So you want to sell? Here’s what you need to know about how to sell house!
Selling your house is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. It can be emotional and overwhelming. Many things have to be taken into consideration and have to be given great importance. Here are some critical points that can make or break a sale.
How does it look inside and out?
Living in your home day-in and day-out can cause complacency towards the way it looks. You can get use to looking at it and not have the critical eye that another person may have. Have someone take a look at your house inside and out, other than a family member or anyone who sees the home on a daily basis. They will point out things you may not even realize. Even by taking pictures will make you see the house in a different way.
Staging the home is a must.
Have you visited a model home in a new development? Interior decorators are amazing at what they do, showing the models in the best possible way using the latest trends. Get ideas from them! Notice the simplicity of the decorations and the lightness on the colors. Make sure your house shows bright with few items around. De-personalize the home by removing any personal photos or personal knick knacks. Moving some furniture around can open up the room or perhaps removing a table or chair can make the room look bigger. Always remember: less is more. Add new flowers and plants to the landscape to make a better first impression. Curb appeal can seal the deal.
Photo by Curtis Adams:
Great photography sells it first.
Most everything is available online these days. Potential buyers shop for homes online first. Hence, the photos will tell the story and show the house first and foremost. It is of utmost importance that your photos present your house in the best way possible. Hire a professional photographer who specializes in real estate. They know how to sell houses, get the right angles and the correct lighting to make your house look amazing.
Pricing your house is critical.
Many houses fail to sell because of the sales price. A real estate professional can prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to provide an accurate valuation of your house. You can also look at home sales in a 3-mile radius of your neighborhood for the past 6 months to get an idea on pricing. Make sure to adjust the values based on upgrades/renovations, number of beds/baths, square footage and whether a home has a pool or not. By pricing the house too high can cause a listing to go stale and consequently loose value.
List it on the MLS.
The best way to promote the sale of your house is by listing it on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This will need to be done with a Realtor® who is a member of the local MLS. By doing so, the listing will propagate across the Internet and every potential buyer will get to see it. This is where staging, professional photography and correct price come together to give you the best possible scenario to sell quickly, if done properly.
For sale by owner.
You may consider selling your house on your own in order to save on having to pay real estate commissions. In reality, you can save much more by hiring a Realtor, since a real estate professional specializes in helping you price the home accurately, assist with the staging, provide professional photography as part of their services and get you top price. Your home will be on the MLS with a global exposure rather than to put a For Sale By Owner yard sign on your front lawn in hopes that the right buyer drives by. A Realtor will also handle negotiations and manage the transaction all the way to closing. Commissions can be negotiated.
We know how to sell houses!
We have extensive experience preparing and selling homes as well as to help you find a new home. If you’re in the Central Florida area, contact Irma Yapor with Real Property International at 407-909-9200 to learn more or answer any questions you may have.