Another home-selling season has come and gone, and your home has yet to sell. The market has taken a serious turn for the worst, or is, at best, still highly competitive. While interest rates are still relatively low, it is arguably more challenging for interested buyers to qualify for new mortgage loans. If it's any consolation, you have plenty of company - many houses in your neighborhood didn't sell either, despite the deep discounts offered.
But all isn't lost. Despite the doom and gloom of recent real estate sales forecasts, selling your home for a good price is still possible...and within a reasonable time. However, you must be willing to work at it - starting by taking a hard look at the things that you can do to get your home sold. Following are 7 Tips for Selling Your Home.
Does your home have curb appeal? The lawn should always have a well-watered, fresh-cut, trimmed look - even if you must mow it every four days during the growing season. Driveways and sidewalks should be pressure-washed and grease-free. Privacy fences should be pressure washed and have a fresh look about them. A fresh coat of paint to the exterior will go a long way, but if it doesn't need to be painted, at least paint the trim, which sometimes makes it look like the entire house was painted. If you have a pool, clean it and the pool deck so that it sparkles.
Is the inside of the house appealing? Stage your home to have an open and spacious look - even if that is not how it looks as you live in it daily; if you have to, rent a storage unit to empty your home of the things that make it cramped. Store oversized furniture, clothes, and shoes that you never wear that are cramped into your closets. Clean, precise lines are what you should strive for - the less you have in your home, the better off you'll be, as it'll be easier for buyers to see themselves in it. That's why new homes show and sell so well.
Yeah,
I know that the garage is where everything that doesn't go in the
house goes, but that's precisely the point. Rid the garage of all
things but your vehicles. It'll make the entire home appear larger and more
spacious. Put the stuff that's in it in storage with the items mentioned
in Real Estate Tips For Selling Tip #2, as can also be found in other home
selling resources.
Do you make yourself scarce when the house is being shown? If not, you should. Buyers might sometimes be reluctant to openly discuss things they don't like about your home in your presence, but they will openly discuss when you aren't within earshot.
A wonderful thing happens when buyers discuss things they don't like about homes they see. Guess what it is? The agents have an opportunity to overcome their objections, which can lead to an offer being made on your home.
Always have pleasant smells when folk visit your home, like the smell of cookies and pies baking in the oven or light-scented incense. But stick to one or two scents, not a different one for each room. It'll make your home feel more home-like and put your visitors at ease.
Do You Have The Right Agent? This is not to say you have the wrong one just because your home didn't sell. Even the best agents can't sell every listing they have - in any market, but especially when the market goes south on them or if they have homeowners who are nonchalant about doing everything they can do to assist in getting their homes sold. Some critical questions to ask yourself include -
Unfortunately, all agents aren't created
equal. So, you have to be keen about who you entrust the marketing and
selling of your home to. Ensure the plan includes marketing it for sale to other real estate agents.
For example, one strategy that worked well for me as an agent was marketing my listings to top-selling agents in my area. Whenever I got a new listing, they'd get a flyer about that listing. Additionally, once a month, I'd send a flyer or brochure with all my listings to all agents in my multiple listing system.
What is your agent doing to find buyers for your home? Some proven strategies include
If you are not excelling at preparing your home
for sale in these ways, it's understandable why your home/ listing isn't selling. Great-looking, clean, well-staged homes show and sell before
average-looking ones. Nowadays, it pays for sellers to make adjustments within their control to sell houses in a competitive market. Return to Top
Real Estate Marketing Tips
Marketing Yourself In Real Estate
Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas
12 Tips on How to Stage Your Home for a Quick Sale
So that you know – that's it for now. Here's to Your Real Estate Marketing Success!
Home > Real Estate Articles for Sellers >> Real Estate Tips For Selling
Tags: Real Estate Articles