Here are the five best things you can do to get your home to sell faster. I wrote this article when seating with my friend and co-founder of APPLE & BEARS.
1. Work on That Curb Appeal
Whether a potential buyer has seen your listing or not, the first thing he or she is going to see isn’t your foyer – it’s the outside of your home. If you’re a house owner, whether you’ve taken good care of your lawn in the past, now is the time to do so. A shabby-looking front yard, or even a faded front door, might make the bad impression that turns things against your favor. If you put a little work into what you house looks on the outside, a great looking exterior may even have a greater effect of bringing in potential buyers right off the street.
2. Include Good Photos in the Listing
Whether you’re listing your home yourself or you’re having a realtor take care of it, you’ll want to be sure that you’re making a good impression both in real life and online (and in the newspapers). Not only should your listing include all the necessary information in easy-to-read language for house hunters, but it should also include some stunning photos. You’ll want to take good-looking pictures of as many rooms as possible, showing off different angles of each room. No need to pull out Photoshop, but do make sure your house is tidy before snapping some pics.
3. Keep in Tidy
It should go without saying that when you have an open house, your home should look presentable. Not only should you be sure to do a deep clean of all the rooms in your house, you’ll also want to keep those areas tidy whenever there’s a showing. That means getting rid of the pocket change on the bedroom dresser and keeping the kid’s toys kept away. And if you have furry friends, make sure you’ve taken care of pet hair. A potential buyer with allergies will be sneezing his or her way to the door, with the sale unclosed.
4. Install Barn Doors or Subway Tile
If you’re up and up on recent home design and decor trends, then you’ll know it’s no secret that barn doors are totally in these days. In fact, a study from Zillow confirmed such. The study found that homes with the words “barn door” in their listing descriptions sold for 13 percent more and nearly two months quicker than the average. Good news if your home has a barn door, and if not – maybe it’s time for a weekend project! The study also has some other great DIY ideas that will get your house sold quicker.
5. Work With a Realtor
If you’re planning on going through all this yourself, good luck. Get ready to be fielding calls at all hours of the day, making tons of calls yourself, and doing mountains of paperwork. While you might save a little money doing things yourself, a realtor can take a lot of the stress out of the homeselling equation, allowing you to focus more on what’s important: getting the house in showing condition. A helping hand, such as the great realtors at Homes ATX in Austin, will be one the biggest factors in getting your house sold quickly. Featured photo credit: Why You Should Include a Home Warranty in a Selling Offer via lifehack.org
