My husband and I went into this year with one major goal in mind. MOVING. But there is so much that goes into moving when you have kids and are selling a house. It was important to us to get the best offer possible, of course, but to make things just a little more stressful, we also had a time frame in which it needed to be sold by. Having experienced selling a home before this, we were lucky enough to have a few tricks up our sleeve. Selling your home fast, and for the price you want is possible. Here’s how we did it.
Realtor– I can not emphasize enough how important it is to have a realtor that not only listens to what you want from your sale but one who can also guide you through the process. You want an agent who will advertise your home big time. Using both social media as well as standard ads to get as many people looking at it as possible. Your realtor should also suggest an open house be set for the first weekend your home is listed because the first two weeks your home is on the market are critical.
Clean House– That may seem obvious, but this statement entails many things. Your home should make your prospective buyers think they’re walking through a model home. Even if you don’t have new features/upgrades in your home, you can still make it pop.
1. Simplify all living spaces. Removing all photos that have people in them from walls and counters. Doing this will help buyers imagine themselves living there. Pack up, store, or hide all toys, games, and expensive electronics while you’re at it. The less of your stuff that’s in view, the more a buyer can appreciate the space.
2. Kitchens and Bathrooms sell homes, so clear everything off your counters and do some deep cleaning. Remove all appliances, hair product, etc. Pack away what you don’t need, and use your cabinets to hide the ones you will.
3. Carpet and Floors need your attention. Spots and odors can be distracting to prospective buyers. Hire a professional company to do the cleaning for you. Yes, it will cost you, but it will be one less thing you’ll have to do yourself. Your home will look and smell 10x’s better, and buyers will notice.
4. Brighten your home. Opening blinds and pull back the shades. Natural light helps to show off your home. Make sure also to check and see that every light bulb is working. Your realtor or perspective buyers may need a better look if weather or the time of day doesn’t provide enough light.
Curb Appeal– Mow the lawn, trim the bushes, pull weeds. And don’t forget the sweep your walkway, porches/patios and the entrance so your newly cleaned home can stay that way. Basic lawn care should be done to both front and backyard, but the front is what will get buyers out of their car and into your home.
We have been very blessed that this process has gone so well. The first home we owned sold the same weekend of its open house. And our current home…well our realtor had any amazing photographer who took pictures of every space. So that when it was listed buyers could get a good look before even seeing online. Well, that worked out so well that we had a full price offer…sight unseen within 24hrs. But our realtor, however, advised that buyer and us to hold off until after the open house. And guess what, multiple offers. After discussing each, we choose the offer that was best for us. And as of last night, we signed forms and started the escrow process ‘today.’ In about 45 days someone else will get to call this place home.
In the beginning, this was a bittersweet process. Now, however, with how smoothly things have gone it’s a lot sweeter. I hope that if any of you are looking to sell your home that you remember to be patience. What we experienced isn’t the norm. Some homes take more time to sell, and that can be for a number of reasons. The market varies from place to place, and the location and size of your home will draw different buyers. But if you talk with your realtor and list competitively you to will be successful in selling your home. I wish you all good luck in your journey. For us, the selling part will soon be behind us. Our next adventure now will be buying a home.