Using a Strategy to Sell a Home

Don't think for a minute that putting up a For Sale sign is going  to sell your home.  Selling your home takes planning and strategy.

Selling your home in the real estate market we are currently in is a bit easier than during the past couple of years.  Houses are going on the market and sellers are selling their homes quicker than they have in awhile.  The average "days on the market" during the past 9 months has varied from a third of the houses selling in zero to 90 days and another 12% staying on the market for as long as a year.  There are categories in between, but if selling your home in 90 days is appealing, then you want to put a strategy in place.

My three vital steps to prepare for selling your home are:

1. Selling your home from the front yard;
2. Selling your home by creating a blank canvas on the inside;
3. Selling your home by appealing to all 5 senses: Sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.

Selling your home from the curb

Stand on the curb and take an objective look at the outside of the house.  Is the lawn green? Does the fence need a fresh coat of paint? Is there color at the front door that would invite someone to come up the walkway? If you want to make selling your home easy, then preparing and taking these steps is critical. In the fall have the grass cut very short and then fertilize using a weed inhibitor so that the lawn comes in healthy and green in the spring. Plant fall mums to add color or plant fresh bulbs.  Mature landscaping that blossoms and adds color in the spring helps when selling your home within the next year. Make sure you prepare any fencing, decks or doors and then apply that fresh coat of paint.

Selling your home in the front entry

Consider selling your home as really just selling a house. You want to create a blank canvas for the new homeowner who walks in the front door. Stand in your front entry as if you are an outsider. Take all the family photos off the walls and remove all clutter. The pile of books and magazines you enjoy are better off packed in a box in the garage.  Better yet, drop them off at your local doctor's office or gym, they'll enjoy the donation. You can start your packing and organizing in the fall by removing all your nicknacks and either having a yard sale, or placing things in storage. Selling your home is so much easier when you have plans in place and action steps to take. Selling your home can be daunting! Take six or nine months to prepare for selling your home. Create a checklist so you can cross items off as you go, giving yourself a sense of accomplishment.

Selling your home with all five senses in mind

Selling your home and being sensitive to buyers coming in makes for an easier sale. Remember you are selling your home, not just a house. You have appealed to the sight and touch with the curb appeal and the de-cluttering. Now don't let the smell of wet dog or a cat litter box turn people away. Selling your home with the fresh aroma of baked apple pie when you know you have a showing, or fresh baked cookies for buyers to eat when they come in will create an emotional reminder of your home. I also suggest having light instrumental music playing in the background. Selling your home in 90 days or less is easier when these emotional triggers are in place to leave most buyers with a calm feeling and a positive memory of your home.

Two sides to selling your home

Selling your home is a financial transaction but it is also a very emotional one. Your home is where you have lived, cried and celebrated. When selling your home, you want to create a space for the new homeowner to feel those same things. You want them to walk in and feel like they could make it their home. Selling your home is therefore a very fine line to walk and most home sellers don't think of it this way. If you consider these aspects when you are selling your home, your home will stand out among the others.