Selling a home can be extremely stressful. And most sellers, understandably, want to sell their home as quickly as possible. It gets very tiring to keep a house looking its best 24/7. It’s also no fun having strangers walk through your private space (often critiquing your decorating choices). There are a few simple things you can do to help facilitate a quick sale. They are all relatively painless and some may even make moving easier.
Rent a storage unit.
When I sell a home one of the first things I tell my sellers is to de-clutter. Empty the house of all but the minimum of furniture and absolutely get rid of personal photos, memorabilia and momentoes. You want to present your prospective buyer with a clean slate on which they can create their own memories.
You can kill two birds with one stone and sell your house faster by renting a storage unit.
The cleaner your home is the better chance you have of making a sale, so moving all that clutter and extra furniture to a storage unit will help you present a “fresh canvas” for your prospective buyers. A portable storage unit, like PODS will not only store all the items you remove from your home but once the house is sold you can simply load it on the truck and transport it to your new home.
The power of staging
I can personally attest to the power of staging. Several years ago I sold a condo in Brentwood. The location was excellent and the place itself was well decorated and clean but it lacked a little…sizzle. The owner suggested that we stage the place. It was one of my first home sales and I admit I was a little skeptical. However I was staggered by how much more enticing the condo was with a new coat of paint and a few additions and subtractions. Even more staggering was that the condo actually sold to the first family who saw it. Since that sale I have become a huge fan of staging, Good staging will help emphasize your home’s strengths and distract from it’s weaknesses.
The sweet smell of success
As you can imagine a home’s smell is a very sensitive issue. No-one notices the smell of their own home but it is the first thing visitors notice when they walk through the door. As a realtor I take great pains to guide and advise my clients but this is one of those issues that it is often difficult to raise without offending.
It is a particular issue for those people with pets. So rather than offend on a personal basis I tell all my clients; “Assume your house smells! Take measures to mitigate that smell” (and if it doesn’t, so what you now have a great smelling home). De-cluttering will definitely help; The fewer odor-retaining items you have in your home the better. If you are able, move your pets out of the house (if you have an open house it can be well worth the cost to board your animals overnight. Very few animals enjoy having strangers invade their personal space on a regular basis). If boarding is not possible please make sure your house and pet are clean. At the every least make sure your house is clean and pay particular attention to the carpets, they are often the cause of odor problems.
Find a local real estate agent
Not only will a local realtor have unique insights about your area but they will also be able to offer advice on things like pricing and the best time to sell. You want a real estate agent who can walk into your home and know immediately what assets to play up and what “liabilities” need to be mitigated. This kind of expertise is invaluable and only comes after years of experience.
4 reasons you need a native Angeleno as your real estate agent
It goes without saying that your agent should have an excellent on-line presence and stellar reviews but it’s also important that you chose someone with whom you feel comfortable and whose opinion you trust.
Don’t be shy about self promotion
Make sure everyone you know is aware that you are selling a house. You have no idea how far the word may spread. Make sure you post all your open houses on your social media especially if you have a large number of local followers.
Price your home well
Everybody wants to get top dollar for their home but sellers need to be realistic about the value of their pride and joy. This is, of course, where your realtor will earn his money. He will take a long impartial look at your home, the neighborhood and the market and suggest a price. This price will also factor in your desire for a quick sale which, if it is strong may push him to suggest a lower price. It’s also important to be flexible, conditions change and if your home is eliciting few, or no offers it is always a good idea to review your strategy, especially surrounding pricing. Think of every open house as market research and adjust accordingly.
Have a plan to deal with repair issues
One of the things I always do when selling a house is do a thorough walk through to make a list of repairs that catch the visitors eye. Some of them can of course be fixed but if the owner does not want to head down that particular rabbit hole I will suggest that we discuss mitigation offer. Maybe a reduction in asking price, an offer to have it fixed as part of the deal. There’s noting worse than watching a prospective buyer walk away from a million dollar deal because of a $100 fix.
When is the best time to sell my home?
In conclusion
A quick sale depends on many factors and some, like market conditions and interest rates, are out of your control. This makes it all the more important that you maximize the things you can control. Follow these seven useful tips and before you know it you’ll be taking the keys to your next dream home.
