About 5.8 million homes were sold in May 2021. Meanwhile, the median home price in 2021 reached $350,300. Homes only remain on the market for about 37 days, though.
If you want to speed up the home selling process, it helps to have a plan. Otherwise, you might struggle to attract buyers. They might turn their attention toward other listings in the area instead.
Here are seven steps to follow before selling your house. Following these steps will ensure an easy, stress-free process.
You don’t have to struggle to find buyers. Instead, get ready to say goodbye to your old home. Start selling using these seven simple selling tips today!
1. Find a Great Agent
If you want to simplify the entire selling process, consider finding someone with the expertise you need. Get help from a qualified, experienced real estate agent. Look for someone who has years of experience selling properties in the area.
It’s important to find someone with local home selling experience. Their prior experience can help you gather valuable insight.
For example, they’ll likely know about the latest local market trends. They’ll also help you identify issues that might scare away buyers. They can also help improve your marketing strategy.
They could provide you with helpful, customized selling tips you won’t find online.
Many buyers try to sell their homes alone. However, the “for sale by owner” process can lead to costly mistakes. For example, you might list your home too high and scare away potential buyers.
If you list your property too low, however, you could unintentionally leave money on the table.
Meanwhile, only 5% of buyers choose to purchase a home directly from the owner.
Instead, ask each real estate agent you interview how they would price your home. Make sure they have a strategy in place. Relying on their expertise could help you sell your home for top dollar.
Take the time to interview a few agents before you make your choice.
2. Review the Curb Appeal
Once you find a real estate agent for help selling your house, step outside. Look at your home as if seeing it for the first time. Would you stop and ask for a tour?
The outside of your home will make the first impression with potential buyers. Unfortunately, people do judge books by their covers. It’s important to make a strong first impression when people see your home.
Creating a strong first impression could help encourage more buyers to stop by for an open house. You can schedule more tours and receive more offers.
Talk to your real estate agent about tips for improving your home’s curb appeal. Ask them what other homes in the area have done to attract buyers.
Otherwise, start with a fresh coat of paint. Make sure your lawn looks neat and emasculate. Look at the driveway and walkway for cracks or aesthetic issues, too.
3. Start Decluttering
Once you improve the outside of your home, it’s time to consider the interior.
Start by decluttering every living space within your home. If you want to make a strong impression while touring potential buyers, less is more. Try to remove items for any visible areas, including:
- Counters
- Tables
- Windowsills
Don’t forget to check inside closets, drawers, and cupboards, too. Curious buyers might sneak inside to consider the space.
Make sure any possessions are off-limits to potential buyers. Consider finding a storage space until you move. Store your items off-site or consider donating items you don’t need.
Clearing clutter can help your home look more appealing to potential buyers. It can also help you enjoy your new house sooner. You’ll have fewer items to pack and move!
4. Remove Personal Items
As you begin cluttering your home, make sure to look around for personal items. Depersonalizing can help potential buyers imagine themselves in your home. If they see photos of your family, however, they might feel like they’re intruding.
Instead, encourage people to visualize seeing their families in that space.
Remove family photos, bold pieces of furniture, and other personal items that might make your home less appealing to buyers. Create a blank space.
If buyers can imagine themselves in the space, they might fall in love with it.
5. Consider Repainting
As you continue making improvements, consider repainting the walls before selling your house as well. Otherwise, bold color options might discourage buyers.
Instead, consider using a safe, neutral color. It’s rare that a buyer will hate a neutral color. In fact, they’ll likely find it’s easier to imagine the walls a color of their choosing.
Remember, you want potential buyers to picture themselves in your home. Bold color options might remind them someone else lives there. The buyer might want to look at other listings instead.
While painting your home, look around for any scuff marks or other issues, too. Review the baseboards, doors, and walls. Make sure your home looks well cared for.
6. Clean and Stage
Make sure your home looks spotless. Otherwise, any messy spaces could deter buyers from your listing. Make sure to clean your home every time buyers are about to visit.
Take special care of the bathroom, including the shower, counters, and floors.
Cleaning your home will make it easier to stage, too. Staging your home with help from a professional could appeal to buyers. Work with stagers who have experience in the real estate market.
7. Schedule an Inspection
Before selling your house, make sure to schedule a professional inspection.
Scheduling a professional inspection will help you pinpoint any serious problems with your home. You can make the necessary repairs and updates before buyers ask for an inspection.
If buyers come across serious problems, they might lower their offers.
Instead, look for:
- Cracks
- Termite issues
- High radon levels
- Plumbing or electrical issues
- Termite issues
- Mold
- Roof leaks
- Structural issues
Finding these issues early on could speed up the selling process later.
Start Selling: 7 Steps to Follow Before Selling Your House
Selling your house doesn’t have to feel like a stressful process. Instead, start using these seven seller tips. With these tips, you can prepare your home for potential buyers.
Then, you can sell with ease.
