How to Get the Most out of Selling Your Home

Homeowners selling their home often have two main goals: they want to get the most they possibly can out of the sale (as the amount made in the home sale often goes into their budget for their new home) and they want to sell quickly so they can move more quickly. Often as time passes, sellers get nervous and settle for a lower bid in order to just get out of the house. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you prepare, put in the work, and trust the right people to help you sell your home, you can sell it quickly and for more money.

Time Your Sale Strategically

Do you know the best time to sell your home? Typically it runs from spring to early summer. The mild weather makes it easier for buyers to move in and in the case of families, it’s the best time to look for a new school without taking the kids out of school in the middle of the year. However, this may vary depending on where you live. It’s best to ask a realtor before you decide when to sell your home when would be the most strategic time. In Houston, for instance, many buyers prefer to move in fall or early winter because of the cooler weather. Find out when people are most likely to move in your area and plan your sale accordingly.

Tell the Internet What You Love About Your Home

The internet is the best marketing resource we’ve ever known, especially since the popularity of social media. Your realtor will have listings on various real estate websites for your home, but you can do your part, too, through social media. Share the listing with your friends on Facebook or Twitter. Post a video on Youtube about what you loved most in your house and make sure to tag it properly so people can easily find it. A good listing on Zillow or Trulia will draw attention from potential buyers, but your personal touch might be what’s needed to seal the deal.

Then Remove the Personal

This may seem like a contradiction, but it holds true. While telling all of social media what you and your family loved about the house may help potential buyers to see themselves living there, seeing too much of you in the house itself may have the opposite effect. Family portraits, kid toys, dog beds, all give the impression that this is someone else’s home, and the buyer is just a guest. They need to be able to walk through your home and imagine their own pictures, keepsakes, and interests. Anything specific to you and your family should be removed in staging.

Don’t Stop at Interior Staging

People put substantial focus on indoor staging...but not as much on exterior staging. Staging your outdoor space is just as important as staging your indoor space, if not more important. After all, when someone visits your home, it’s the exterior that they’ll see first. The lawn should be mowed, bushes and trees should be trimmed and everything should look nice and neat at a minimum. If you have any way to give your home exterior an added wow factor, now is the time to do it. Ask your real estate agent for advice on staging the landscape to attract potential buyers.

Lastly, choose your realtor carefully. Consider their experience in the area and what their past clients have said about them. Sit down and meet with them to find out what they could do for you in your home sale before you make a decision. The right real estate agent will be an expert on the market in your area, with plenty of tips to achieve a quick home sale — without having to settle for less money.