Is Your Home Show Ready?

The gardener came, you got rid of your clutter, packed up your personal photos, and even got the carpets cleaned. You feel ready to sell your home to get top dollar, right? I wish it were that easy! Getting a home ready to sell in today’s real estate market not only takes work, it can be downright daunting! It’s not just cleaning up and taking professional photos anymore. You need a strategic plan that includes marketing your home at the right time to the right people to get the most value. Below are some essential “must-do’s” to get your home show ready:

Educate yourself on the market.
Before you do anything, look at homes. Check out the open houses in your neighborhood and nearby. See how many days they were on market until they went into escrow. Did the one with the pool go fast? Or did the remodel on the big lot go sooner? Thanks to Zillow and Redfin, that information is at your fingertips. Also, track the list price vs. what they sold for.   

Do a general physical inspection of the home.
Deferred maintenance is one of the most significant setbacks for home sellers. Those “fix-it” projects over the years can add up, hurting your home value. Even though you may get many offers on your home, once the winning offer is accepted and the buyer has done their inspections, they can come back with a list of Request for Repairs. With this request, they can ask for a credit, or worse, they want those items fixed before the close of escrow. It is best to get those repairs done first or fixed altogether as buyers like to see pride in homeownership, making them more secure in submitting an offer.

Embrace painting.
I know this sounds like a big expense, but time and time again, homes that have a fresh coat of paint sell for thousands of dollars more (beyond the cost of the paint job) than homes that have not been painted. It makes the home feel like new again. Plus, if the house hasn’t been painted in 20 years, most likely, the color on the wall is not current anymore. Home interiors that appear dated project less value in buyers’ eyes, thinking they can “get a deal.” White or a neutral color allows the interiors to look clean and bright and the living space to look bigger.

Staging sells.
Staging can save you from a costly price reduction. According to the National Association of Realtors, a staged home will sell for 17% more on average than a non-staged home, and 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less. That is statistically 87% faster than non-staged homes. Homes are emotional, and it is best to have a neutral warm, inviting interior to allow the buyers to visualize themselves living there.

As real estate professionals, our job is to prepare your home for success. Putting in the hard work before you sell sets the stage for an exciting and positive outcome.

I’m happy to help you get there.