Top 40 Tips for Selling
Your home is likely your most valuable asset. Thus, selling it at good market value is incredibly important and can make a huge difference in your life.
To help streamline the selling process and to ensure the best results, we’ve compiled the top 40 tips for home sellers to get the best values and the most profits for their properties.
Understanding and embracing your motivation for selling your home can help you set the right asking price and sell your home faster.
With that in mind, don’t tell potential buyers and agents why you’re selling (divorce, death in family, loss of income, etc.). This can give them ammunition to negotiate a lower price.
Remember, your asking price is likely the maximum you’ll get for your home. Start too high, and your house may sit stale on the market. Start extremely low, and you’ll make less profit on your home. Research market prices in your area and talk to your selling agent about the right price for your property.
In addition to looking up prices of comparable properties in your area, find out more by making appointments to view these homes. This will let you know what sellers in your area are getting for homes of different sizes, with different floor plans, in good or bad condition, etc.
An appraisal lets your potential buyers know what they can finance your property for. It can help you sell your home faster. However, it does cost money, and there is no guarantee that the appraisal figure will be in your favor.
They’re based on multiple criteria and may not actually reflect your property’s actual market value.
The majority of people who sell their homes without REALTORS® say they wouldn’t make this mistake again. A quality realtor can be incredibly beneficial.
If you don’t leave room to bargain, you may have a very difficult time selling your home. Set a price that gives you and your potential buyers some wiggle room.
Your home’s look and feel can either make or break a sale. Paying attention to appearances can really pay off.
A new coat of attractive paint can do wonders as prospective buyers walk in the front door.
A few potted plants and some attractive outdoor furniture can give your porch a more welcoming feel.
You might be surprised at how much of an impression a beautiful-sounding doorbell can make.
Get the exterior of your home sparkling for prospective buyers.
Pressure wash your front walk too, and make sure that it’s well manicured.
A new coat of paint or a new garage door can do wonders for your curb appeal.
Get your clutter out of sight by getting it out of your house and into a storage facility. We cannot emphasize this anymore as clutter or personal items can deter a lot of entry level buyers.
You don’t have to have a prize-winning garden, but a well-kept lawn, hedges, shrubbery, and/or flower beds will make a much better impression than a bunch of ragged weeds.
Don’t stop at mowing the lawn. Trim your trees and hedges for a fully manicured look.
A new stain and some attractive lawn furniture can do amazing things to revitalize your patio and back yard.
Don’t hesitate to ask what others think of your asking price, your home’s curb appeal, and anything else you can do to make the sale go faster and smoother.
Get out your mop and gloves because you absolutely need to have your entire home completely clean before you start showing it. Make sure that all small repairs are done and all maintenance is current, too. It makes a huge difference.
Stage your home so that people can imagine themselves living there, not so that they feel like they’re walking in and intruding on someone else’s home.
If a prospective buyer walks into your home and smells something “funny”, they’re likely to walk right back out.
If your home has defects, be honest about them and disclose them early on to eliminate liability and future headaches.
Improve the marketability of your house, and you’ll more than likely attract multiple offers which translates to higher sales value. With numerous prospects and multiple offers, you can get a much better price for your house than if you just get a single offer.
Detach yourself from the effort, time, money, and emotion you’ve put into your house, and negotiations will go much more smoothly.
The more you know about why your buyers are interested in your property, the better prepared you’ll be for negotiations.
Try to find out how much your buyers are qualified to borrow for their mortgage. If they low-ball you with their offer, ask their agent if they’re able to pay what your property is actually worth.
Knowing your buyer’s deadline for closing can give you leverage during negotiations.
Closing on a new home before you sell your current property is risky business and can land you in a lot of financial trouble if you don’t sell quickly.
Vacant homes are easier to sell than homes that are occupied. This translates into showings, open houses, and overall flow of the home.
Trying to sell by a certain date creates a lot of pressure that you don’t need during negotiations.
Buyers want to get the best price possible, so they’re going to come in low. Don’t get offended or upset. This is just the beginning of the negotiation process
Evaluate the offer and then make a counter-offer. This gives the buyer the chance to come back with a serious offer.
A low offer typically indicates that the buyer isn’t serious and most likely isn’t qualified to pay what you’re asking for the property.
A complete contract will clearly detail all terms, costs, and responsibilities for all parties in the sale.
Don’t grant an early move-in date or any other contract deviations. Don’t take chances before the deal is complete.
Make sure that you schedule your closing for a time when no one is double-booked and everyone involved has the time to give your closing the attention it needs.
Showing up late for closing can actually be a deal breaker for some tenuous buyers.
Remember, until everything is signed the deal could still fall through. Keeping calm at closing can make all the difference.