Seller Tips

Tips for Selling Your Home

The saying “first impressions count” is never more true than when a potential buyer walks into a home for sale. Pay attention to small details, and help potential buyers feel at home.

1. Price to sell. Assess comparable values of homes in your neighborhood. Or hire a professional appraiser with current market experience.
2. Create curb appeal. Create a look that attracts a second look. The yard should look tidy and trees and landscaping should look lush and healthy. The front entry should be welcoming and obvious.
3. Tackle the repairs. Make sure everything in your home is in good working order. All fixtures and appliances should function well and windows and doors should open and close easily.
4. Make improvements if they make sense, but don’t over improve. If something doesn’t work, it should be fixed or replaced. If something is dated but still works, you can hold off on changing it.
5. Cut the clutter. De-clutter inside and out and strive to remove items that make your house look too lived-in or messy. No matter how large a closet really is, if it appears crammed full of “stuff,” a buyer may get the perception that space is limited. On the contrary, if clothes and shoes are neatly arranged, the buyer will be impressed by how organized their closet space can be!
6. Clean, clean, clean. Go through each room and deep clean from top to bottom. Kitchens and bathrooms should be sparkling-clean. Don’t forget your windows so buyers can enjoy the view out of them. The idea is to make anything and everything spic and span.
7. Stage inside your home. Create a warm and inviting feeling by letting the light in – uncover the windows and plug in lamps to illuminate dark corners. Bring in plants to liven up the space and if you are a little creative they can hide cable wires or cords.
8. Collect home documentation. Anything concerned with home improvements or appliances should be assembled in a binder or folder so you can answer questions quickly.
9. A picture is worth a thousand words. Take clear, crisp photos and make sure you show your home in its best light. Read more >>
10. Make every word count. When posting your home for sale online, create a specific and straightforward description of the house itself. This information will be the most useful for potential buyers. Try to emphasize descriptive terms (e.g. “new” and “granite”) and avoid empty adjectives (e.g. “charming” and “fantastic”).