How To Take The Mystery Out Of Selling Your Home

I had a wonderful travel opportunity this month and made a short, whirlwind visit to London, England.  What a beautiful city!  Museums, historic churches, the Thames, the Tower of London, Big Ben and more.  While there, we took a coach (bus) tour of Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and the town of Bath, which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting.

Stonehenge is an incredible sight to see.  Surrounded by the English countryside, the stones rise up against a backdrop of pasture and sky.  There are many theories about the origination of the monument.  Was it a place of worship? A temple?  A guide for astronomy?  As we walked the path circling the stones, I could hear other visitors chatting about the origins.  What was this space used for?  Why did they put that particular stone there?  Without accurate historical records, we are left to wonder "What were they thinking?"

Is this what people are thinking when walking through your home that is for sale?  Do they wander from room to room, wondering what the space is for and why in the world did you choose that paint color?  The mystery surrounding Stonehenge should not be the same mystery surrounding your home!

With the holidays fast approaching, the market for home sales traditionally slows down.  BUT, the buyers who are looking for a new home at this time of year are not tire kickers and looky loos.  They tend to be serious buyers with a focus on what they are looking for, quickly weeding out the properties that are not up to snuff.  How does your home stack up against the competition?

Some helpful tips to take the mystery out of selling during the holidays (and at any other time of year) are:

• Price it right.  Buyers have so many homes to choose from that an improperly priced home can easily be overlooked in their search.  Your Realtor® can and should provide you the most up to date information available and assist you in setting a realistic price for your home.  In today's market, sales that took place 6 months ago are old news.  Look at activity for the last 90 days in your neighborhood and price accordingly.  Take advantage of my free market snapshots prepared with information directly from the Multiple Listing Service.

• Stage your home to sell.  If you need to know more about preparing for a sale, read Getting Ready to Sell:
• Home Staging Tips Part I
• Home Staging Tips Part II
• Home Staging Tips Part III

• Don't over do the seasonal decorations.  Buyers should be able to walk through the door, see the space and visualize it becoming their next home.  Don't let them be distracted and overwhelmed with your holiday show.

Make your home easy to show.  It may not be convenient, but you should be ready at all times to have your home shown within the hour.  Declining appointments is always a no-no.  You may be turning away a qualified buyer who would write an offer on your house!

• Hire a local expert.  Choose an agent with care, ensuring that they are familiar with your neighborhood.  We all know that in the New Orleans area, values change dramatically within a few blocks.  Make sure your agent knows the ins and outs of the market in your area.  Your REALTOR® should also have an internet marketing plan.  With over 80% of home buyers beginning their search online, your home will be a "secret listing" if it is not placed on multiple internet sites and marketed to the largest number of buyers possible.

If you are considering selling your West Bank home, take the mystery out of the process and contact Lisa Heindel, Realtor.  A West Bank specialist, I stand ready to assist you every step of the way.

Your West Bank Real Estate Specialist