As we head toward the end of 2014, sellers should consider these easy steps tomaking sure their home sells fast.

It’s been quite a year, real estate-wise. While it wasn’t the whirlwind “hand-over-fist” upward swing like we saw last year, 2014 still saw steady price rises in both single family homes and condominiums.

That being said, because there are more homes available for sale in Santa Clarita this year compared to last year, we’re seeing some homes linger on the market; not necessarily because of a major shift, but because they don’t do a few simple things while their home is listed that help to attract buyers through their door.

5 things sellers should do to sell their home NOW!

Sellers should be realistic in their selling price, and listen to their real estate professional when it comes to discussing Comparative Market Analysis and Fair Market Value. The more competitive you price your home, the more buyers will come through your door. The more buyers come through your door, the better chance of more offers coming your way. Remember, you have the opportunity to either accept an offer, reject an offer, or propose your own counter offer.1. Pricing

2. Make your home appealing to buyers.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hire a professional home stager, but you at least want to make sure your home is clean and presentable to buyers as they walk through your door. This means removing clutter, keeping kitchen and bathroom countertops clean with personal items removed. If a room looks too small, remove unnecessary furniture. Hey, you’re moving anyway, so why not get packing a little early?

Also make sure your home smells clean when you leave. Some sellers will forget simple things, like taking out the garbage, before they leave. A buyer’s sense of smell lingers longer than their memory, so keep that in mind.

3. Accessibility

Make sure buyers can view your home on THEIR schedule, not just YOURS. Yes, it might be an inconvenience to have buyers drop by during the early evening hours and on weekends, but those are the best viewing times based on most buyers’ schedules. Consider allowing us to place a lockbox on your property so that licensed agents can show your home. You can request they call ahead first, but make sure you let those buyers in!

4. Marketing

When considering agents to list your home, ask about their marketing efforts, and what THEY plan on doing to help sell your home; aside from putting it on the Multiple Listing Service, that is. Does your agent use the latest marketing techniques such as mobile marketing, social media, video and email blasts? Contact us to learn what marketing techniques the Elgin and Pilar Walker Team will use to sell your home fast!

5. Be adaptable to whatever is going on in the marketplace.

The reality of real estate is that things can shift without a whole lot of notice. Being amenable to those changes help us to help you sell your home fast. We’re not just talking about lowering the price of your home, we’re also talking about your willingness to negotiate with the buyer, if need be, to effect a “win-win” for both of you.