Home Selling Tips 101

All of us seem to be facing one struggle or another through what seems to be the worst economy most of us have ever experienced.  While the stock market has made some slight recovery, many of us have lost substantial amounts from our 401K investment accounts.  Many jobs have been lost and foreclosures are causing house values to decline at alarming rates.   As a real estate agent, I have been trained to advise sellers of the steps that should be taken to prepare their homes for the home selling process.  For many years, it seemed easy to take for granted that our homes would sell regardless of whether sellers followed the home selling tips, but in today’s market, houses must be in top condition to compete.

The first and most important home selling tip is that you should understand your home must be priced right to sell.  This can be difficult to swallow if you purchased your home within the past couple of years.  In many cases you will be lucky to break even much less make the kind of investment profits that were seen in years past.  In many areas where new home builders have lots of standing inventory, it is not unusual to see prices dropped by as much as one-third or more of the original asking price.  Foreclosures and short sales have driven prices down further and have had a strong impact on all home values.  Once you understand this reality and determine a competitive price, you will be in a better position to sell your home.  If you make necessary repairs and use some elbow grease to improve the looks and appeal of the home, you may be able to obtain a better profit.  Hopefully these home selling tips will assist you in doing so without spending a lot of money.

1. First impressions are lasting impressions.  Within 15 seconds a buyer has developed an opinion of your property.  Give your home the best curb appeal you can.  Keep the lawn mowed, plant flowers and trim bushes, eliminate weeds, use pine straw or mulch in flowerbeds.     
2. Use a pressure washer to clean the driveway and walkways.  You will be surprised at how this will brighten the look and appeal of the home even if you can’t afford to give it a fresh coat of paint.  While you are at it, make sure to pressure wash any decks or patios.  If you don’t own a pressure washer, get quotes from companies that provide this service.  Many are hungry for business right now, so you can probably have this done at a very reasonable cost.
3. Paint the front door and shutters if needed.  Place a flowerpot next to the door.  Replace the light fixture at the door if it is broken.
4. Appeal to the senses when you open the front door.  Use air fresheners and carpet fresheners to diffuse odors if needed.  Make sure to take garbage out.  Run a slice of lemon through the garbage disposal.  Place a dish of vanilla in a warm oven to create a sense of fresh baked cookies.
5. Create good light in the home by keeping windows clean.  Blinds and drapes should be open.  Turn on lights prior to showings.
6. An important home selling tip is to keep paint colors light and neutral.  Dark colors tend to make a room seem smaller.  Remove out-of-date or heavily patterned wallpaper.  Buyers need to be able to visualize living in your space and will have a hard time doing so if they are distracted by colors or patterns that are not in their comfort zone.
7. The kitchen is probably the most important room in the house.  If it needs updating but you can’t afford to do so at this time, do everything you can to make it as clean and orderly as possible.  De-clutter counter-tops.  Remove magnets, pictures, etc. from the refrigerator.  Organize cabinets to create a sense of space. Consider new updated knobs or hardware for the cabinets.  It may take a little effort, but you could update appliances by refinishing colors in black or white. 
8. Replace old toilet seats in bathrooms.  Place all personal care articles out of sight.   Hang new towels and shower curtains.  Use lemon scented products to freshen the air.  Refresh caulk if needed.  Renew the surface of porcelain tubs if possible.
9. Clean out fireplaces.  In the winter, prior to showing you may wish to make a warm fire.  In summer, show off your fireplace with fresh indoor plants or candles.
10. Another important home selling tip is to clean and stretch carpets if necessary.  Dirty carpets perceive an immediate big expense in the eyes of buyers.  Clean and shine linoleum or tile and apply a fresh coat of polyurethane to wood floors.
11. Organize closets to perceive a sense of more than adequate storage space.
12. Clean and organize the garage.  Clean up oil spots.  Hang garden tools and loose items on the walls.

These home selling tips are basically inexpensive and will give you a much needed edge in selling your home.  Keep in mind that a home inspection will reveal any items of repair that may be requested to satisfy the buyer.  You may want to address some concerns you are aware of prior to marketing your home to improve salability.

Home Selling Tips 101 will not guarantee the sale of your home but is intended as a guide to help your home compete in this difficult real estate market.  Keep in mind that if a buyer feels that visible items have been well maintained, it is also reasonable to believe that structural and mechanical items have been well maintained.  While there may be other improvements you can make, these home selling tips are some of the most basic and inexpensive.