Newburyport is experiencing a sellers market, hence now is great time to sell your home for 
top dollar. A real estate market goes in cycles, and if you can sell when the market is in your favor, you will get the most money for your home.
In addition to timing the market, having your home in tip top shape so that it shows well will net you more. Included here are some suggestions from my twenty years of selling homes in Newburyport that you may find helpful.
Home Preparation
Exterior - The Internet is the first place buyers shop for homes. Once they identify a home they might have an interest in, they will drive by, so it is important to have the exterior of your home and yard looking its best. Sellers often tell me that once their home is officially on the market for sale, they see many people drive by. The key is to get as many appointments as possible from those drive by buyers.
- Yard - keep the lawn mowed and the hedges trimmed.
- First impressions, front entry way - repair any rotting wood and crumbling or broken steps. Paint if it could use a freshening up.
- Driveway - keep the driveway open for buyers to park.
- Place some potted plants on the front stairs or porch if the house is for sale in the spring, summer or fall.
- Clear away any unnecessary items and toys.
Interior - When you have lived in a home for awhile, it is easy to overlook repairs that are needed. What might be an obsticle to buyers, cannot always be noticed by a homeowner.
- Pet odors - one of the number one reasons a home does not sell. Have a friend, a family member that does not live in the house, or your Realtor visit your home for feedback on pet odors. An occupant of the house can get desensitized to it.
- De-clutter - A home will feel more spacious and inviting with less clutter. It would be beneficial to remove any furniture in the natural walkways of a home. Rent a storage unit if necessary.
- Fresh coat of paint - keep it light and use a neutral color that flows well throughout the home.
- De-personalize - take down all or most family photos. You want the buyers to focus on your home, and not your family.
- Windows - should glisten on the inside and out.
After seeing photos of your home online, buyers are excited to visit and are hoping it looks as great in person. When viewing your home, a buyer imagines themselves living there. They picture their new home at its best.
Pricing
Serious buyers do extensive research on homes that are for sale and that have sold. Often they have been looking online and visiting open houses for months. They know right away when a home is overpriced, and rather than put in an offer that they feel would insult you, they will pass on your home. In a sellers market, buyers are anxiously waiting for their dream home to come on the market. They are willing to pay full price, and sometimes more, for a home that is priced to market.
In most cases, a buyer will be taking out a mortgage to purchase your home. Their lender will require an appraisal to confirm there is value in the money they are lending. Even if the buyer is willing to pay over market value, the bank will not loan money on more than the house is worth. Your Realtor will discuss this with you when you are deciding on a price.
Home Showing Tips
Now that the preparations are complete, it is time to have your home shown in the best light possible:
- Let in as much light as feasible; open curtains and blinds.
- Turn on all of the lights in a home that is dark, or at dusk and in the evening.
- Vacuum and dust again right before showings.
- Keep a welcome mat inside and out at the front entrance. Buyers often look for a place to wipe off their shoes before entering.
- Have the front entrance key working properly.
- Winter showings - leave a small binder with photos of your yard and garden at its summertime best.
I hope this information is helpful in selling your Newburyport home for top dollar!
Call Donna at 978-375-8094, or email at Donna@DonnaQuinlan to enlist Donna to get your home Sold!
Servicing the Greater Newburyport Area for 20 years!
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