Strategies for Selling your Home in Today's Market

     "is your house Dressed to Market?"

Even though the market is slowly turning in the "right direction", it still has a LONG way to go.  Sellers are having a hard time getting enough money out of their home.  This is nothing new, we all know of this problem but some of us don't know how to deal with it when selling your house. 

It does not have to cost a lot of money to take measures to make your property more valuable, more desirable.  Bottom line, when you decide to sell your house your next decision should be what are my steps to take to prepare it for the market.  Your goal should be to dress your house to make people fall in love with it. 

There are 3 things that you must consider when selling your house:

1. Product, how does your house present itself, is it "Dressed to Market"?

2. Price, is your house at the right price point for the neighborhood, current condition?

3. Presentation, is your Realtor marketing your house to its full potential?

Curb Appeal, does your property have it?

First impressions are critical.  If the outside of your house doesn't look nice, then some buyers might be tempted to drive right on by.  Buyers are likely to jump in their car and just drive through neighborhoods that they can see themselves moving to.  If the exterior of a house looks horrible, they will be less likely to contact their Realtor and ask to see the house. 

Do not have things outside that shouldn't be outside.  Keep trash barrels out of sight.  Be sure that your mailbox is clean, not rusted.  The yard should be trimmed on a regular basis and keep shrubs looking neat.  Too much landscaping can be a bad thing.  Thin it out if need be.  Weeds, really...no way. 

Front doors say a lot.  Put a fresh coat of paint or stain on it.  Change the color to change the look of your porch.  Put some flowers or something for the current season on the porch to make it seem inviting. 

Clutter, clear it!

While you love your personal photos hanging on the wall or sitting out on furniture, the buyer does not.  I am guilty myself.  I have several photos of my family all over my home.  But when you are getting ready to sell, get rid of anything that says that it is your house.  So not only do you want to put away those photos but also anything else that is personal, i.e. diplomas, souvenirs, trophies, etc. 

Don't have furniture blocking flow in a room or making the room appear to be too small.  Get rid of unneeded furniture. 

Other small changes can also make a big difference.  Paint color & minor flaws are easy fixes that can make a big difference.  Just by changing the wall color you can freshen up the look of a room.  Do you have dirty baseboards, caulking that needs re-done, or drywall blemishes?  All of these things can appear to be major by looking at them, fortunately, they are not hard to fix.

Is your house naked?

Please don't show it naked.  If there isn't furniture in a house then there is not much for the buyers' eyes to stop and look at.  Vacant house showings are much quicker than a fully furnished house.  If a builder is selling a new market home, they have them fully furnished and looking very cozy and live-able.  There is a reason for that.

Consult a home stager to work with you to provide the furnishings at a monthly rental price.  Give the buyers something to look at.

Stinky houses don't sell

Does your house pass the smell test?  Unfortunately, as much as your pet is a beloved part of the family he/she may leave a lingering odor that non-pet owners do not appreciate and therefore your buyer pool is reduced even more. 

Do you love to cook with garlic?  Many food odors can linger in the air as well as smoke.  Try and refrain from smoking in the house while it is on the market.  Keep the garbage empty and occasionally grind up an orange peel in your garbage disposal to keep it smelling nice.

You can easily purchase a coffee mug warmer and warm scented oil or scented tart in a glass bowl to infuse a pleasant smell throughout the house.  Be careful on the scent that you choose.  Do not let it overwhelm the space.

Who is marketing your house?

There are so many Realtors out there, how do you choose?  The old fashioned way still works great.  Ask all of your family, friends, neighbors...who do they recommend?  You could also turn to the Internet.  There are so many avenues to get into contact with a Realtor online.  Or, if you plan to do it yourself, there are companies like ForSaleByOwner that will give you the tools to do so. 

This is a lot to think about but so is selling your house.  Why not take some time and prepare it for market in order to make the most money in the process. 

GOOD LUCK! make it fun!

"is your house Dressed to Market?"