Real Estate

The news headlines lately are full of less than encouraging news about the housing market. The market is showing signs of stabilizing, so obviously some home owners are successfully selling their houses! Following are some basic guidelines for selling your home in a challenging market.

After deciding you want or need to sell your home, you will probably want to find a good real estate agent to assist you to market and sell your home. A good agent is knowledgeable about the local market very well. Hopefully he/she has been working for a long time in your area, understands what features sell and why, and networks with local people and businesses to get their listings sold.

A good licensed real estate agent will have numerous marketing strategies to get your home sold in their bag of tricks. Other than word of mouth, they will likely utilize newspaper ads, fliers, and most importantly, the internet, specifically the Multiple Listing Service. More and more home shoppers are going online to comparison shop before they even drive around, so it is vital that your agent not only list your home on the Multiple Listing Service, at the very least, but also provide photos and perhaps videos of your home to entice buyers inside.

Once you have decided on a local agent to work with, it is your job now to get your home in show-worthy condition. Your agent will give you tips on what you can do to make your home appealing, but there are some specific things you can do that will get you the most money and sell your home faster:

Clean, clean, and clean some more. A dirty home is difficult to sell. You would think it doesn’t matter because you won’t be living there, but it does. If your home is dirty then a buyer will think you probably don’t take care of it. That’s not the message you want to send out. Also, a dirty home is not inviting, and atmosphere is everything for most potential home buyers.

Store your clutter. Put half of your personal items in storage. You want your home to look more like a model home, which means remove your personal pictures and personal care items that might make people uncomfortable. You want them to envision themselves in the house; not yourself and your family. This is especially important in rooms like the kitchen and bathroom where space is important.

Freshen up with paint. This is an inexpensive and relatively easy way to make your home more attractive. Neutral colors sell best.

Curb appeal. Stand outside your home and try to imagine how your home looks to a total stranger. Overgrown plants, poorly kept lawns, trash, debris, even toys should be removed. Your yard should appear well maintained if you want your house to appear inviting. Consider adding flower pots for color if you are listing your home during the growing season.

Home Staging. Professional home stagers make sure that a home appears clean, uncluttered, and visually ready for a buyer to picture themselves in your house. Why not check out a book from the library, or watch one of the home staging shows on TV for some tips on how to stage your home?

Remember that selling your home in a competitive market is possible…it just takes effort and determination on your part!

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