Expert Tips for First-time Sellers

Selling your home can be daunting – especially if you’ve never done it before. You have to prep your property, determine the right pricing and marketing strategies, and open your home up to strangers at a moment’s notice… all while attempting to live your life as normal.

Are you looking to sell your North Houston home in the near future? Already feeling overwhelmed just thinking about it? Here are some ways you can make the process easier:

• Clear away as much clutter as possible. Buyers want to envision themselves in a home – their kids playing in the yard, their pictures on the wall and their family dinners in the kitchen. Unfortunately, when a home is cluttered or full of a seller’s personal belongings (like photos, for example), this is very difficult to do. If you’re selling your home, make clearing away the clutter and personal “stuff”.  Step No. 1? Take your wedding photos off the table and your son’s drawings off the fridge. Next, put away any extra furniture, bulky toys or even instruments that you’re not using. You want to give potential buyers a clean slate, so they can imagine your home as their dream home.

• Have a getaway plan (and place). When your home is on the market, showings can happen at a moment’s notice. You need to be ready to go as soon as you get that call, so put a plan together. Determine where you’ll go (a friend’s house, a local coffee shop, etc.), and put everything you’ll need right next to the door, like your purse, diaper bag, and keys. You should also make last-minute clean-up as easy as possible. Keep all your personal shower items in a caddy for now, and as soon as a showing is scheduled, you can easily pick it up and stow it under the sink in seconds. Do something similar with toys, pet supplies, and other miscellaneous items, too.

• Get help. Don’t do it alone. Hire a  qualified Realtor to help you list your home. The agent will know how to price your home, market it and ensure it sells fast, and they’ll be able to walk you through the entire process every step of the way. This is especially important if you’re a first-time seller.

You should also make sure your agent uses a professional photographer for your listing photos and, preferably, a videographer to do a video tour.  Not only will it help your listing pop, but according to stats, homes with videos get four times as many inquiries as those that don’t!

• Consider including a few incentives. If you think you might have a hard time selling your home, it can never hurt to add in a few extras to get buyers excited. Sure, you can offer some help with closing costs, but many sellers do that. Try throwing in that new washer/dryer set you bought a few years back, or offer to leave behind your nice stainless steel fridge. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference!  Make sure to ask the opinion of your agent- they will know best!

• Stage the home. Once you’ve removed personal items and de-cluttered the property, take some time to stage the home. Give the walls a fresh coat of paint, set the table with your best dishes, and plant flowers in the front garden. Make the place look homey and welcoming – somewhere buyers can imagine themselves and their families for many years to come.

Is selling a home in your future?  Make sure to contact one of our agents.  We can help you determine the best timing, pricing, and marketing strategies, and we will walk you through the entire process.