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Empty Nester in Springfield MO? See These Tips To Sell Your Home!

By
Real Estate Agent with Southwest Missouri Realty

Are you an empty nester in Springfield MO? Here are some tips to help you sell your home. After your children have grown up and moved out on their own, you may decide that your home is too big and hard to take care of. Your lawn may be too large to take care of without your "teenage lawnmower". Maybe it's a good idea to downsize. The Ozarks is a great place to live but this is one of the most exciting times of your life with plenty of freedom to travel and enjoy life. 

Recognize your motivation of why you are selling your home but keep those reasons to yourself.
If you act like you really need to sell, you may lose some negotiating power. If anyone asks why you are selling simple tell them it's because of a change of lifestyle. Research the real estate market in your area, and come up with a plan to sell your house, including how much you want to invest in home im­provements before you sell, your time-frame, and much money you would like to walk away with after the house has sold. An experienced REALTOR® will help with this process. 

Research the real estate market before you decide on a price for your home.
While you can find out what similar homes in your neighborhood are listed for, what's most important is what they are actually selling for. Most buyers here in the Ozarks will look at 10 to 20 homes so they have a good idea what your home is worth in today's market. If you set your price too high compared to other homes, people won't bother to look at your home. Set it too low and they might think there is something wrong with it.

Choose the right REALTOR®.
Choosing a real estate professional is like as hiring a new employee for a company...they are working for you. Don't be bashful about asking questions. Ask them about they marketing plan to sell your house, and what sets them apart from other agents. Its best not to use an agent who is a friend of the family because if something goes wrong it could be a sticky situation asking them to fix it.

What can you do to increase the likelihood of selling your home?
Its very important to position your home to be the next one sold. This means it needs to shine. Clean and scrub your home before every showing. Try to clean the areas you don't normally clean and look at it from a buyer's eyes. Remove any clutter and most personal photos. Its okay to leave a few so it still looks like a home. It's very important for you to present your house in "move in condition." Make all minor repairs. Put on a fresh coat of paint wherever it's needed. And focus on curb appeal, so that your house will make a great first impression.

Make it very easy for buyers to get information about your home.
Ask your agent if they can set up a special 24-hour hot line with a specific ID# for your home, which can give buyers all the information about your house. Research shows that three times as many buyers use this method over calling the agent directly. Make sure your home is featured on many Internet websites. This is where most buyers search for homes. And the more people who are exposed to your house, the greater the chance is that it will sell!

Don't move out of your home until it sells.
An empty house just doesn't show as well as a home with furnishings. The buyers need to be able to see themselves living in the home. Also, a vacant home could give the impression that you need to sell quickly, and that could cost you thousands when it comes time to negotiate!

For more tips to help sell your home in Springfield MO, give TeamKnowles a call today!

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About The Authors:  Betty Knowles is a full-time REALTOR® with Southwest Missouri Realty in Springfield, MO She also served as President of Women’s Council Of REALTORS® in Southwest Missouri.  Betty’s genuine passion is helping people buy and sell homes in Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, and surrounding communities.  

John Knowles is likewise a REALTOR® with Southwest Missouri Realty and a member of the Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS®.  John is also a FAA part 107 certified drone pilot to get those amazing shots and videos of our properties! 

 

Together this dynamic team makes up TeamKnowles REALTORS®, Spouses Selling Houses!  They are dedicated to doing what it takes to sell your home in the greater Springfield real estate market, or help you purchase a home that fits your particular needs. Give TeamKnowles a call today; you’ll be glad you did!

 

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Coldwell Banker Vanguard REALTORS Springfield MissouriSouthwest Missouri Realty

                           Office 417-582-2200