Here are the 9 things you need to do to get your home Sold in this market!
1. View your home as if you were a prospective buyer.
It must be sparkling clean, smelling good, ruthlessly uncluttered and free of owner's personality.
2. Eliminate any unpopular colors and dated decor.
Buyers find it difficult to picture themselves living in a home that doesn't work with their decor or colorings. In a highly competitive market buyers will reject outdated features or will want to deeply discount the price.
3. Occupy or stage the home.
Buyers appreciate a home that is well attended. A vacant home typically feels cold and empty, while one that is still occupied has a warm, cozy feel, attracting more buyers. For vacant houses, consider hiring a staging professional that can add emotional spark to make a buyer want to come back. 91% of staged homes sell in less than 60 days and for more money.
4. Do not overprice the home.
Buyers today are looking for a bargain, and the seller in the end will likely have to bring the price down to meet market demands. The longer a home sits on the market, the stronger the negotiating position of the buyer.
5. Select Internet-friendly pricing.
More than 80% of home buyers begin their real estate searches online. Most real estate sites filter the prices in the $25,000-$50,000 increments. So while a creative price of $555,777 may grab attention, buyers who set their search maximum filter at $550,000 will exclude it. Additionally, prices ending in 000 (such as $500,000) tend to sell at a larger discount than homes ending in 500 (such as $524,500).
6. Do watever it takes to be gone for showings.
Too much conversation, mixing wrong personality types, and pets are deal killers. The buyer is not there to buy your home but instead to buy your house to make it their home. Let the buyer mentally move in.
7. List the home on a Friday.
Most buyers are checking out new listings on Fridays so they can see what is new for the weekend.
8. Monitor local foreclosures.
Foreclosures are costing sellers money and have become very aggressive opponents in today's marekt. If the neighborhood has a lot of foreclosures, wait until they are sold before listing the home, if at all possible. Most banks are extremely eager to sell, thus creating an underpriced competitor. If the seller cannot wait to list the home, it will need to be priced competitively with the foreclosures, which can dig significantly into the home's equity.
9. Keep records.
Foreclosures do not come with any disclosures and are being sold "as is" without any background information. Sellers who keep unpdated records, photos and permits handy for the buyer to review will make them feel much more confident about buying the home, giving the seller a competitive advantage over foreclosed properties in the neighborhood. Consider completing a professional housing inspection prior to offering the home for sale and have a copy available for viewing. In addition, purchase a 1-year Home Warranty for the buyer as it will help the home sell quicker and for more money.