Any thoughts of putting your house on the market in the next few months? Would you like to sell it quickly? Do you have an ideal price in mind?
Last month's blog featured recommendations to help you sell your home during the off-season. Even if you plan to wait until the market heats back up, it is best to be prepared. Avoid these 4 costly mistakes to achieve the results you want.
Mistake #1. Waiting too Long to Start
Solution: Plan Early. This is crucial if you plan to list between late spring through early fall. Begin shopping for a realtor as soon as possible. This will allow you the opportunity to interview several agents before selecting the one optimally suiting your needs. Be sure to research their track record. Select a broker with whom you trust and feel comfortable. Get referrals from friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Sometimes sales can get rocky, and you want to ensure your best interests are represented. Highly sought after brokers fill up their schedules quickly so be diligent.
Equally important, an experienced realtor will provide you with a to-do list outlining the suggested repairs and enhancements to ensure your home is captivating.
Mistake #2. Putting Off The To-Do List
Solution: Begin those to-dos. Determine which projects will render the biggest bang. Contact your trusted contractors or consult with your network for referrals. Seek quotes to determine if the tasks are within your budget. Your best bet is to do this off-season. Take my advice, trying to schedule a contractor during the height of the market (March-October) can be like a dog chasing its tail.
In years like this year, where many homeowners experienced weather-related damage to their homes, contractors are a precious commodity. Your home sale might be low on their priority list. Many are currently short-staffed due to fewer and fewer people pursuing handy trades. The reputable ones are booked months in advance. Keep in mind, the high demand during peak season means they can name their price landing an excruciating "ouch" to your budget depending upon the size and scope of the project. In fact, check out this recent article from Houzz examining how industry labor shortages can impact your home improvement projects.
Bottom line: Get on their calendars early.
Mistake #3. Thinking Your Home is Perfect As Is
Solution: Organize & Stage. Your home is in fact perfect...for you. All of your memorabilia, knickknacks, personal photos are treasures, but they are your treasures. You want buyers to view your home objectively so that they can see themselves living there. Create the perfect environment to allow them visualize the home's potential as relatively flawless and suiting their lifestyle.
Lining up a home organizer and/or stager is well worth the investment considering that the Real Estate Staging Association claims that a show-ready home will help you sell your home 72-77% faster and command a higher price. In fact, according to a survey by the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA), 82% of home buyers are likely to be distracted from important issues when they go through a staged home. Consequently, the NAEBA compiled a report to advise buyers not to fall for staging tricks. That is how effective staging works.
If furniture layout, colors, and room decor are already pleasing, a complete staging may be unnecessary or not within your budget. An alternative is to hire a professional organizer to spiff up your closets, reorder your pantries, clear off countertops, remove personal photos and memorabilia, and ditch the clutter. These steps will go a long way to showcasing your home's best features. If your schedule is jammed or you simply do not know where to begin, let an organizer take charge so you can relax.
Mistake #4. Leaving Things to Chance
Solution: Download The Practical Sort's Step-by-Step Moving Guide Checklist. This handy reference will seamlessly walk you through the process. Leave nothing to chance. Click here to let the Guide do the thinking for you. You can also find home sale tidying tips, off-site storage rental tips, and other useful moving-related resources at ThePracticalSort.com under the Resources tab.
Selling a house rapidly and for top dollar takes some planning. The longer a home sits on the market, the chances of getting your asking price or above diminish. Be sure to avoid these 4 mistakes so your home sale is a success.
Do you have a home sale planned? Find out how ThePracticalSort's home organizing and project management services can get you sorted. Contact sherri@ThePracticalSort.com. I also know some top-notch realtors who I would be happy to refer.
