Condition Of The
Property
All of the cosmetic things, such as paint, landscaping, window
coverings and flooring should be in good shape. The house should be spotlessly
clean inside and out! It’s amazing how most buyers refuse to see “through”
superficial, cosmetic shortcomings. To illustrate this point, most buyers can
walk into a “perfect” home that is priced below market. However, if the house is
cluttered, the carpet is worn, or the house has a strong pet odor, they move on
to look at the next house. And making these cosmetic improvements costs little
. . . mostly your time! To get the house sold, make a small investment in:
1.
Landscaping:
Make sure lawn is in good shape and trees and shrubs neat and trimmed. Make sure
gutters are clear. If you don’t have the time to do it, pay someone.
2.
Exterior of home: Make sure there is no chipping paint, dirty
windows, or clutter in the yard. Most importantly, remember that most buyers
will notice the condition of the front door when they walk in.
3.
Interior:
Make sure the carpets are clean and attractive, the walls painted (if it needs
it) and clean (no smudges!), the kitchen clutter-free and the windows are
spotless. Also, remove excess furniture (rule of thumb is put half the furniture
in storage or the basement). Excess furniture makes rooms appear much smaller.
Make sure all clothes are off the floor and organized in closets. And finally,
make sure the smell of the home is appealing. Vanilla scent works very well with
most buyers.
Was Your Property
Aggressively Marketed?
Another primary reason for homes languishing on the market is a
simple lack of exposure. In a very hot market, a listing in the Multiple Listing
Service alone should generate an adequate number of buyers. However, if your
market is anything less than red-hot, the amount of inventory will increase and
your home needs aggressive marketing.
Most buyers work with real estate agents. A good real estate
agent will make sure your property is exposed to the active real estate agents
in your areas by presenting your property to many of the area offices. Also,
most active real estate agents have a strong network of other agents, and
they’re usually on the phone pushing the property to the other agent’s buyers.
Make sure your property is advertised in home magazines. Many
buyers pull these off the racks of grocery, convenience and drug stores when
they are actively looking to buy a home. Most importantly, make sure your
property is advertised in heavily trafficked web sites like Realtor.com. Well
over 80% of buyers use the Internet to look for homes!
Finally, and Most
Importantly, Did You Hire The “Right” Real Estate Agent?
Like any profession, there are very effective and ineffective
agents. Many agents work hard and employ strong marketing techniques. Many
agents have a strong network and access to buyers. Many agents simply work hard
to get your home sold. However, many do not. Did your agent simply place the
house in the Multiple Listing Service? Or, did she or he inform their network of
buyers about your property? How about presenting your property at sales meetings
both at her or his office and other company offices? Did she or he promote your
property at the local real estate board meeting, where many agents gather to
share inventory? Did she or he use aggressive advertising, including real estate
magazines and heavily trafficked Internet web sites?
Ask yourself, was your agent passionate about selling your property? If not, now is the time to find the agent who will get your home sold. As your local real estate professional, I am available to answer any questions you have about properly packaging your home to get it sold. You can call me at any time for advice, and please remember that you are under no obligation or pressure of any kind.