Selling (and buying) a home is generally one of the biggest and most important transactions in one's lifetime.  In order to avoid costly mistakes and receive a maximum return on the sale, it is important to familiarize yourself with the selling processes as well as what buyers are attracted to in your particular market area.  Understand the importance of first impressions to potential home buyers.  Keeping abreast of such items will help ensure an optimal sale. Here are some useful tips to help you with the selling process:

 

 

1.  Optimize your homes exterior: Pay special attention to the exterior front and landscaping.  Make sure trees, shrubs and lawns are trimmed and cut.  If possible, plant some colorful flowers in the front and window boxes.   Do any necessary paint touch up on trim, windows and other exterior surfaces.  Check the front door and garage door for any cosmetic repairs or paint.

 

2.  Put away clutter:  Evaluate each room individually and determine what the minimum amount of furniture and household items you can have in that room.  Attempt to clear off tables and desks.  Tidy shelves and straighten books.  If you feel some rooms have too much furniture, removing larger pieces can make the room appear larger.  Check hallways, staircases and other walkways for clutter and make sure they are easy to walk through.

 

3.  Make your home look spacious and bright:  Change light bulbs to maximize wattage, open drapes and shutters.  Consider repainting your interior a brighter color if a dark of dull paint scheme is making your home feel dark.  If you do repaint, use white or light shades which generally appeal to a wider range of buyers. 

 

4.  Smell and sound:  Attempt to appeal to multiple senses.  Get rid of any offensive smells by cleaning and using air fresheners.  Bad odors are especially non-conducive to selling a home.  In addition to air fresheners, some buyers bake bread or cookies before a showing.  Turn your TV off.  Try playing some soft inviting music.

 

5.  Be absent: It is always a good idea to not be present during a showing.  This allows prospective buyers to be comfortable when making objective comments about your home and allows them to talk and ask questions freely without worry about offending the homeowner.  Buyers do not like to feel like they are intruding into some one's home or that they are interrupting anything. 

 

6.  Evaluate your agent's marketing plan:  At Discovery Property Group, we are happy to explain our marketing plan to ensure it is compatible with how you envision the sale.  From print advertising to Internet listings, it is important that the home seller's opinion on marketing is harmonious with their agent's advertising plan.

 

7.  Be aware of the market:  If you have control over the timing of your sale, understanding the current market trends are important and can greatly affect the price and terms your property may command.  If possible, sell during times when supply is tight and demand is great.

 

8.  Stale listings:  Make sure your listings do not sit on the market for an unreasonable amount of time.  This can lead buyers to believe there are problems with the property.  Other buyers may be looking at more recently listed homes.  If your listing is beginning to get stale, consider taking it off of the market for some time before putting it back up for sale. 

9.  Pricing:  Proper pricing is critical when selling a market.  The dangers of overpricing a home often results in a long market time and an eventual sale of a price below what could have been obtained if the home was priced properly in the beginning.  The problems with underpricing are obvious.  Make sure your agent is competent when setting your asking price and it is a good idea to review the pricing analysis yourself. 

 

10.  Disclosures:  As a seller, protect yourself by disclosing accurately and completely everything about your home.  It is much better to disclose items that may not need to be disclosed rather than disclose too little and face problems from the buyer later.

 

11.  Hire a top professional agent:  Work with someone who has a good reputation and is compatible with you.  Make sure your agent holds communication as a top priority.  Make sure you both understand the fiduciary relation between you and seek an agent who will hold this relationship in an importance far greater than that of the commission he or she may receive.