The first two weeks after you put your home on the market are critical, that’s typically when you catch the eye of real estate agents and some eager buyers.
If you're really ready to sell your home, the best thing for you to do is to price it right at the time it goes on the market and then sell as close to the original asking price as possible. Price your home at current fair market value which means the price of your home is equal to or very close in price to homes in the area that are similar is size, finishes and amenities. Don’t use the price of the house when you bought it or what home prices may be a year from now.
If the prices of homes in your area are dropping, it might be a good idea to set your original asking price just below the fair market value to generate more interest from buyers. Contrary to if home prices are going up in the area, try and keep your price as close to the fair market value, do not price above the fair market value.
If you aren’t receiving offers and decide to lower the price, it can be perceived as there being something wrong with the house, or that you are so desperate to sell that the buyer will make an even lower offer. Even agents won’t get excited about relisting your house at a lower rate because chances are they have seen it and have tried to offer it to their clients with no interest.
After working with an agent to make sure your house is priced right for the market, make sure the house is seen in the best light. This means excellent curb appeal such as neatly trimmed bushes, mowed lawn and cleared yards. Neatly staging rooms is also important. It is a good idea to rent temporary storage to remove excessive clutter from the home – can’t always hide your extra belongings in the garage.
Buyers look for things they really like about a home, number and size of bedrooms, any added extras and definitely updates. But they also looks for flaws, so it is a good idea to make sure all major and minor repairs are done prior to showing your home. The better maintained the home, the more a buyer may be interested in purchasing it.
Make sure that all the updates and rooms look its best in any photos or video used to market your home. It’s a good idea to take some digital pictures and look for flaws or areas that need to be fixed, small things like rumpled beds, cluttered closets, over full trash cans. Once those things are taken care of, you can have your agent take professional pictures.
If you want a certain price for your home, make sure to give the buyer a little something extra to make it worth paying full price. You can offer to pay part of the closing costs or offer to leave an appliance you were planning on taking with you.
Don’t underestimate the power of a friendly seller. It’s not just the house that needs to be appealing, as the seller you are part of the package. A buyer can love a house, but if the seller is difficult or unpleasant to work with, they are free to walk away and you lose out on a sale.
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