7 Tips for Selling a Home in the Current Real Estate Market

Have you listed your property for sale? Are you waiting for an offer? Have you done enough to stand out in this market? Here are some points to consider:

1. How did you come to your asking price? Did you do any research on your own? There are lots of online sites where you can get an idea of the value of your home. Check out the Home Values Comparables section on the Links page of this site and you’ll find many links that will help you determine your property value. There are a growing number of homes on the market for sale currently so you want to know that your home will stand out when compared to others in the area and in your price point.
2. Price lower than your competition, when possible. You want prospective buyers to be pleasantly surprised by how much you have to offer for your asking price.
3. Property condition – Today, more than in the past five years, the condition of your house will be scrutinized.
   • Picking up the clutter is not enough.
   • Make sure the yard is mowed, the bushes are trimmed, dead branches have been removed.
   • Make it look great from the outside as lookers make a very significant decision about your home before they even set foot inside.
   • If you can’t paint the entire exterior, at least paint the shutters and front door for a fresh, clean look.
4. The inside really needs to sparkle.
   • If you don’t plan to paint the entire interior and replace all the carpets, make sure what is there is clean.
   • Put everything in its place.
   • Clean the windows.
   • Make sure the blinds and curtains are not torn or broken or, if they are, take them down and cover the windows with new, inexpensive blinds.
   • Anything torn or broken will knock a lot off the buyer’s offer and you can be sure they’re deducting as they walk through.
5. The kitchen and bathrooms must be spotless. If you don’t have the newest stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops, what you do have must be clean and polished – no water spots in the sink, no food spilled on the stove or counter, no toothpaste on the bathroom mirrors.
6. Its hard to see your own home objectively.
   • Take some photos. It may be easier to see what needs to be done when you’re looking at a picture.
   • Ask a friend or neighbor to walk through your home as if they were looking to buy. What things would they want changed or what makes them uncomfortable? Something simple that you may not think about, like the room being crowded, other people will notice.
   • Take out a couple of pieces of furniture, put them in storage, and suddenly your room looks more spacious.
7. Selling your home is no time for ego. This is a purely business transaction. To you its a home, to prospective buyers its a house. Give them reason to make it their home.

What tips can you add to the list? And check out my book The Essential Handbook for Selling a Home.