Gone are the good old days in Auburn when you could count on a quick sale if you put your home on the market. Many would-be home sellers are finding that it takes months to sell a property now no matter how beautiful and well-maintained the home is or how desirable the neighborhood might be. If you want or need to sell your home, there are a few things you can do to make the sale take place sooner.
How do you get your home ready for the market? You’ll need to make any repairs that are needed or replace any appliances or systems that aren’t working. You may even want to paint some of your rooms that are just right for you and your furniture and tastes a neutral color that others might find more appealing or less off-putting. You may want to remove things such as curtains and/or other things that you wish to take with you such a chandelier before showing your home. And it is really important to de-personalize and de-clutter. To de-personalize, you’ll want to limit the number of family pictures, etc., that you have on display. Buyers don’t feel at home with your family looking down on them and you want your home to become their home. De-cluttering helps to maximize your space. No matter how large a room might be if every bit of it is crammed with furniture and nick-knacks, it is going to look a lot smaller. Clutter or too much furniture prevents the potential buyer from visualizing how their things will work in the room. Moving out extra furniture, etc., gives the illusion of space which is what you are selling. So de-personalize and de-clutter. If you can’t afford repairs, etc., allow for that in pricing and do everything you can such as keeping the home and yard clean and show ready to attract buyers.
Next, you’ll need to find a good Realtor who will be able to provide you with current market data so that you can set an appropriate selling price. Pricing your home is the single most important factor in getting your home sold quickly. The inventory of homes in the Auburn/Opelika area is high now and there are a number of homes in foreclosure or on the market as a short sale in almost every neighborhood. These homes are your competition and you must consider this competition when you set your price. Additionally, the price that homes have sold for recently in your neighborhood will affect the appraisal value of your home and your Realtor can alert you to this. Find a good Realtor and listen to their advice. Look carefully at the CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) that the Realtor can provide you and take note of what similar homes are selling for. You’ll note that the homes priced most appropriately are selling in a shorter time frame as a rule. This does not mean that you have to price your home at the same price as one in foreclosure but it means that you have to consider this competition and be sure your home isn’t overpriced and that your home is move-in ready for the buyer on the closing date. The National Association of Realtors has done surveys of recently sold homes and found that sellers usually sell quicker and at a better price that clears them more profit when they use a Realtor than when they attempt to sell themselves.
You will want to go over the Realtor’s marketing plan for your home and work diligently to help your Realtor with his/her efforts to sell your home. This means having your home ready for Open Houses and for showings when a potential buyer asks to see it. In other words, try to be ready to show your home with the shortest possible notice at all times. An old trick used to make a home feel more homey is to bake cookies just before a showing or Open House so that it smells wonderful. Sometimes Realtors will do this with your permission and serve the cookies during the Open House. Alternately, you can leave scented candles burning or use room deodorizers. The olfactory senses do come into play during showings and can help make a buyer feel comfortable in your home.
You will want to have your home ready for the market when you sign the listing agreement and before the sign goes up in your yard. Yes!!! You do want a sign!!! Your neighbors may know someone who would love to live in your neighborhood and tell them about your home as soon as they see the sign or would-be buyers drive through neighborhoods where they want to buy and they’ll call about your property when they see the sign.
Historically, Spring has been a good time to sell in the Auburn area. This means you should be getting your home ready right now and getting it listed by mid-February if possible. Buyers who have school age children and want to move begin looking early in the spring so that they can move in during the summer. Interest rates are beginning to rise as well so many potential buyers are beginning to look so that they can take advantage of the lower rates before they go up. Buyers are aware of the high inventory and better home prices over previous years in the area and many are beginning to start looking already. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get your home SOLD. And if you need to move into a larger home or to downsize this is a great time for you to do that.
For help with your real estate needs, contact one of the highly capable Realtors at Magnolia Realty today.
This blog was written by Ellen Faurot, Realtor, Magnolia Realty LLC, Auburn, AL.
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Magnolia Realty @ 4:58 PM
