Even when it is a good time to sell, how you present your home can have a huge effect on value. Some sellers are so used to a brisk market all around them that they don’t realize or understand that it’s possible to overprice a home even in a strong market, and while price is key to a sale, condition is the second factor that can make or break a sale. As a Realtor, I see it time and time again. Two sellers with similar properties; one heeds the advice of the professionals and gets a home inspection, fixes any deficits found, polishes and primps and property stagers their home and their offers and the frenzy around their home take their home and take their price and terms to a level that exceeds their expectations. The other can sit a bit longer, get fewer offers and/or their price is less than hoped for.
While paint and repairs affect condition, a mistake made by some is to stop before finishing because they are weary or have made progress and just don’t see the details (by the way, your stager sees the details that make your money). Do the little things count? They do. The poor landscape, the weeds, the peeling paint, the dirty or worn carpet, the door knob that is hard to open, these things are noticed by buyers and reflect in their purchase prices. How will you ever know if you could have gotten more by changing or adding to your curb appeal or fixing the other items? You won’t, but your buyer takes these things into account while they are doing a comparison to other homes they are seeing. That laundry list of things you have not done gives them ammunition they can use to negotiate your price. They don’t want to take on your issues or if they do they want a “discount”.
Who wants to sell at a discount? Your Realtor knows the route to getting you more money: Hire a proper stager with credentials. I recommend Certified Staging Professionals. Take the stager’s advice and prepare your home to sell. Start when you purchase or start now, as Steven Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” says, “Begin with the end in mind.” You will reap the benefits on your home sale, whether tomorrow or years from now.
Research shows that most people will view your home in the first 10 days on the market. First impressions are key as you may not have a second chance to make a good impression. While 63% of buyers will pay more money for a home that is “move in” ready, preparing your home for sale before you put it on the market will bring 589% return on your investment according to a HomeGain.com survey of 1,000 real estate agents.
