Selling Your House In This Economy - Critical Basic Steps
Sometimes we get to sell our residences when we want to and sometimes we have to sell because we really have no choice. A lack of choice is probably the reason for any sale in this market. Regardless of how you get to the decision, the key to selling in this market is to return to the basic, critical steps for any sale. Let’s take a look.
We’re in football season. Whether you prefer college or the pros, the same theme is repeated time after time. When a team is going through a tough period, the coach always talks about returning to the basics. The same is true for real estate. There are basic elements that are not flashy, but always contribute to a sale. Without them, you risk having a home that sits on the market and sits and sits.
The first basic step to take is to give the home the once over. Walk through the interior and exterior of the house. The key is to identify the areas that are in need of basic repairs. Now make them! Once completed, you need to also objectively look at the walls and do some painting. Consider changing colors to create a contrast that will liven up rooms that are drab and so on. The cost of this step should be nominal.
The second step is to walk across the street and take an objective look at your home. In this step, we are sizing up the home for curb appeal. What looks good? More important, what looks bad? The landscaping obviously needs to be done. You should consider adding plants to break up a drab yard or frame windows. Also, using a strong cleaner to remove oil and debris from the driveway is money well spent. Driveways and garage floors are the eyes into the soul of how the home was cared for. Keep yours clean.
Marketing your home is obviously a critical step. Don’t just do whatever. Instead, tap into the possible benefits that are available to sellers. For instance, you might advertise that the home is perfect for the $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit, has transferable solar energy tax credits, is set up for net metering or whatever. The point is to figure out what is special about your home and communicate it to buyers. Just saying it is a “wonderful 2 bedroom” doesn’t do that!
Being a seller in this economy is not easy. That being said, homes are selling every day in every part of the country. Concentrate on the basics and your home could be one of them.
