Prepare your home for sale by knowing what to do when selling it - it’ll improve the resale value and help sell your home quicker. Learn more here!

Various scenarios make selling your home necessary- it could be to move closer to family, change jobs, need to downsize or upsize or can’t afford mortgage payments anymore. Whatever your reason, you’ll likely want to strategize how you place your house on the market to find potential buyers, maximize your profits, and sell fast. 

If you’re on the fence about how to sell, here’s a complete guide to selling your home!

Pick a Selling Strategy

Before placing a for-sale sign in your yard, it’s vital to choose the selling strategy that’ll work best for you. However, it’s wise to know that while the for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) option may feel like a good way to avoid paying an agent’s commission, it may not ensure the highest possible price and the fastest sale. In fact, a study by the NAR has shown that a real estate agent can help you sell your home for over $105,000 more! 

A real estate agent understands the local housing market and can help you set the correct price. They can help you prep your home for sale, market it, and negotiate on your behalf to ensure you get the most out of the real estate transaction. Moreover, they’ll handle all the paperwork to ensure you meet deadlines and don't breach the contract. 

Prep Your Home for Sale

Some steps to take to prepare your home for sale include:

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  Make Repairs: You may have been used to living with them, but your buyer may shy away if your home has issues. So, look inside the house and check for things like missing tiles, stained ceilings, heavily scratched floors, broken windows and doors, and other signs of neglect. On the home exterior, look for missing or broken shingles, patio pavers, and tuckpointing. Make a list of every issue you see and decide which things you will tackle. Your real estate agent can help you determine what needs to be done and what doesn't.

  
  


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  Clean: Nothing turns off buyers like a dirty house. In fact, for a home to be in a move-in condition, it has to be clean. This needs to be a deep cleaning. Start at the top (the attic) and work your way down, cleaning ceiling light fixtures and scrubbing walls and woodwork, and finish with floors. Also, ensure that you don't overlook little-used closets and other nooks and crannies that aren't part of your weekly cleaning routine. And don’t forget the windows - freshly cleaned windows look great from the outside, and with the lights on, they sparkle on the inside. 

  
  


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  Declutter: Nothing makes a home look smaller than too much clutter. So, it’s wise to remove excess furniture. Also, remove knickknacks from the surfaces- take a minimalist approach to books, clear off your kitchen and bathroom countertops, and throw rugs and draperies. And if you can scale down the contents of your closets, that’s even better, as it’ll make your home’s storage space look more ample. 

  
  


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  Depersonalize: You want potential buyers to see the property as a home for their family and not yours. So, remove family photos and memorabilia as well as religious and political items and anything else that marks the house as your territory instead of a neutral territory. 

  
  


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  Repaint in Neutral Colors: A fresh coat of paint can do wonders to freshen up your home. This is the time to nix the quirky turquoise bathroom, paint over your daughter’s purple bedroom, and cover up that red accent wall in your dining room. Your goal is to create a neutral palette so potential buyers can envision incorporating their personal touches into the home. 

  
  


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  Improve your Home’s Curb Appeal: First impressions have a significant impact when it comes to homebuying. So, it helps to ensure that your home’s curb appeal makes a positive first impression. For instance, ensure that your lawn is mowed, bushes and trees trimmed, and sidewalks and driveways cleaned, and don't forget to plant some greenery while you’re at it.

  
  

Set a Fair, Competitive Selling Price

The price you want and what the buyer will pay can be two different things. You may hear the term Fair Market Value, which is the sweet spot between asking too little and too much. If you can’t hit the sweet spot, you risk leaving money on the table or having your house sit on the market for a longer period. Note that if a home sits on the market for too long, buyers tend to shy away from it since they think the home has issues or you’ve set the price too high. 

To set a fair, competitive price for your home, ensure that you work with a skilled real estate agent. They’ll help you pull out a comparative market analysis and review comparable sales near you (homes with similar sizes and features that have sold recently in your area). 

Market Your Home 

According to a NAR report, over 97% of homebuyers use the internet to search for homes. As such, it’s paramount that you market your home online. Your real estate agent can help you create an appealing description of your home and keywords that’ll help buyers find your listing. 

Also, if your listing pictures don't show off your home’s best features, potential buyers may reject it before even taking a tour or going to the open house. Hence, you may want to consider enlisting a professional real estate photographer to ensure your online listing highlights your home’s best features and attracts qualified buyers. 

Need Help Selling Your Home? We Can Help!

Selling your home is a major life-changing decision, but it doesn't have to involve hassle. Contact our skilled real estate experts! We’ll negotiate the best deal for you and sell your home the right way. More so, we’ll ensure you sell your home for more and close your sale faster and easier than you’d have thought possible.