Are There Really Secrets To Selling Your Home Fast?
I am sure you have already read articles that boast that they have the 10 “Best-Kept Secrets” for Selling Your Home. They speak of “tricks of the trade” to help you get top dollar. In reality, selling your home fast comes down to just a few things.
- Marketability (how nice your home looks)
- Marketing Ability (how good your Realtor® is)
- Price
So here are our “Secrets and Tricks” for getting your house sold as fast as possible.
Selling “Secret” #10: Pricing It Right
How fast do you want to sell? Find out what your home is worth, then shave a bit off the price. Do you be stampeded by buyers and multiple bids; than take 10%-20% off the price — even in the worst markets — they’ll bid up the price over what it’s worth. Don’t want to take that much off, take 5% off and see what happens. It takes real courage and most sellers just don’t want to risk it, but it’s the single best strategy to sell a home fast in any market is to price it under the competition. If that isn’t to your liking, offer incentives like closing cost to attract buyers.
Selling “Secret” #9: Half-empty Closets
Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there so the buyer can see where their stuff might go. Be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy. Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of.
Selling “Secret”#8: Light It Up
Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
Selling “Secret” #7: The Right Agent
A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong Agent. Make sure your Agent is informed, knows what properties are going on the market in your area and knows the comps in your neighborhood specifically. Find an Agent who embraces technology – a tech-savvy one has many tools to get your house sold.
Selling “Secret” #6: Conceal The Pets
You might think your dog or cat will warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you’d be wrong. Not everybody is a dog- or cat-lover. Buyers want to see their home when they are walking throughout the house, they don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the critters to a pet hotel for the day.
Selling “Secret” #5: Careful Not To Over-Upgrade
Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Entire Makeovers, probably not. You most likely won’t get your money back if you do the huge improvement project you wanted to do 5 years ago. So before you put your house on the market talk to your Realtor®, they will know what the other homes in the area look like inside. Do the suggested updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. A new fresh coat of paint on the walls, clean carpets and curtains, replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout. Details like these might be more important to a buyer than Granite Countertops in the bathrooms!
Selling “Secret” #4: It’s Property To You, Home To Them
One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Pack up the family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home (staging means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space).
Selling “Secret” #3: They Buy The Kitchen
You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated or the appliances don’t match. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style.
Selling “Secret” #2: Always Be Ready To Show
Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.
Selling “Secret” #1: The First Impressions
The first impression might be the only impression, so be ready when they call. It’s all about Curb Appeal! No matter how good the interior of your home looks, if it looks dirty on the outside the buyers have judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s curb appeal. Entryways are also important. You use it as a utility space for your coat and keys. But, when you’re selling, make it welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even some cookies.
