Choosing your real estate professional is one of the most important decisions you will make when selling your property. We believe the more you look around, the more you will see the value of working with us.
However, no matter whom you choose, these simple tips will help you sell your home more quickly and efficiently.
Make first impressions count. Without a doubt, a visually appealing house will attract buyers, who can’t help but respond to the look and “feel” of a home. Take time to carefully prepare for showings.
Don’t forget the following:
- Cut the grass
- Remove any clutter from the yard
- Trim hedges
- Weed gardens
- Wash steps, windows, railings, doors, etc
- Paint if needed
- Remove unnecessary clutter from garages
Scrub, dust and fix up the works. Buyers will notice details. Get rid of the clutter, repair leaky faucets, wage war on dust and clean until your home shines. Small things can make a potential buyer walk away. When you prepare your house for showing, remember to:
- Shampoo carpets
- Clean tubs, toilets and showers and hang fresh towels
- Oil squeaky doors
- Fix things like broken hinges and light switches
Listen to suggestions. As you prepare your home, don’t rely solely on your own judgement. It’s hard to be objective when you’re the owner. Your realtor will have helpful, professional tips on how to make your home more marketable.
Take a whiff. Nothing will turn a buyer away faster than an odd smell. Try to eliminate smoking, food and pet odors. And don’t leave any clues. If potential buyers see a dog or an ashtray, they’ll be on the lookout for smells and stains.
Turn on the lights. Open shades and draperies before a viewing. Open all doors inside home. Turn on inside and outside lights.
Let potential buyers “see” themselves in your home. Too many personal items can make viewers feel like they’re intruding in someone else’s home. Keep things clean and simple. Decorate in neutral colors.
Get out of the house. When buyers view your home, they’ll be more comfortable and spend more time if you’re not there. If you must be present, be as unobtrusive as possible. Let your agent do the work.
Stay unemotional during negotiations. Selling your home can be emotionally charged, but don’t let that stand in the way of making a deal. Have a business-like attitude during the process.
Choose a Real Estate Professional you like and trust.
More Home Seller and Real Estate Tips
Getting a good potential house buyer is never a given, no matter how good the real estate market looks for sellers at any given time. That is why you need to prepare your home for sale before letting potential buyers see it.
As mentioned above, some of the things that you need to do are decluttering, repainting, and upgrading your home, as well as de-personalizing it — the potential buyer needs to be able to visualize it as their own home.
Here are the answers to some questions we hear a lot from home sellers:
What Is the Seller Responsible for When Selling a House?
The house selling process is usually complex since it involves many activities and several different real estate professionals. Before you get to the closing, the process can involve home inspectors, title companies, real estate agents, and the buyer’s mortgage company.
As a house seller, you will be the one responsible for paying for the owner’s title insurance, home warranty, real estate commission, and probably some of the closing costs. You will also be responsible for paying real estate transfer taxes and 50% of the escrow fee.
How Do You Make Sure Your House Sells Fast?
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For your house to sell fast, you need to price it correctly. To come up with the perfect listing price for your home, check the value of your home and then reduce the home’s actual price by around 15%. This tip can help you attract more potential house buyers, who might then bid the price back up if there is enough demand.
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You should also declutter and de-personalize the house. Decluttering and de-personalizing involve removing personal items such as family photos from a house that is on sale. When you declutter your house, potential house buyers will see all the areas of your home.
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Organizing your house will also help you to get to a successful home sale faster. When organizing the house, keep it simple and uncluttered, and try to use just a few furniture pieces to show the purpose of every room.
Should You Paint a House Before Selling It?
Before selling your house, you should apply a fresh coat of neutral paint to your walls if it has not been painted recently. The fresh coat of paint will make your home look brighter, larger, and more appealing. You should also make any necessary repairs that could put prospective buyers off. For instance, you should fix any leaky faucets and replace damaged window screens.
How Should Your House Look When Selling?
When marketing your house, you should ensure that it looks appealing. The good features of the home should be very visible. In short, the home’s overall environment should allow potential house buyers to imagine themselves in the house.
Even if you take all of the above steps, the home sale process can be daunting — especially for first-time home sellers. Real estate professionals like Team Linda Simmons can help you maximize your chances of a successful home sale.
We can help you with everything from setting the sale price to finding a professional real estate photographer to help prospective buyers see your home in the very best light. Plus, we know what similar homes for sale in the Enterprise, AL area are selling for, and what buyers are looking for in a new home.
Contact our real estate agents today to get started selling your home!