Home Selling Tips

Selling your home is stressful at best. Looking around you may find that some homes are bringing in multiple offers, while others are simply sitting around for months without a single bite.  Here are some very helpful tips that will make selling your home a lot easier:

1) The Fair Market List Price
Selling a house is all about price. Ask too much, and you could get stuck with a home that languishes on the market. The longer it sits, the harder it is to unload. The first question a buyer asks is how long the house has been on the market. If it's been on a while, they ask what is wrong with the house.

Ironically, homeowners who ask more for their homes tend to get less in the end. Studies show that if you price your home properly it will sell faster and at a higher price than if the home was priced aggressively. Remember, overpricing leads to low bids, while proper pricing leads to high bids.

So how do you set the right price? First, take a look at recent sales in your neighborhood. And don't forget to factor in the condition of your house. A home buyer in a more neutral market is still going to pay up for a new kitchen with Poggenpohl cabinets and a Sub-Zero Refrigerator. But if you failed to notice that Harvest Gold stoves and countertops went out of style with bell bottoms and love beads, you had better be prepared to drop your price by about as much as it would cost a new owner to renovate your relic.

2) Great Photographs
First impressions are everything.  The vast majority of home buyers will see your home for the first time online.  So having a great set of photographs will ultimately maximize the number of people that walk through your door, which will result in more offers and a higher sales price.  In my experience, having great photos will result in approximately 35% more showings than a similar property with less favorable images.  Try to avoid posting photos that are too dark, blurry or appear way too orange due to the available interior lighting.

3) Curb Appeal
The last thing you want is to turn off a potential buyer before he or she walks in the door. So make sure the house is painted, and call a landscaper to get your lawn in tip top shape. If your grass isn't green, make it green. If you have weeds, get rid of them. If the shrubs are overgrown, cut them. A few rows of new and colorful flowers go a long way.  Even small, inexpensive potted flowers can make your home seem more inviting.

4) Renovations
Some renovations are worth an investment. An extra bathroom makes a home more saleable.  A few cans of paint and new carpeting could also provide a handsome return. An outdated home in the Valley for example, might go for roughly $360,000. Pull the shag carpeting and wood paneling — a project that costs roughly $15,000 — and that same home could list for $390,000.

5) Fix Everything
Make sure everything works. Have an inspector assess everything from your water heater and furnace to your central air conditioning system. If there are any doubts about the mechanical functions, a buyer might walk. Even minor repairs are crucial. Hire a contractor to go through your home with a fine-toothed comb. Make sure the gutters are cleaned and the tub has new grout and caulk in the joints. Every window must slide open, and kitchen cabinets should open with ease. And don't forget to paint over ugly water stains. If you don't, a potential buyer could see it as a warning sign of a larger issue.
If you're inclined to leave your home as is, prepare to drop your asking price, even if you feel you've already calculated for them in the list price.

6) Additional Tips
There's some basic advice that's worth repeating. Keep your home as clean and as pristine as possible. This means cleaning out your closets and getting rid of excess clutter and furniture. You want your home to look as spacious as possible. Fresh flowers is a good suggestion you might want to try out. Baking cookies could be a bit silly and obvious. How long will all this take? Give yourself a good six months. It takes time to plan, and then to coordinate projects with a contractor or handyman. Just know that the hassle will be worth it. With a little hard work, you can get the best price for your home in any market.

7) Contact us.
To find out how we can sell your home for top dollar and in a timely manner.  With RealWorks Realty, you can rest assured that the job of selling you home will be done right.

RealWorks Realty - 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., P.O. Box 107, Studio City, CA 91604, CalDRE 01382167 NMLS 825526