The following post is by MPFJ staff writer, Laurie Blank. Laurie is a wife, mother to 4 and homesteader who blogs about personal finance, self-sufficiency and life in general over at The Frugal Farmer. Part witty, part introspective and part silly, her goal in blogging is to help others find their way to financial freedom and to a simpler, more peaceful life.
Spring has arrived, which means the real estate market is hot right now. This CNBC video shows that existing home sales in the U.S. for March of 2016 surged much higher than expected.
Where we live, houses are popping up for sale like crazy. My family and I often talk about this surge in home sales in our area (in the Midwest) and why so many people are selling right now.
Are they feeling secure in America’s economic situation and upgrading?
Are they sensing economic doom and downsizing in order to pay off debt?
I can’t answer that question, but as someone who has a history of working in real estate and has sold two homes in the past, I can tell you that there are certain things a homeowner can do in order to get top dollar when they sell their home.
Read on for this list of suggestions on how to make sure that you get as much profit as you can when selling your home.
Do Your Research
Research is vital to a profitable home sale. What are similar houses selling for in your area? Are people eager to move into your area? If so, why? What does your neighborhood have to offer?
Use the Internet and the wisdom of a trusted realtor in order to get a clear picture of how much houses are selling for in your area. A good realtor will find comparable sales for homes like yours that have sold within the last six months so that you can get an idea of what “top dollar” means.
Check out the listings for houses in your neighborhood or area that are currently on the market. Look for houses with similar square footage and a similar number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
Look at the interior and exterior photos for the current listings. How do the houses compare to yours? Are they better? Worse? More upgrades? Less upgrades?
Doing your own research on how much houses are selling for in your area will help you to prepare your house to sell quickly and to get top dollar when it sells.
Neatness Counts
When we sell our houses, we always try to make them look like model homes. Not so much in features and decor, but more from a neatness standpoint. When potential buyers walk into a neat and clean home, they’re much more open to considering buying. Here are my tips for making your home feel warm, welcoming and attractive:
- Clean out and/or organize closets, drawers, appliances and cupboards in every room
- Remove personal effects such as family pictures and personalized items
- Declutter each and every room, packing away or putting in drawers items that don’t add to the feel of the house
- Deep clean each room. Vacuum well, wash baseboards and give the kitchen and baths a good scrubbing
- Be sure that beds are made and that counters, desks and tabletops are clear of non-décor items
- Add small touches such as matching bath towels, small artificial flower arrangements and other items that bring extra shine to your home.
Make Your Home Move-In Ready
Make sure needed repairs are done. Wash your windows. Have carpets cleaned and give your walls a fresh coat of neutral-colored paint if needed.
Be sure the yard is clean, mowed and trimmed and has great curb appeal. Set out a small welcome mat and maybe a pot or two of flowers at the door.
Be sure that your home is in such great shape that the new owners will have to do little or nothing when they move in. Many prospective buyers will walk away from a home if there’s a lot of work to do to before they can move in.
Put Special Focus on Your Home’s Best Features
What is it that you love best about your home and yard? Chances are that interested buyers will love those same things.
Do you have a great family room? If so, focus on giving that room special attention when you sell. Do you love the fire pit in your yard? Add some ready-to-be-burned logs to the fire pit and put a few chairs around it.
By putting a special focus on your home’s best features, you help potential buyers to adore the same things about your home that you love.
Following the tips above will help ensure that you can sell your house for every penny that it’s worth. Don’t miss out on valuable profit by not making your house shine before you put it on the market.
How about you all? Have you sold or bought a home in the past? What is it that attracts you to a home when you walk in the door?
Share your experiences by commenting below!
***Photo courtesy https://www.flickr.com/photos/39136843@N05/3709571684
