I’ve sold hundreds of homes over the past two decades. Despite the uncertainties of the housing market, many of my clients sell their homes quickly to highly-qualified buyers. Here are the key ingredients that contribute to selling homes at the highest price the market will bear.
Hire the right Realtor®*. Ask friends who’ve recently purchased or sold a home for referrals. Research your broker online, including professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. Choose a broker you can trust as you do a family member or a good friend. You’re going to be in close relationship for the next several weeks, so the chemistry has to be right.
- Pick your moment in the market. Unless you have to sell right away due to a sudden work- or family-related need, put your home on the market when the weather’s good and home values are strongest. A good Realtor® will help you determine the best timing to get the highest price.
- Make sure your systems are in shape. Get your electrical, heating, and plumbing systems cleaned and tuned up. If you have doubts about any aspect of your electrical or plumbing systems, have a trusted professional come in and give a WRITTEN clean bill of health BEFORE you put your place on the market. Don’t wait for your buyer’s home inspector to find out that your systems need work. You’ll lose time, money, and possibly your buyer!
- Get advice about how to stage your home to look its best for sale. Once you’ve signed up with a Realtor®, walk through the property with her/him and decide together what goes, what stays, and how to stage your home to attract the highest price.
- Hide the clutter. While your home’s on the market, relocate pet bedding, toys, and other small items that can distract potential buyers. Family photos and refrigerator art must go!
- Make it spic and span. Hire a professional cleaning company to dust, shine and scrub your entire place right before the public sees it.
- Get out of there! Let the Realtor® do her job. Go away for the weekend, or at least for that first Sunday Open House. Wait for that great offer to come in and jump on it!
*Confused about what the Realtor® designation means? A Realtor® is a real estate professional who belongs to the National Association of Realtors® [http://www.realtor.org/] (NAR). Only NAR members are able to use the term “Realtor®.” NAR’s million-plus members include brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors and others engaged in all aspects of the real estate industry that require a state license to practice. Members belong to one or more of some 1,600 local Realtor® boards or associations. They are pledged to a Code of Ethics and standards of practice, which includes duties to clients and customers, the public, and other Realtors.