Maximizing Your Price As a Home Seller In Today's Market!

Maximizing Your Price As a Home Seller In Today's Market!

It's Spring in Northern Nevada and you've decided to sell.  What do you do to get the most out of your property?  Start by putting your Buyer's hat on and look at your home from a Buyer's perspective.  As you analyze your home consider the following three categories for the deficiencies:  1. Selling Condition, 2. Market Condition, 3. Enhanced Value.  

Selling Condition means you've met or adjusted to have the home in minimum Selling Condition.  If you have a multi-patched roof your home is lacking here.  Other items to fix just to achieve Selling Condition can be the removal of debris on your lot, broken window seals, plumbing leaks, etc.  If you are selling short don't worry about it, the Buyer and lender will adjust the sales price for these deficiencies without cost to you. 

Market Condition is simpler, mostly involving cleaning and decluttering.  You've naturally got many personal touches around the house, it is, after all, your home.  The Buyers aren't coming to judge your lifestyle, they want to see how theirs will work in your home.  Take down the family pictures and box the knicknacks, you're moving anyway.  Empty your overstuffed closet or they may think its smaller than it really is.  Its Spring, you can pack up your winter clothes.  Likewise, if your kitchen drawers are stuffed with used-once-a-year gadgets they'll think the kitchen is too small.  Declutter. 

Clean well.  Nobody wants to live in a dirty house even if their lifestyle is such that it will be dirty soon after they move in.  They want to live in their own dirt.  Remember to clean the outside, too. That is your first impression and you want it to count the first time.  Should you stage your home professionally?  Good stagers do wonders and can yield great results, but they come with a price.  Is your price point such that you can absorb their cost and profit from it? 

Getting your home to Selling or Market Condition will add value, but there are times when you can Enhance Value.  This can get tricky.  Are you better off putting in new carpet or giving an allowance?  Should you give an allowance or reduce the price?  When you consider any change, or addition to sell your home question whether it will get you a higher sales price.  If not, don't do it.  Your home will sell by its features, location, character and ... price.  Price sells more than anything else in this market.  If you put money in a remodel be sure to figure what it will return.  There can be a great return, but if you are trading dollars, don't do it.  Your agent can help you with your analysis.  

Our Advice: You can spend months or longer getting your home perfect, but what is perfect to the Buyer?  We've seen lovely homes in great shape that the Buyer is going to "gut", do a major remodel on.  Keep your eye on your objective.  What are you going to do after you sell?  If you are buying elsewhere will you lose a buying opportunity while you take the time to try to get a little more out of the home you are leaving?  Selling?  Ready...Fire...Aim!  Get it ready and get it sold! 

An increase in either rates or prices can affect your next purchase and offset any gain you may have worked for. 

When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your real estate needs ... Experience is Priceless!  Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, CDPE, SFR, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472.  carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com

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Lisa Wetzel and Jim Valentine are the authors of this blog.  Lisa, Jim  and Jessie are experts in Carson Valley , Carson City and the tri-county area of Douglas County , Carson City and Lyon County.  Call our team anytime at 775-781-5472 or 775-781-3704.  To Search for Homes go to: Carson Valley Listing Book  or visit our website at www.CarsonValleyLand.net or  www.CarsonValleyLand.com