Home Sellers since January 2007 in Toledo, and Lucas County Ohio there has been about 3 times as many houses listed for sale than have sold! This probably isn't a newsflash to you, but the pendulum has swung back toward the buyer's side at the negotiating table.
Sellers, if you really want to move your home in this market, here are a few things I would suggest:
Price your home correctly from the start! If your home has been on the market, have a new appraisal or comparative market analysis done to see what others are selling for now. Forget what your neighbor got for his house 2 years ago, that market is over!
- Sweat the details ahead of time!
- Start at the curb and ask yourself, if I was looking to purchase, would I consider buying this place? Is the yard manicured, the landscape trimmed with fresh mulch, is there clutter in the yard, driveway, or garage?
- Inside everything must be clean & fresh! Make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are impeccably clean. Paint where necessary. De-clutter closets, and basemets. Consider, renting a storage unit. Take down excessive amounts of pictures on walls and refrigerators.
- Make it pleasant to the nose! If you have pets, consider finding them different living arrangements. Shampoo or remove old carpet that has "Ole Rover's" accidents on it!
- Clean windows and mirrors also scrub fingerprints on entry doors where the kids come in and out!
- Wipe down dust from your furnace, hot water tank and their ductwork. You'd be surprised how much newer it looks! Change the furnace filters as well.
Understand that in this market your home has one change to make a good first impression. If you miss out on this opportunity, there is plenty of other competition for qualified buyers to choose from. You must give buyers a compelling reason to choose yours.
People search for homes for particular reasons, whether proximity to work, babysitters, yard size or whatever. Something prompted the buyer to choose yours to look at. Don't give them a reason, not to come back a second time!
It all starts before you place a sign in your yard. If you've been considering making a move and have any real estate related questions, please contact me at www.RickTurner.com I'd be glad to help!
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