9 Simple Steps to Selling Your House
- 1. Get a storage unit while your house is on the market.
- You might think the easiest way to declutter your home is to shove everything into the closets. Bad idea: Anyone who tours your home is going to check out the storage spaces, and disorganized, overstuffed closets only serve as evidence that your home is lacking. Opt instead for a storage unit to house the things you won’t need while your home is on the market.
- 2. Hire a professional to stage and photograph your house.
- A professional home stager sees your home from a buyer’s perspective — a good one understands how to highlight its strengths and soften its flaws. Your buyer’s first impression will be the listing photos and studies show that homes with more than six listing photos online are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers.
- 3. Find the right real estate agent.
- Don’t hire a real estate agent just because they’re also a die-hard fan of your college football team or they’re from your hometown. What really matters? A track record of sales that proves they know how to sell your house fast. Are they familiar with the benefits (and negatives) of your neighborhood? Can they walk into your home and tell you precisely what buyers will love and hate?
- 4. Promote your house yourself.
- Don’t leave all the marketing up to your agent. Do your part to get the word out about your home by using your personal social media accounts and sending the listing page to family and friends.
- 5. Remove personalized items for your house.
- Removing personal photographs or memorabilia will allow the prospective buyer to imagine themselves living in your house and make it easier to focus on the home’s highlighted features.
- 6. Make small upgrades to your house.
- Don’t go overboard on major remodels. Chances are, you won’t get your money back. Instead, focus on small upgrades, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom, where you’re most likely to see a return on investment.
- 7. Brighten up your house.
- A dark or poorly lit home feels damp and depressing. Brighten it up by using natural and artificial light. “Get the highest wattage light bulb for that light fixture, and it will instantly brighten up the room,” says Seeby.
- 8. Amp up the curb appeal.
- “Curb appeal is everything,” says Seeby. Your home’s exterior is typically the first thing a buyer sees in person and on listing sites. If it doesn’t look good, a buyer won’t even consider looking at the interior shots.
- 9. Sell your house at the right time.
- Spring and summer are typically known as the best time to sell your home. If you can wait until then to list, you should consider it. But be forewarned that increased inventory means spring and summer buyers can afford to be pickier — so make sure your home is in tip-top shape.
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