In today’s market with so many homes on the market and the media telling everyone is a buyers market, to sell your home you must stand out from the competition. I have heard more than once from sellers that “The buyers know that I am moving, so they should understand the mess and the boxes all around.” The problem is that buyers can’t always look past the mess. The way a home shows and looks is so important. As a home seller you need to make sure that your home looks it best. You need to consider every showing like a job interview. Your home needs to put its best foot forward. Today’s home buyer is either looking to buy a home way under market value or a home that in move in ready, so much that they can’t believe how nice it is. If a buyer thinks a home needs work, their offer will reflect it.
One thing to think about when getting your home ready to show is that some buyers will notice every little detail. You need to be very critical of your home. If you do decide to fix up your home, you can’t assume that you can increase the price of your home by how much your improvements are. For example, if you put in new light fixtures and new carpet and it costs you $5000, you won’t be able to increase your list price by $5000. These improvements will make your home more appealing to a potential buyer. You might not sell your home for more, but you do have a better chance of actually selling your home.
Invite a good friend or family member to come over to your home before you list it. Have them write down everything that they feel could be done to make your home sell faster. You would be suprised what a difference a little home improvement can do.