Not really, but, sometimes!
Sometimes even REALTORS get stumped with the “Why is this home not selling”, sometimes our best efforts come to no avail and fortunately this is not so often.
So what does make one home sell faster and for more money with fewer hassles? Well here is a cheater sheet of the very basics. And before I start, not all sellers are capable or willing to participate in the total process of preparing a home for market. AND remember, it is the market that is going to buy your home, not you!
Hold on, some of this is a bumpy ride, but most of it you probably already know, and as a buyer you may find this interesting as well. Subconsciously we all have this or a variety of this list in our head, sometimes it is revised as we go hunting for a home.
No One: Price. No surprise here, if you cannot afford the home it will not be bought by you. As a seller you need to be aware of this, and NOT price it so high that a buyer will not even look at or consider placing an offer on your home.
No Two: Location. Again, and surprisingly we cannot make a buyer go to an area they have no interest in or that does not meet their needs as far as amenities or services. This is in essence totally out of the sellers control, BUT must be considered when pricing the home. See No. One!
No Three: Condition. Here is my rant! DO NOT EXPECT A BUYER TO GIVE YOU FULL ASKING PRICE IF YOUR HOME LOOKS LIKE IT NEED A RENOVATION! In fact, the market today and the buyers today will completely disappear from sight if your home looks damaged or needs all new flooring etcetera. If you don’t like it…they wont either. So, if it is in need of repair, either do the repairs, or see No. One!
No Four: Inclusions. I know it should not be a bout inclusions, but even when buying a new home, some inclusions come with, sometimes. So if you are including appliances, clean them up, repair them o they work, and polish them so they shine. It makes a big difference for a buyer relocating from the other side of the country or abroad, and also for first time home buyers or re-entry buyers.
No Five: Cleanliness: I have four word here. Clean, spotless super clean! Really, I am talking spotless clean will sell your home and bring you thousands of dollars more than the condition most homes are in, AND it is a huge job getting to that state and keeping it that way. I have seen Men and Women leave a home in just under a minute because the home was so dirty they could not believe what they were in. Dust will turn people off!
No Six: Staging: I don’t care and the buyers don’t care about your decorating tastes or how big and happy your family is, or what kind of books you are reading…they are buying a HOUSE to turn into their HOME. If your REALTOR or Stger says to pack it, move it, lose it, ditch it, hide it, or show it off, then do everyone a fvor, please listen to them…Staging works. When my clients use MY price and they do the Staging, my stats are incredible, faster and for more money. When my clients do not use my price and do not stage…usually their homes do not sell…period! This is a tougher pickier market and as a seller you need to do the work to get your home sold. Listen to your REALTOR, they know the market place.
No’s seven, Eight, Nine Ten, Eleven, and Twelve: Schools/Streetscape/Layout/Views/Updating/Mechanicals. These are ultimately the loose ends the parts that make up the whole decision to purchase. Schools for younger families and the districts that the home for sale is i is very important, and when dealing with a buyer is one of the questions I ask, as it defines the search Geographically. Streetscape is also important, as you don’t want to buy a palace right next to a dump, or across the street from an all night laundry facility, …or do you? Layout. Weird layouts can really hamper a buyer from seeing the home for what it is. People are very visual, but ergonomically if the layout is awkward people will shy away from the home for sale. Maybe a renovation is in order? Views. What you see is very important, and if you do not or cannot see an important landscape, like your back yard, maybe putting in a window so you actually have view is a good start? UPDATING!!! Just do it! Update your faucets and sinks…all of them before you go onto market, and old counter tops….are not cute, CHANGE THEM! It will bring you more money! Mechanicals…if its weak, broken, dying, on its last legs, ugly, rusting, dirty, moldy, etcetera…change them clean them, repair them, replace them….make the mechanicals look like they are from a showroom…shiny works for everyone!
In a Competitive World You Need to Stand Out!
Sounds like it is all straightforward and logical…but sometimes, not very often mind you, but sometimes it is even a mystery t a REALTOR as to why one home sells faster and for more than another.
Happy Selling and Happy Hunting!
