Every year, millions of homes are sold in the United States. In 2019 alone, over 6 million homes were sold to happy families ready to embark on the new chapter of their lives.
If you’re ready to turn the page in your own life as well, you first need to sell the house you own now. Selling your home can feel like an impossible challenge, but with a little bit of home help, you’ll have a “sold” sign in your front yard soon than you think.
To learn everything you need to know about navigating the selling process like a pro, just keep reading.
1. Boost Your Curb Appeal
When you’re in the process of preparing your home for sale, there’s one goal that should be at the forefront of your mind at all times: make potential buyers fall in love with your home. Buyers who are absolutely in love with a home are willing to pay more for it and less likely to drag their feet doing so.
The interior of your home is important, but neglecting the exterior is a major mistake. If potential buyers pull up to your home and are greeted by an exterior that leaves much to be desired, they’re going to be turned off before they even tour the house.
Take time to ensure that your yard is in the best shape possible, that your front porch is neat and welcoming, and that the siding of your home is clean.
2. Declutter the Interior
With the interior of your home, the best way to increase the chances that buyers will fall in love with your home is to make it easy for them to be able to imagine themselves living there. How do you do this? Well, the first step is to remove any personal items and declutter.
It’s difficult for buyers to imagine that it’s their home when they’re staring at a picture of you and your family on the mantle. If you’re going to be living in your home during the selling process, don’t worry, you don’t have to empty it completely.
Having some furniture and decor is great, but it should be far less than your typical amount. A good rule of thumb is to pack up about two-thirds of your belongings before putting your home on the market.
This will not only help you with your home sale but will force you to get an early start on the grueling packing process as well.
3. Make Small Repairs
As homeowners, we get extremely comfortable in our own homes – as we should! But with the comfort comes the tendency to ignore minor repairs that should have been made a long time ago.
You might have a squeaky front door or a loose hinge on a cabinet. Or maybe the faucets in the guest bathroom could use replacement. Whatever small repairs you’ve been avoiding, it’s time to complete them.
Go around your home and make a list of any running toilets, faded paint, visible stains, broken window locks, etc. If a potential buyer comes into your home and notices small repairs that need to be made, they’re going to wonder what bigger projects might be lurking.
And remember, the buyer is going to have a home inspection completed by a professional, where these things are going to be noted anyway. It’s best to make the list given to the buyers post-inspection as short as possible.
4. Take Excellent Pictures
The majority of the home buying process is now done online. Thanks to the internet, people are able to move across the country with confidence without ever having stepped foot in their new home.
Because of this, it’s more important than ever that the pictures you post with your home listing are excellent. Your real estate agent should be able to take pictures for you, but if you’re unhappy with the results, don’t be afraid to speak up.
Some real estate companies have professional photographers on staff, but if the one you’re working with doesn’t, consider hiring one yourself. If the photos of your home are as high quality as they should be, buyers will fall in love with your home before touring it.
5. Allow as Many Showings as Possible
Unfortunately, putting your home on the selling market means you’re going to have an uncomfortable, inconvenient few weeks or months. It’s true that some homes sell on their first day on the market, but you should be mentally prepared for it to take longer.
Potential buyers are going to request showings every day of the week, all hours of the day. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having limitations. No, someone shouldn’t be able to tour your home at 10 pm on a Tuesday night. But within reason, you should allow as many showings as you can.
The more people who tour your home, the higher the chance that it will sell. This means keeping your home in immaculate condition throughout the duration of the home selling process, so when your realtor calls with a showing request, you’re ready to go.
Get More Out of Your Sale With This Selling a Home Help
The home buying process is notorious for being a stressful experience, but selling a house can be just as much of a roller coaster ride. It’s never a bad idea to reach out for some selling a home help along the way.
With these tips, you’ll attract more potential buyers to your home, increasing the chances that it will sell quickly and that the offers you receive will be higher.
Looking for more tips and tricks for selling your home in the least time for the most money? Be sure to check out our blog!
