It’s not easy to sell your home. However, there are a lot of steps you can take to make it easier to sell your home quickly, for the price you want, and in a way that won’t make you pull your hair out. Today we’re going to help you zero in on the top ways to make your home selling experience as smooth as possible.
Selling Your Home Like a Pro
Get a Good Realtor
Finding a good realtor to help you sell the property is step one. In some senses, it’s step zero, because a realtor has a lot of skills that will help you navigate the complexities of selling property. Think of it like this: you wouldn’t go to court without a lawyer, would you? So why would you try to sell property without a realtor? A good realtor is worth their weight in gold, taking a ton of the more complex aspects of the sale off of your plate and helping you make the right calls.
Do Your Research
Next, you’re going to want to do your research. Find out what homes in your area are selling for, and figure out if you have any special qualities with your home that could make it cost more. Do you have a garage, a pool, a big yard or a particularly excellent location? If so, you should factor that into the asking price.
When you set your asking price, make sure it’s realistic and in line with other homes in your area. Your realtor should be able to help you figure out what a good opening price would be, so you don’t make prospective buyers think you’re disconnected from reality.
Keeping Things Clean
Make sure your landscaping and interior are on point when people come to look at the home. You want to have well-sculpted grass, trimmed hedges and trees all in line. Make sure there are no weeds in the flower bed and that things outside the home just look nice, in general.
On that same note, clean the inside of your home. Get rid of clutter and sweep, vacuum, clean out the cat boxes and clean the kitchen and bathrooms. It’s important that prospective buyers get a great first impression from your home. If they see everything is shiny and well-maintained, they’ll trust you more as a seller than if things were overgrown, cluttered and dusty.
The Best Photos
When you take pictures for the online listing, make sure they are top quality. Your realtor can help you with this, but here are some basics. Firstly, make sure it’s a bright, sunny day when you’re taking photos of the house. Show off every room in the house from the best angles, making them look as big as possible and filling them with natural light.
Keep all the blinds open when taking these pictures. Make sure there’s no clutter or junk around and in the way when you’re taking the pictures. The same goes for outside: no overgrown yards, ugly weeds in the neighbor’s yard, or beaten-up old cars in the background of the pictures. Remember: the first impression is everything in real estate.
The Yard Sign
Don’t forget to put up the “for sale” sign in the yard! While online listings and your realtor’s help are important for selling your home, you shouldn’t overlook old-fashioned curb appeal. People could drive by, see the for-sale sign and your excellently manicured yard, and say “I want to buy that place!”
Then, ta-da, you’ve got a prospective buyer and you only had to put up a sign. That’s the very definition of good marketing!