Tips to Sell Successfully

In a market where home inventory is low and demand is soaring, those looking to sell real estate may think that their home will move in mere minutes — and at a price that defies even the loftiest expectations. When left untethered, these dreams of big prices and warp speed sales can spell disaster — and major disappointment.

Don’t worry! You’re not doomed to this fate. With a few smart, premeditated steps, you can head-off common misconceptions and start on the path to a successful sale from the get-go. Here are some helpful pointers that you need to know before your home hits the market.

Staging Matters

Every agent knows the old adage, “Homes that don’t show well don’t close well.” But still, time and time again we see sellers rail against the time and cost associated with staging a home. Afterall, if they love their home as it is, why shouldn’t everyone else? This is a situation where sometimes showing trumps telling. If you don’t believe it, go on a two-home showing with your Exsell Realtor; one where the home is staged and one where the home is not. You’ll see a noticeable difference right away. This doesn’t mean you need to buy all new furniture, revamp your entire way of living, or even hire someone to stage your home. Some simple examples are:

Declutter, declutter, and declutter some more. If you aren’t using it, pack it! Less is more when you sell real estate and you’re trying to move on to the next stage, so why not be ready? You want to showcase the main features of your home like your flooring, counter space, wall space, and exterior. For example, if you have the knife set, coffee maker, cookie jar, and other miscellaneous items on your kitchen counter, tuck them away during real estate showings. It may look sterile and plain to you, but this gives buyers a clean slate to picture their own items. If your living room has two couches, three end tables, coffee table, lots of wall hangings, and area rugs, decide what you can temporarily live without. Removing the area rugs as well as removing one couch will open up the floor space and be perceived as more space. These simple steps can make all the difference.

Painting. No one really enjoys painting walls and we get it; however, a fresh coat of paint on interior walls can make a world of difference! Choose a neutral color that can be used in multiple rooms and watch the transformation it can make. It also is more visually pleasing and buyers will appreciate that clean, crisp canvas to work with.

Tidy up the lawn and exterior of the home. If you have a garden gnome collection for example, adorable as it may be, try packing those away for the new house. Throw down a layer of fresh mulch, plant some annuals for a pop of color, and if you have piles of debris in places (i.e. wood piles), get those cleaned up and organized too.

Your Market Sets the Pace for Pricing, We Help you Understand

To effectively price and sell real estate, we are taking into account your competition that is out on the market. Sellers can have a bit of a fogged view, if you will, and don’t realize that sentimentality does not play a role in pricing your home.

If your expectation on the pricing of your home seems significantly different from our market analysis, it may be worth taking a tour of the local competition to see homes that are on the market and priced at your expected level. We take the time to both educate sellers on the competition as well as share with you our expert opinions.

Minor Renovations May Help your Bottom Line

Before you list and start marketing the property, go over the improvements you know will make a difference when it comes to price. Some improvements can be as simple as a weekend of painting. An Exsell Realtor will shoot you their honest opinions; remember, we sell real estate every day. Ask your Exsell Realtor and they’ll help highlight your homes best features. Get in touch.

Offering an Incentive may be Advantageous

Be sure to ask your Exsell Expert about what incentives are the best for your home sale and are also agreeable to you. There are a number of ways to “sweeten” a deal and our agents will be happy to lay them out for you. One example is when you list your home, advertise a one-year home warranty to buyers. This can help a buyer feel more confident in their purchase knowing you are willing to supply a little added help; especially for first time home buyers.