If you’re thinking of selling your home in 2020 and wondering how you need to prepare it for the market, here are the four key factors you need to keep in mind:
1. The market’s condition. In a strong seller’s market, you don’t need to do too much since there’s little inventory and not much competition. You can price your home reasonably and it will sell no matter what. If you overprice your home, though, it will sit on the market, which you don’t want.
2. Price point. In the average price points, you don’t need to do much to sell your home. However, in the higher price points ($400,000 and above) your home’s condition becomes more of a factor.
3. Selling conditions in your neighborhood. If every home in your neighborhood has granite countertops and yours has Formica, that could adversely impact your home sale. Also, if all the listings in your neighborhood are cleaned and renovated, you need to do the same for yours—unless you’re willing to accept a lower price.
4. The resources at your disposal. Do you have the money and/or skills necessary to make certain changes to your home? If you don’t have the necessary resources, you’ll have to use whatever strategies are available.
Regardless of the resources at your disposal, here are four tips that will help your home sale no matter what:
1. Declutter. This step is critical—it doesn’t cost you anything. Remember, less is more. The more personal items you can remove from your living areas, the better off you’ll be. Buyers want to be able to see themselves in your home. They don’t want to see your family portraits. Make it impersonal to you so they can make it personal to them.
2. Paint. Painting is inexpensive (repainting your entire home can cost as little as $2,000), but you have to do it right. Doing so will dramatically improve the perception of your home. If your home has strong colors, you want to switch them to neutral colors. Also, try to hire someone who knows how to do this correctly. A sloppy paint job will turn off buyers.
3. Boost your home’s curb appeal. First impressions are everything in real estate, so do everything you can to make your home’s first impression count. This means updating the landscaping and doing everything else you can think of around the house. If it’s winter, you’re off the hook. If there’s snow on the ground, though, you should still make sure the pathway to your front door is clear.
4. Eliminate odors. If your home smells like mold, cigarettes, or pets, that’s the kiss of death for your potential sale. You must eliminate them. If they’re still there after a good cleaning, a sensitive nose will still detect them. If you need to hire a professional, I know several who can help you with this problem. They use organic products, and they’re inexpensive.
If you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you. Remember, mi casa es su casa!
