It is a tough market when it comes to selling your home. According to the U.S. Census and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, sales of new single-family houses in May 2011 were below April expectations, but still above May 2010 estimates. The average home sales price was $266,400 and seasonally-adjusted new home-for-sale estimates for May was 166,000—so competition is fierce. Preparing your home for sale these days, is both a science and an art.
Realtor or Sell on Your Own?
Consider your house a marketable product, not your home, and you will kick-start the selling process. Detach yourself and decide how best to market it. If you genuinely have the know-how and conditions are right in your region, you might want to consider cutting out the middleman and selling it on your own. For most of us, that is not a viable option, especially in this market. Hiring a professional realtor may give you an edge and relieve some of the stress.
How to Choose Your Real Estate Agent
Realtor or For Sale By Owner?
Preparing to Sell Your House Quickly
Ready to Sell Checklist
Make Small Repairs
Fix the small stuff, do not renovate or you likely will not recoup your investment. You are selling your home to break even or to make money to get another home. Repair cracks, repaint in neutral colors, refinish floors if need be, but leave the big fixes to the next owner. Hire a cleaning service to thoroughly clean the house from top to bottom. People like clean lines, sparse or empty homes that they can envision as theirs.
Making Repairs Before You Sell
Choosing Neutral Paint Colors
Hiring a Cleaning Service
Refinishing Hardwood Floors
Creating an Atmosphere
Hiring a professional stager may give you a sales edge. They understand that less is more and know how to use the fewest possible pieces of furniture and accessories to create an ambiance that screams “Buy me!”. Get rid of clutter if you can’t move out before selling your home. You want the potential owner to feel that your house is their home. The simpler the style of your home’s furnishings, the more likely that those looking at your home will be able to see it as theirs.
Home Staging Secrets
Decluttering Checklist
Home Staging FAQ
Hiring a Home Stager
First Impressions
Curb appeal is real estate’s term for first impression—what the potential buyer sees before they set foot into your house. This means keeping your lawn mowed, bushes, trees, and shrubs trimmed, and flowers well-maintained. If you need minor cosmetic work to the home’s façade, wash it down, make sure that your concrete, driveway, garage and pavers look good. The gold is in the details. Eye candy can mean money in your pocket.
Ways to Add Curb Appeal
Cheap Ways to Add Curb Appeal
Front Yard Landscaping
Pruning Techniques
The Big Day
Showing your house to strangers can be difficult especially during inclement weather. First, the basics: remove pets, litter boxes, make sure no little ant trails are littering your kitchen. Some like lit candles and soft music playing in the background, some feel it is distracting. If it is wintertime, keep your driveway and porch free of snow. Always leave your house and let the realtor show it unless you are selling it yourself. This is because some buyers will make first impressions about a house based on the kind of people that live there currently.
Professional Home-Showing Tips
Selling Your Home in the Winter
Ambiance Tips
Home Showing Safety
Money Talks
If your home is not selling, you may want to look at what similar houses are going for in your neighborhood. This can get personal. You put a lot of work and heart into your house and if someone is selling a comparable house down the street for more, you have to rethink your strategy and decide if your bond with your home has allowed you to price it too high. Remember, that location plays a huge role in the sale of your house, no matter how nice the curb appeal or the home is. Always be detached, look at your house like a potential buyer would, not as you have seen it for the time you have lived there. If you need to lower the price, then lower it. But do not rush into decisions based on the first offers that come your way. Sleep on it if you have time, think about it. If you have done your research and prepared your home properly, you can set a price that will work to make the sale.
What Price Should I Set?
Dangers of Overpricing Your Home
Factors Determining House Price
Home Value Estimator
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