10 Things You Can Do to Make Your House Sell Faster
You’ve made the big decision to sell your house. While the decision process may have felt like an enormous amount of effort, the real work is about to begin. You have to let buyers know that your house in on the market, you have to make sure you price your listing just right, and you have to make your home look appealing to buyers when they come to check it out.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of help available to you, both on the internet and from an experienced real estate agent in your locality. Below, you’ll find 10 tips that will help you put your house on the market and find a buyer quickly.
1. Keep your home looking bright
People want to live in a bright home. Dark homes will drive most buyers away. If your house gets plenty of natural light during the day, make sure to open the blinds, take down the drapes, and to clean the windows. Other than that, make sure that all the light bulbs are functioning correctly. If needed, consider increasing the wattage to give your home more of bright, welcoming vibe.
2. Sparkling clean bathrooms
When a potential buyer views your home, what they’re really doing is imagining what it would be like to live there. And nothing will make them more queasy than a dirty bathroom. Clean the shower, the toilet, the sink, the floor, and anything else in your bathroom. Make sure the toilet is closed, and there’s toilet paper. Put all the toiletries in the cabinet.
3. Remove clutter
You may love the decor items, photos, and posters in your home, but you never know how a buyer will view them. Since your goal is to sell the house as quickly as possible, it’s best to remove all the extras and leave it in a neutral state, so that the buyer can envision it with their posters and photos. Also, without the extra clutter, the buyer will remain focused on the task at hand, which is buying from you.
4. Call up the local handyman
Buyers want a well-maintained home. If they find a broken dishwasher or leaky faucets, it could create a wrong impression and turn them off. So, call up the handyman and give your home a thorough check. Make sure there are no squeaky windows, no cracks in the walls, that the windows shut properly, and the locks work. Paying attention to small details can pay you big dividends when your house sells quickly.
5. Give the walls a new coat of paint
Before you list your home, give the walls a new coat of paint. Keep it safe and straightforward, nothing edgy. Think white, beige, gray, or pastel colors that won’t evoke a strong emotion from the buyer one way or another. Lighter shades will also add a feeling of spaciousness to your home, which is very appealing to buyers.
6. Take some high-quality pictures
In this day and age, we shop for almost everything online. While homes aren’t quite there yet when it comes to e-commerce (although it has most likely happened more than once), people do look for listings online. That is why it is critical to have some high-quality images of your home in your home listing. It’s best to hire a professional photographer to do the job. The extra few bucks you invest in the pictures will be well worth it if they attract more buyers to look at your home.
7. Hire an agent that knows your locality
Your real estate agent will be your trusted friend throughout the selling, negotiation, and the closing process. They will list your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and continually monitor it for changes in your local real estate market. An agent can make or break your sale, so make sure you pick the right one. If you’re in the Chicagoland area, find out how you can have your home sold in 59 days or less, guaranteed.
8. Pay extra attention to the kitchen
People spend a disproportionate amount of time in the kitchen. Whether it’s making breakfast for the kids or stirring up margaritas for the guests, the kitchen is mostly where you connect with friends and family. So, you need to make sure that the buyer is impressed with the kitchen. Consider remodeling your kitchen before listing your home. Upgrade the countertops, the cabinets, and if possible, the appliances. You might have to invest some cash upfront, but having a brand new kitchen will allow you to ask more for the house, as well as make it easier to sell.
9. Create a great first impression
As with most things in life, you only get one chance to make a first impression. And that first impression will play a critical role in how the buyer judges your home. No matter how great the interior is, if the buyer has a negative impression before walking in, it can have a significant impact on their likelihood of buying the house. You want people to feel warm, welcome, and safe as they approach your home. Freshen up the exterior of the home with a well-maintained front yard, a well-lit driveway, and some bright flowers.
10. Give the buyer some space
Last but not least, give the buyer some space by not being present when they come to take a look at your home. Buyers might feel awkward or pressured by your presence. Make sure to communicate everything about your needs and conditions to your agent, and then let them take over the process.