Did you know that you can add as much as double the value for every dollar you put into renovations?
Renovations might be a lot of work,
but they can make pay big dividends on an existing property. The work might be
well worth it in the end. But when selling your home, there are a lot of
other things you can do to prepare it for sale.
The cost of a home is rising in price,
and many people are deciding to move. Before selling your home and moving
homes, keep these 5 tips in mind.
1.
Find a Good Real Estate Agent Before Selling Your Home
Realtors helped to sell almost 6 million homes in 2020 alone. In a country with 350 million people, most
of which who live in apartments, that's a lot of homes! It only makes sense
that realtors know the market better than most.
Selling your home will not be easy.
You'll get a lot of offers, and most of those offers come with a deadline. It
can be difficult to know when to accept an offer or when to reject one,
depending on who the buyer is.
Realtors can help you with several
very important things:
- The right price: realtors can take into account a wide
range of factors to make sure you're pricing your home at the correct
amount
- The right market: realtors know where to advertise your
home so that the highest number of potential buyers see it
- Good advertisement: realtors know the importance of
good flyers, signs, and your curb appeal
- Selecting a good buyer: you want to make sure you sell
to someone who is trustworthy and reliable, and realtors will help
- Coordinating with buyers: realtors know how to handle
communication and disputes between the two of you
- Answering questions: there's a lot that goes into
selling a house, so a realtor is your source of information for anything
and everything
- Taking the stress off your shoulders: selling a home
alone is tough, so a realtor will ease the burden by a significant amount
The best thing about realtors is
that you can select one that suits your fancy. You can speak to as many as you
want before you make the ultimate decision about which one to pick.
2.
Fix All the Small Things
They say all the little things make
the difference, and nothing could be truer than for a home. You're going to
have a lot of people taking a look. These people aren't just going to look;
they're going to touch and test as well.
For starters, make sure all the
doorknobs work. Tighten up any cupboard handles, and ensure the doorframes sit
well.
Spend some time going throughout the
house to address all those little details. Touch up the paint on the walls.
Patch holes and replace old fixtures with new ones.
The cost will be minimal, and you
can do all of this in a weekend. But this will "freshen" up your home
and make it shine for potential buyers.
Get a home inspection to make sure
there are no major problems, either. An inspection may alert you to issues you
were unaware of.
3.
Work on Curb Appeal
First impressions are more important
than we give them credit for. Someone will form an opinion very fast as soon as
they see your home. And the first part of your home that they see will be the
curb.
Curb appeal is everything from your
lawn to your shutters. People plan on living here for a while, so they'll take
note of everything.
At the end of the day, a lawn
doesn't add much cost of upkeep to a home. Planting new grass and keeping it
trimmed might cost you a few hundred dollars per year and an hour or two off
each weekend. But if you leave your lawn in disrepair, that will really damage
the price.
Keep your lawn green and trimmed.
Prune the plants and remove weeds. Paint the facade, clean light fixtures, and
even add new bulbs.
These are all small changes, but
like the above point, they add up to be a big deal.
4.
Keep Your Valuables Under Lock and Key
Let's address the elephant in the
room: letting strangers into your home presents a risk. Some of your valuables
may grow legs and walk away.
Stow away small electronics like
phones and tablets in a secure place. Have your children put away their toys,
and make sure jewelry isn't lying around.
Make sure to accompany those who
come for a tour and keep a close eye on them. You never know what someone's
intentions might be.
5.
Book Movers in Advance
You want to be ready to move at a
moment's notice. If you've only got a month to move out, that doesn't leave you
with much time!
Packing takes a lot of time and
effort, but you've probably got a full-time job. Even with a partner who is
staying at home, that puts a heavy burden on their shoulders. Add on moving
homes, and you have a tall order.
Book movers ahead of time. They'll
take the biggest burden off your chest. There's a great place to find them in
your area; check it out here.
Sell
Your Home at a Profit
Selling your home is a complicated,
protracted process. It will involve a lot of patience as well as help from
professionals who know the industry. Keep the above tips in mind before you
sell, and you'll be ready for everything.
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