20 Things You Can Do To Get Your Home To Sell Faster

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Want to have the upper hand on your selling competition?  Follow these 20 tips and watch your house sell faster than you can say, “SOLD!”

1. Apply a fresh coat of paint – try to use neutral colors that would appeal to most palates and would easily blend with most buyers’ tastes.

2. Stage the home – a buyer ideally should be able to envision living in the space. Set things up in a way that allow fluidity and extra space because better flow will be more attractive to prospective buyers and it will also allow them to see everything there is to see in the home.

3. Remove all traces of personalization – too many personal artifacts can hinder a sale because buyers can’t see the home for what it is. Keep things clean and try to set things up as you might see a home in professional photographs.

4. Steam clean all fabric surfaces – without realizing it, many homeowners neglect to clean much-needed areas and it costs them a sale.  Grungy surfaces will be cleaned, and it will also freshen up the space plus eliminate any odors from smoking or pets.

5. Replace less-than-perfect carpet – if you can afford it replacing stained carpet is a small investment that will go a long way.

6. Fix any loose ends – there are a surprising number of small things around the house that need repairing – usually items that can pop up during the buyer’s home inspection.  By working to address these items in advance, you save lots of time.

7. Decorate using neutral colors – neutral colors allow a buyer to imagine their own color palates rather than have to attempt to see through the homeowner’s tastes.

8. Provide incentives – pay for homeowners’ insurance for a year or leave existing paid for contracts of home-maintenance so that the new homeowners can use them till the contracts end.

9. Market the property using multiple marketing tools – Deviate from the standard listing practices and move toward the use of technological advances. Engage in proactive marketing such as using YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, 360-degree panoramic videos, individual property websites, instant real-time communication with prospects and more.

10. Hire a top-producing Realtor – the person you hire as your real estate agent will be a decision that will largely impact your success.  Top-producing Realtors usually have a wide network of associates, colleagues, business and person acquaintances as well as vendors and suppliers – all very useful to sellers.

11. Spruce up the curb appeal – The way a home looks from the moment one sees it is a very important impression on the buyer.  Neaten up messy flowerbeds, get rid of weeds, make sure the grass is watered and check the function of your storm door or entry-area.

12. Put out a new welcome mat at the front door – nothing says, “buy me” more than the feeling of warm, cozy and being welcome.  A nice welcome mat is a small expense but it has a large impact as the first impression.

13. Allow easy and frequent access to your home for showing – provide prospective buyers ample opportunity to access your home.  The last thing you want is for a buyer to be interested only to lose that interest if they can’t see the home quickly.

14. Be willing to negotiate – Don’t be hung up on the price or the concessions you offered from the start.  If the feeling is right, be willing to come down a bit on price or give a little more concessions.

15. Price it right – Here is a great article on Trulia about the 7 Deadly Sins of Overpricing your property.

16. Leave in the extras – Buyers are attracted to homes that have major appliances included in the deal – simple.

17. Get a pre-sell home inspection and address any issues – A move-in read y home is clearly going to be the first choice for buyers.

18. Offer to pay part of the closing costs – it takes concessions to appease the savvy buyers of today.

19. Give your pets a new home– Pet smells is a turnoff to someone considering your home.  Consider moving it temporarily until the open house and/or showing period is over.

20. Highlight the home’s best features – If your home’s open floor plan and a great crosswind are fabulous then do your best to show them off.  It will definitely be a selling factor giving you an edge over your competitors.