Prepare your Home for Sale

How Can I Sell My Home For More Money?

Today's buyers are discriminating, 60% of the decision whether to buy or not to buy a home is made as buyers enter the front door. Most buyers wind up purchasing an uncluttered home with a free flowing floor plan, privacy and a bright, clean interior. Sellers should avoid costly mistakes in order to sell a property fast and for the most money. Here are the top things you can do to maximize your odds and to increase the value of your home before you sell. You don't get a second chance at a first impression.

1. Appeal to the senses. When prospective buyers are viewing your home, give them privacy so that they FEEL ok being there and can let their discussions flow freely. Open your shades, curtains and shutters, let the fresh air in. Keep the temperature as comfortable as possible at all times. Keep your home LOOKING spacious, light and bright. Replace light bulbs with the maximum wattage allowed. Eliminate SMELLS caused by pets, contain toys and beds to one small area or outside. Use room fresheners, plug ins and candles to create pleasant aromas. 
2. Know why you're selling and keep your reasons private. Your reasons behind selling your home will dictate the price as well as how much money and time you're willing to invest into preparing your home for sale. Different goals will require different strategies. For example, does the length of time on the market matter more than the money you walk away with? There is no need to reveal your motivation for selling to potential buyers and we prefer that you don't just in case it could be used against you in negotiations.
3. Spruce up your entry way. Buy a new front door or paint the old one. If your mailbox is old and unattractive, install a new one. Utilize decorative pots, flowers, welcome signs and buy a fresh welcome mat. Clean up any dirt, debris and spider webs regularly. 
4. Clean the home. Homebuyers dislike dirt, grime and icky smells more than just about anything else. Give your home a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. Wash the walls, floors and windows. Carpets should be professionally cleaned unless you plan to replace them. Curtains should be thoroughly washed or taken to the dry cleaners. If you're not up to the task, spend the money for a professional cleaning company to do the job well. The money and time spent on presenting a clean home is a must and will net you more profit in the end. 
5. Price the home correctly. If the listing price can be backed up with recent comparable sales, then you can negotiate from a great position, knowing that another buyer will be willing to pay a fair price. Conversely, sometimes we see sellers price their homes too high without realizing that the average buyer looks at 15-20 homes at once. If your home does not compare favorably with the competition in the same price range, it won't be taken seriously by buyers or agents. This results in market wear, or a stale listing. Stale listings scare away agents and buyers and sellers can get frustrated as time passes by and they see other homes selling quickly. Remember that your home will not appraise for more than market value, which means theat even if a buyer did offer over market value, once the appraisal comes in, there will probably be a negotiation down on the price.  
6. Organize and de-clutter the home. If your home looks too small for you, prospective homebuyers are going to think it's too small for them. So, take everything off of your kitchen and bathroom countertops, half of the books off your bookshelves, and the past season's clothes out of your closet and pack them away. Not only will your home seem larger, but you'll be off to a good start on packing for your future move. Eliminate crowded furniture and de-personalize every room. Think model home, you want to allow the buyers to envision themselves as comfortable residents of the home. 
7. Repaint the home. Create an empty canvas for potential buyers. You'll get the biggest bang for your buck by repainting the interior of your home in light neutral paint. Light walls help homebuyers imagine how their own stuff is going to look. Choose a light, neutral shade to complement the home. If your wallpaper is peeling or is dated, strip it off and start over with paint. If the home has unattractive acoustic ceilings, invest the time or money in skimming and smoothing, you will see a 100% return on the ceilings.
8. Change out old light fixtures and plumbing fixtures. Consider replacing outdated gold or brass plumbing fixtures, doorknobs, cabinet hardware and lighting fixtures. Updated versions can be fairly inexpensive and will give your home a modern touch.   
9. Mow it and plant it. Most homebuyers today will spend about 10 seconds looking at digital photographs of your home on the internet. If they like what they see, they'll do a "drive-by" showing. You have approximately 6 seconds to impress them as they drive from lot line to lot line. Make the most of what you have by giving your landscape a power-lift. Trim hedges and trees, plant colorful flowers, mow the grass and edge your beds. If you're not up to it, hire a professional landscaper to get the exterior of your home into shape. Then, power wash, touch-up, or repaint the exterior of your home for maximum curb appeal and an irresistible package that beckons buyers to see what's behind the fabulous exterior.
10. Do partial renovations. Paint or reface tired kitchen cabinets and add flair with new cabinet hardware. Rather than demolishing an old bathroom, consider refacing the bathtub and installing a new vanity, modern framed mirror and light fixture.
11. Fix it. If it isn't working properly, you could wind up paying more after the property inspection and before the buyer's inspection contingency removals. Today's homebuyer just wants to move in and get on with his or her life. Oil the squeaky doors, tighten screws, replace broken items, and repair the holes in the screens. The better shape your home is in, the more a homebuyer will pay for it and it's far better to have these items taken care of ahead of time.
12. Time the sale. The best buying seasons are Spring, Summer and early Fall, summer months help sell pool homes. Sell based on supply and demand. When there are more buyers than homes for sale, sellers are able to obtain better prices and terms.When there are more homes for sale than there are buyers, sellers may have to reduce their prices and perhaps make other concessions. 
13. Hire a true professional agent. An agent like Mike Plisky, who has a solid reputation, proven track record, an abundance of experience and knowledge and a phenomonal team alongside him to ensure your success and satisfaction!