Here are top 10 tips and tricks to help you sell your home faster and for more money. Most of them are simple and easy to implement. I will not be talking about things that are your real estate agent’s responsibility such as photos, MLS listings, advertising etc… I will focus on actions that are within your control. Let’s get started.
1. Price is everything.
As a professional real estate agent I can tell you that pricing the property correctly is the most important thing for a sale. If price it too high the property will “sit” on the market. If the price it too low you run the risk of leaving money on the table. Make sure to hire a real estate agent who knows what he or she is doing and are familiar with your real estate market (contact the best in the business – ME!). If you hire the right agent you should trust his or her judgment and let them sell your home. Although asking questions about pricing methods is a good idea.
2. Half empty your closets.
Half emptying your closets is an old real estate trick to make them look bigger. The same applies to the rest of the house. Make sure that your garage, storage areas and basement are organized. Put balky extra furniture in the storage. Remember, less furniture = rooms appear more spacious.
3. Give each room a purpose.
Do you have an awkward space in your home that you aren’t really sure what to use it for? Well, give it a purpose. Turn the empty space into home office, work area and even gift wrapping station. Purposeless areas kill interior design.
4. Take down family photos.
Depersonalizing your home is a must. Take down your family photos! Family pictures on the walls will make some buyers uncomfortable. By turning your home into a house you allow potential buyers envision themselves living there. Depersonalizing a home also applies to unique furniture pieces, personalized decorations and hand puppet collections. Neutral is good.
5. Don’t over upgrade.
Not all investments are good investments and not all renovations are good renovations. Sometimes, renovations will not improve the value of your home. Updating kitchens and bathrooms are usually the safest bets, however there are instances where these renovations are not needed. One last word of caution, for the most part don’t renovated half of the house. Either do a complete renovation or nothing at all.
6. Always be ready for a showing.
It’s hard to keep your home in a showroom condition all the time. Do your best to keep it as clean and organized as possible. You never know when you will get a request for a last minute showing.
Keep your dishwasher empty. For some reason buyers always open the dishwasher to look inside, I have no idea why.
7. Manage your pets.
Do you have pets in the house? Most pets are ok, however some breads of dogs and exotic animals could be scary to people. If possible, arrange for your pets to be out during the showings.
8. Think about safety.
Is your home safe for visitors and kids? Make sure there are no nails sticking out on the deck or slippery spills in the kitchen. The last thing you want to deal with a lawsuit.
Think about your personal safety as well. Strangers will be walking through your house. Don’t leave your expensive jewelry, electronics, documents or personal information laying around.
9. Fix up the little things.
Most buyers are looking for places to live in not a home improvement projects. Make sure that all of door handles work, the stairs railing is firmly in place and replace all burned out light bulbs. A little painting and refreshing can go a long way. Spending a small sum of money on little fix ups is a good investment.
10. Curb appeal matters.
How does your home look from the outside? What kind of first impression does it have on people? Mowing the lawn, doing a little repair work and landscaping can change people’s fist impressions. I have had some buyers who didn’t want to go into the house because it looked “ugly” from the outside.
Follow these tips to sell your property for the top dollar. Contact me today, if you are looking to sell your house or a condo in Greater Vancouver area.