You're ready to sell. You've been hearing about new real estate sites that charge less commission or even teach you how to sell your home yourself. What should you do? So what if 93% of home sales involve a REALTOR®?
The real estate market is highly competitive, and if you don’t put in the work to make your house visible, you’ll probably end up with a rotting “for sale” sign in front of your home - Advisory HQ says.
Real estate agents generally have good connections that can generate more publicity for your house. They usually have enough experience to know how to sell a house and how to get potential buyers interested in your property.
Before getting into real estate I didn’t have a clue of all the work that went on behind the scenes of being a successful REALTOR®. The primo real estate agents are actually sales and marketing experts. From door knocking to serious networking to video and photo shoot production, top realtors work their tales off when not showing or listing homes.
There are loads of sites popping up offering to sell your home at discounted rates or even walk you through the steps of a FSBO (For Sale by Owner). However, right pricing, high visibility, staging advice can only come from a true professional who knows the landscape of real estate sales. A top notch REALTOR® knows their area and has the social reach to get the word out to get you top dollar for your home.
You want to get the biggest bang for your home. Who wouldn’t? I’ve been there myself in my own real estate ventures. Yet, pricing too high can have its consequences. Like, zero visibility for example. The law of substitution states that a buyer will not pay more for a home of equal value in a similar neighborhood. Even with an upgraded kitchen for example. Why? Because that kitchen was your choice, not theirs. Therefore, they may prefer to purchase a home of lesser value and upgrade in their own style.
The first two weeks on market is the moment to shine. A connected realtor will get you lots of visibility during that crucial time. Your house is the new house on the block and everyone wants to see what you’ve got. Here’s what you can do to make a big impact during that time:
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Do a thorough edit of your home. Get rid of anything and everything that is too specific to you. Take a walk through a home store and see how they style the interiors. Take pictures, then get home and replicate the layout to the best of your ability. Or jump on Houzz.com and see what the experts are doing. You’ll find that less is really more when presenting your home in it’s best light. Bare shelving is more appealing because buyers can visualize their own photos and knick knacks on your shelves.
Choose a design theme throughout. If your taste is modern, be modern everywhere. If you’re country, be country everywhere. Whatever your flavor, keep it mostly consistent. Even if that consistency is eclectic. It makes more sense to follow a pattern. It will offer more of a sense of flow when buyers are walking through.
Paint walls. Nothing says new like some fresh paint. Yes, it’s an expense but it will give your buyers a sense of “new” when they see your home for the first time.
Fix all the minors. In today’s market, assuming your home is in decent shape, it’s not about a new kitchen or bathroom necessarily. It’s about the doors closing properly, the cracks in the walls being patched, the garden having fresh shrubbery. Right now, large renovations don’t translate to dollars back as much as a well manicured appearance does.
Lastly, work with an agent you have confidence in. Most sellers settle on the first agent they interview and that’s fine if it feels right. But if there’s any doubt then interview one or two more agents and compare. Ask about their marketing plan. Find out if they are independent or if there’s a team behind them. And definitely, make sure you have rapport. When selling what’s usually your largest financial asset, you want to make sure you’re on the same page. The best agents won’t always tell you what you want to hear but keep an open mind and listen to the reasons behind their statements. A well educated agent will have solid data to back up their statements. At the end of the day, you need to weigh the facts, the stats and your gut feeling.
To get more ideas on how to get top dollar for your home, check out 3 Hot Tips that Will Make your Home Look Larger and 5 Must Do Tips to Get Top Dollar.
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