The time is right; you’ve finalized your decision. You’re ready to move. No looking back. It’s time for a new chapter. First time sellers might not know the right way to go about selling their house. Here are a few ways to ease the process.
Pick the Right Season For Selling
Selling houses is a lot like traveling. Picking the right season can work in your favor or make things more difficult. Every season comes with its own catch 22, so you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of each one. Winter is dead. Spring is incredibly busy; homeowners, brokers, and buyers are fluttering wildly, trying to get and give the best deal. Summer can prove perfect when appealing to students and families, and fall is where everything starts to slow down. It can be considered a “last chance” season.
Don’t be afraid to ask a professional for guidance. Whatever season you choose will ultimately affect how passive you can be when selling your home. If you’re a go-getter with time to spare, you can always jump in with the spring frenzy. If you need time to handle your affairs, settle for the colder, calmer seasons.
Know Your House’s Value
Always be mindful of your house’s competitive value. The original price you brought your house might not be the same today. Let’s say you have a three-bedroom, two-bath set up. Take time to do some investigative work. Overselling your house will scare away customers, and selling your house for too little can be a hit or miss.
On that note…
Know Thine Neighborhood
Your house’s neighborhood can have a big impact on pricing and selling your home. Gated communities and neighborhoods with home associations can have a higher appeal. Neighborhoods close to major roads have great accessibility but can have noise pollution. Are your neighbors kind? Do they keep to themselves? There are many different facets to consider. Don’t be afraid to comb through the details. Take a look around your neighborhood. You just might discover a unique selling point. Even if you don’t, you can always hammer down your neighborhood’s general presence.
Know Your Audience
This can sound like a strange tip, but you’re just expanding your proverbial horizon. First, you learn about your home; then you build out to the neighborhood. There’s one more thing you need to learn before trying to sell your house: who are you appealing to? Does your home reside in a schooling district? What are the district lines? Are you close to public transportation, if there’s any? How far are you away from major roads or highways?
It’s easy to take these aspects for granted or even ignore them, especially as the years go by. Understanding where your neighborhood (and ultimately your house) resides will help you anticipate certain kinds of buyers. This information can help you with your pitch, your home renovation, and pricing your home.
Curbside Attraction
Every house has something known as ‘curb appeal’. If you were to drive past your own home, what would you think of it? This initial impression can drastically hurt or help your sell. Doing basic lawn chores and sprucing up your house’s exterior does wonders. Don’t try to do it all in one day, however! Working on your home’s curb appeal in your spare time can help you see it better from a buyer’s point of view.
Make your house look presentable, and don’t doll it up too much. What looks good on other houses might not be the same for your own.
Take Yourself Out of the Equation
Give the outside of your home personality, but remove any of yours from the inside. Chances are you can’t move out right away when trying to sell your house, but it can be a bit immersion breaking for prospective buyers to see your personal effects. Pack away minor things like family photos and personal trophies. Removing them helps any prospective buyer envision the house as their own.
As you start to pack away more and more of your personal belongings, you can deep clean and present the house in a better light.
Final Touches Make a Great First Impression
If you’re a fan of DIY projects, put a cap on it. Modifying one’s house immediately changes the property value. Unfinished projects are a blemish, leave new buyers with a heavy burden, and make your home harder to sell. Finish projects, however, can become your home’s charm point. Make sure every project is finished, polished, and integrates with the home’s final look. Otherwise, you might be faced with a costly removal.
Also, doing your own home inspection can save you and the buyer a lot of grief. Make sure everything works properly and take care of any final repairs.
Selling a home isn’t easy. Being realistic with your pricing, efficiently taking care of your home, and staying knowledgeable can keep you from falling into some pitfalls. Don’t fear the hard work. Your diligence will pay off.
