Selling your house is a stressful process that could take ages to accomplish. Many homeowners either fail to sell their homes or else are forced to settle at a much lower rate than what they believe to be the correct value.
Most home sellers fail at selling their house or getting good value for it, because of a few simple mistakes or steps they neglect to take. So, we consulted real estate experts on what steps homeowners can take to help along the selling process.
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“If you want to get the highest price when selling your home, you will want to make sure it is updated to the current style most buyers are looking for. An easy way to update the look of your house is to replace the light fixtures and other hardware such as cabinet door handles throughout the house.” (Erik Wright)
“A little more involved but one of the best ways to transform your home is paint. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to renewing the look of your house. It's also easy to divide into chunks and do one room at a time. Start with a room that most visitors won't see to test your skills and decide if you want to paint the rest of the house yourself or if you want to hire a professional.” (Erik Wright)
“Next is flooring. There are so many easy-to-install flooring options out there these days and one of my personal favorites is the Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP). It looks like beautiful hardwood floors while also being much more durable and resistant to water.
“These are just a few easy ways to improve the look of your home without getting into large projects like tearing down walls and redoing an entire kitchen. These three things are relatively affordable and can increase the selling price of a home dramatically.”
Erik Wright, Owner of New Horizon Home Buyers
“The first thing you should do when trying to sell your house is focusing on curb appeal. A landscaping refresh can be as simple as keeping your grass mowed and trimmed, adding mulch if it needs refreshing, or planting new flowers in front of the home for a pop of color! These small details will make all the difference between whether buyers are interested online before making an appointment for viewing, or while they walk up to see what's inside.” (Colby Hager)
“Next, focus on decluttering the main areas of your home. In the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms, less can be more when it comes to furniture and personal effects. In these three spaces, you want a potential buyer to envision their belongings in this space as well since they will spend most of their time there.
“Lastly, keep the house clean, consider having pleasant music playing when prospective buyers come to tour the home such as jazz or classical music, and bring a good-smelling essential oil diffuser. Follow these steps and you will increase your chances of selling your home faster and for more money.”
Colby Hager, Owner of Capstone Homebuyers
“This is inconvenient, but moving into temporary housing and/or staying in an AirBnb.com or other short-term rental situation can help you get more for your house and it will likely sell more quickly. This is because it depersonalizes the home, stagers can stage it to appeal to a wider audience and selling agents can show it pretty much anytime. Removing any barriers for selling agents to show your home means more showings, more potential offers, higher price.” (Julie Upton)
“Homes that are staged sell more quickly and for more money than comparable homes that are not staged. Period. In the Bay Area, almost every home on the market is staged. It's a marketing tactic that works. Don't skip it.” (Julie Upton)
“The hardest part for sellers is to not listen to their agent who has the comparable sales in the area and will have a strategy for where to list your home. Often, it means a more conservative list price to garner the most interest, showings, and therefore, number of offers. Listing too high can lead to excessive days on market, price reductions and getting less for your home in the long run.”
Julie Upton, Real Estate Professional Compass Real Estate
“In this way, you’ll have multiple people promoting your house. Moreover, when you have many connections, there are also higher chances that they have contacts interested in your property.” (Dan Belcher)
“Repair the things that need to repair. It doesn’t only make it saleable, but it also helps increase its price.” (Dan Belcher)
“This may be a simple action, but it can also add a lot to your home’s chances of getting sold quickly. A clean and organized home is more appealing to the eyes of potential homebuyers.
Dan Belcher, CEO at Mortgage Relief
“When selling a home, there are certain things that a savvy homeowner can do to make the home more enticing to potential buyers. Make sure all unnecessary furniture is out of the home. Put all of the extra tables and chairs in storage to make a room look inviting. Too much clutter will not allow a buyer to envision their furniture in the room.” (Eric Nerhood)
“Take bathroom fixtures and spray them Antique Gray, bringing them to life. Put a new handle on the toilet. Add some guest towels for color.” (Eric Nerhood)
“People want to see how much counter space they will have. If they can't see through a myriad of appliances, they tend to shake their heads about the functionality of the space.” (Eric Nerhood)
“Lastly, add some flowers or greenery to different rooms. Flowers will bring a homey feel to the property and get prospective buyers to see themselves as a family in this space and be more willing to make an offer.”
Eric Nerhood, Owner/President Premier Property Buyers
