I’ve got some wonderful survival tips I’d like to share with you today. But don’t worry, you needn’t be planning on climbing Mount Everest or swimming with sharks for these to be useful. What I’ve got are nine (9!) great home selling survival tips which will be valuable to anyone who is selling their home – or thinking about doing so.
Home sellers tell me all the time their least-favorite part of selling is living in it while it’s being shown. It’s definitely an awkward time period that feels like being in limbo, because you’re halfway between the time when you own the home and when someone else will. Shortening that time period in any way is going to lead to a much more rewarding and satisfying experience. Here are the top tips that I have for you for surviving in your home while it’s on the market.
1. Pack away the clutter. Not only does clutter kill your equity, but it also distracts potential buyers from your house. Do yourself a favor and pack this stuff away or store it. You’ll have less to worry about, it’ll be easier to move when the day finally arrives, and you’ll have buyers focusing more on your house rather than your stuff.
2. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the past year. I’m not talking about packing it away; I’m talking about getting it gone. We all have stuff in our basements, closets, attics, and garage that we don’t see, use, or even know exists anymore. Unless it’s a special item or old family heirloom, toss it out, donate it, or sell it for cheap on Craigslist.
3. Be meticulous with your housekeeping. When a buyer opens the door, you want them to feel invited and refreshed. The home needs to be spotless at all times. If you can’t do it on your own, you should hire a maid service to come once a week to give your house the thorough cleaning it needs to decrease your time on market and increase your sale price.
4. Magnificent landscaping is a must. If buyers don’t like what they see from the curb, there’s no chance that they’re coming back for a showing. Plan on spending at least an hour or two every week on this, or hire a landscaper to make sure the front of your house is looking fantastic.
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5. Leave your pets somewhere else. This might not be a popular suggestion, but stay with me here. So many buyers today are sensitive to pet odors and many of them will immediately cross a home off their list if there are pets in it. Do yourself a favor and if you can, have your pet stay somewhere else during showings. It’ll make showings easier and encourage buyers will stay in the home longer.
6. Make sure you have a locked drawer. Keep personal documents in here. Anything with any kind of personal identifying information should be locked away. There is so much identity theft going on today, you can’t take any chances with strangers in your house.
7. Schedule a time during the week for no-appointment showings. You can let buyer’s agents know that they can bring their buyers at a certain time without an appointment. This way, you can have pre-set times when you know your house will be showing-ready and will have less inconvenience with buyers wanting appointments at random times throughout the week.
8. Don’t overprice your home. Leaving room for negotiation is only going to result in your home sitting on the market for much longer. Many studies have shown that the longer your home is on the market, the less it will sell for. Setting an aggressive price from the get-go will result in a quicker sale and could even attract multiple offers.
9. Make sure the photos and videos of your home are the very best. When you combine professional photography with virtual tours, and drone video, you’ll have buyers coming through your door who really know what the property is about and really want to see it because it looks like the best home on the market for their specific lifestyle and needs.
If you have any questions for me in the meantime, give me a call or send me an email today. I would love to hear from you!
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