Getting ready to sell? Many sellers put their homes on the market, live with the inconvenience of making it available for Realtors and buyers to see it, and then wonder after 2 or 3 months why it hasn’t sold. That’s not the right way to sell a house. You need to get your home ready before the first day it hits the multiple listing service. Your best time to get an offer is that very first week your home is on the market. If your house doesn’t sparkle, Realtors won’t bring their buyers. Even those who see it for the first time after it’s been on the market a while will wonder why it’s still on the market. Many will conclude that it’s overpriced, whether or not that’s the case.
On of the most crucial things you can do is to make sure your home is as inviting as a model home. New home builders know how to stage a home. Take a look at the video above, featuring San Diego new homes by Brookfield. Don’t they look inviting and warm? Your house looks inviting and homey to you – after all, it’s your home – but take a step back and make it inviting to anyone who might walk in the door.
First, make sure it doesn’t look crowded. Take all the stuff off the kitchen counters. Get rid of furniture, especially any furniture that’s too big for the room. You’re going to have to move soon anyway, so why not start your packing now? Put it in storage – it’s well worth the cost if you can get your home sold quickly. When you’re deciding how much stuff needs to go, don’t use the current situation as a starting point. Instead pretend the house is empty. Now what would any home need? A sofa, a television, a dining table, beds in the bedrooms? It doesn’t need all your cds, your knick-knacks, a sewing machine, a bean bag chair, etc. Home buyers will imagine moving their things into any house they look at. Make sure they see lots of room to put their stuff. Do not forget the closets. Buyers will look to see how much room there is. If the closets are jam packed, they’ll see that there’s not enough room for their stuff.
Next, make it neutral. Anything that’s personalized could be a wrong fit to a buyer. If you have a room painted burgundy, paint it off-white before you list your house. Look at the model homes. Anybody could imagine moving in to these homes. The buyer will personalize it their way over time, but it has to be at least okay to them now.
Make sure your home is well lit. Add light fixtures, buy additional lamps, or open the drapes. Light helps make your home look bigger and more neutral.
Curb appeal means how your home looks to buyers when they first see it – from the curb?If the front of the home is boring, buyers won’t be enthusiastic about seeing the inside. If it is messy or overgrown, they will start the showing with a negative feeling. The Realtors who show your house won’t help the buyers past that. They’re as human as buyers. They’ll show their buyers houses that they’re excited about. The first impression is incredibly important, so don’t skimp here.
Fix the little things. Are there cracked tiles? Does the lawn have bald spots? Are there water stains on the ceiling? When a home doesn’t wow them, most buyers don’t even know why the don’t like it. A new coat of paint goes a long way.
Here is the hardest part. It is your home. It is very difficult – almost impossible – to look at it impartially. It’s a very good idea to have someone else assess the situation. There are professional stagers available. You could have someone do it for you, or just come in and make recommendations that you can carry out. Or you can just ask an impartial person to take a look. Your Realtor might not be the ideal candidate because they don’t want to offend you and maybe lose your business. This should be a person who isn’t familiar with your house. Otherwise they’ll have the same problem you have. You need to be willing and able to hear the negatives about the home you love, and that’s challenging.If you can find the wherewithall to do that, your house will look great to Realtors and buyers viewing the newest home on the market. Your reward will be a quicker sale at a better price.
Rockrose new homes Carlsbad is the newest community by Brookfield San Diego. Stop in and see how beautifully the models show.
See current rates and information on home loans at Ditech.













