to see what is happening in your community is to be observant-pay attention to the number of signs in yards and if they seem to be concentrated in certain areas of your town. Are the signs advertising “For Sale By Owner”? The more of these signs you see may tell more about the current market than news reports. Many owners trying to sell their house without having to pay a commission are probably doing so because they are financially unable to pay a professional to represent them. This is an alert for buyers and sellers alike-use caution and if there is a high percentage of these types of sellers it may wise to explore the reasons. Informally tracking the signs may give you a good idea of how long it is taking for homes to sell. Make mental notes of the signs that are “sold” in the shortest time span. Note whether the properties that are sold in the least amount of time are represented by the same real estate companies. A sign that stays in your yard by a discount broker for a longer period of time will end up costing you more in the long run than a sign that produces a quick sale. Homes that sell in shorter time periods makes the area more desirable for other potential buyers too. Anything that is capable of making an area seem more exclusive and appealing will continue increasing the values of properties.
Once you have interviewed a few realtors and gotten the numbers that reflect the market value of your property, you must make the decision that you think will benefit you the most. Which realtor has given the most information, the most marketing tactics, the best ideas for preparing the property for sale, and shows the most enthusiasm and excitement about listing your property? These are important things to consider and will be the difference in the results that you get. A realtor with several avenues of advertisement will be able to promote your home to more potential buyers. The number of agents in their real estate company may also help create interest in your property, help it to get more showings, and sell faster. Choosing the right real estate agent will not only make the experience more pleasant, it may mean the difference between a quick profitable sale and a long drawn out process. The least amount of time a house is on the market the more profitable it is for sellers-time is money!
Following the suggestions that your chosen real estate professional gives is very important. Why bother getting the best person for the job if you aren’t going to follow their advice? Unless they tell you to paint your house pink with purple trim and not to mow your grass, listen to their suggestions and do what they suggest. The agents in your area know what homes sell quickly and what will stay on the market for an extended time. Some things to expect an agent to tell you to do are sprucing up the outside and de-cluttering inside and out. Start by getting rid of anything not necessary for daily living and display as much useable space as possible. A fresh coat of paint will not produce more return on investment if there is so much stuff in a room that it can not be seen. An agent will probably make suggestions that are no cost or can be done on a conservative budget-unless there are major problems with a property. They may suggest having a home inspection that can be shown to prospective buyers and give them an incentive to pursue a pre-inspected home rather than one with unknowns. Offering a home warranty is also a cost effective marketing tool-the less a buyer has to worry about the more appealing it is. The more easily a buyer can take possession of a home the better. Offering pre-inspections, home warranties and quick possession may increase the number of offers that are made on a property. Anything that a seller can do to show buyers that they will not have to spend time and money, just to move in, will increase the number of serious buyers’ interest.
If you are serious about moving on and getting your current residence on the market and sold as quickly as possible, do some initial research and hire a real estate agent that will guide you in making your home more marketable. There are no promises that your property will be sold as soon as you’d like, but, if you prepare your property you will be more likely to get satisfying results. Time is money in any venture-real estate transactions included.
