Getting ready to sell your North San Diego County home?
For most of us, our homes are the largest investment we will ever make. Here are some tips to help home sellers get top dollar and avoid headaches.
Set the Stage
While major projects will often not bring a high enough return in your sales price, the small stuff does count when selling a home. You will only get one chance to make a first impression with potential buyers. Before your home goes on the market make sure you:
Declutter
Too much furniture, crowded counter tops, collectibles and family photos keep buyers from being able to visualize themselves living in your home. Pack up those items and clean out your closets. Sell or give away all the items you don’t want to take with you. Put the items you’ll be keeping into a storage unit or into your garage.
Improve Curb Appeal
That first impression starts the second a buyer pulls up to your home. Tidy up and trim your yard. Add plants in bloom for color. Mulch flower beds. If you have grass, make sure it is green and weed-free. Paint your front door or house trim if needed. Power wash those same areas to remove cob webs, leaves, etc. Put out a new mat at your front door.
Clean
Clean windows, carpet, bathrooms, tile, grout, light switches, window coverings, around door knobs, inside cabinets, cob webs, all those areas that can get missed. They do matter. Use your nose too and remove or eliminate any odors in your home from pets, trash cans, etc.
Paint
Touch-up or repaint if walls are dirty, damaged, or painted in hard-to-sell colors. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders! Be careful if you choose to touch-up your paint. I’ve been in many homes where sellers have used touch-up paint that isn’t a perfect color or finish match with the original. This can look so bad, that you’ll have to repaint over it.
Make Repairs
Replace burned-out light bulbs, repair leaks, cracks, and items that are not working or are damaged. These items create red flags for buyers.
Add Light
Open curtains and blinds. Cut back bushes and trees if they are blocking windows. A bright, open home is much more inviting.
Sellers’ Staging Tips
If you’d like help on getting your home ready for the market from someone who has the inside scoop on what buyers are looking for, let me know. I’ll be happy to give you tips on making the best impression to help maximize your sales price. I can also set you up with a professional stager if you decide to stage your home.
Set the Price
In order to get top dollar for your home, you need to set the price high enough to maximize the return without it being so high that buyers won’t be willing to submit offers. Buyers know the market and will be comparing your home to others.
Get a comparative market analysis, or CMA. It will show you what similar homes in your neighborhood are selling for. It will also show you those homes that didn’t sell and the ones you are currently competing with. A CMA provided by a local REALTOR® is usually much more accurate than an automated estimate from a national website. If you’d like a complementary CMA from a local North San Diego County REALTOR®, no strings attached, please go to my home valuation page.
Correctly Market the Home
A home that shows well, is priced right and aggressively marketed, will sell for more money in less time than one that is not. Each home is unique and needs a marketing plan specifically suited to finding the largest number of qualified buyers in the shortest amount of time. The marketing plan should minimally include:
- Local MLS Input
- Extensive Web Presence
- Marketing Targeted toward Buyers and Agents
- Professional Photographs and Videos
- Direct Mail and Online Advertising
- Open and Easy Communication
- Feedback for You on Showings
- Honesty and Hard Work
I will do all of the above and more. If you’d like a copy of my marketing plan, please contact me. I’d be happy to show you what I’ll do to sell your home for the highest dollar possible in the least amount of time!
Aggressive Negotiation
It takes a strong negotiator to maximize your home’s price and set the best terms. Even after you sign the contract, the buyer’s contingencies, inspections and appraisal can cause considerable negotiations. I am a tough, experienced negotiator and will champion your cause throughout the transaction.
Diligent Follow Through
Contingencies, buyer’s financing, appraisals, inspections and repairs need detailed coordination during the escrow process. You need a great project manager to make sure your sale proceeds smoothly and closes on time. I’ll use my expertise to catch and fix problems before they happen so your closing is as problem free as possible. And I’ll continue to communicate with you at every step along the way right up to the end!