8 Tips for Selling Your Home This Fall

Even though the housing market is cooling down for the fall, it’s still a great time to sell – you just have to prepare. While buyers currently have fewer homes to see and choose from, they also want to get the most value for their money and are being more selective. If you are going to sell this fall, you need to not only price your home accurately (which Minteer Real Estate Team can help with), but thoroughly prepare your home. Here are some tips:

Curb appeal

First impressions make a difference, and you don’t want to lose any buyers before they even enter your house. Clean up the landscaping and plant some fall color. Give your outside a fresh coat of paint or a good power wash. And as much as you love your autumn decorations, keep them to a minimum. These tips can pay off huge for potential buyers. Click here for more tips on creating a fall curb appeal.

Depersonalize

Don’t distract buyers from your home with personal family photos or non-generic art. While those pieces make your house a home to you, they can hinder buyers being able to picture themselves living in your space and end up passing on your home.

Clean up

Don’t just make your beds, but declutter and minimize. You might like the stack of magazines on the table, but buyers will think it makes the house cluttered and once again distract them from what they’re there to see – your house. Grab a trashbag and some boxes and get rid of clutter or decorations on top of cabinets, shelves, etc. That will put the eyes away from your homes best features. If you’ve already moved out, consider having a professional come in and stage the home with some minimal furniture.

Small projects = Big returns

You don’t need to go all out and renovate your entire home before listing it because you won’t get the money back when selling. However, when choosing to do some updates, focus especially on the kitchen and bathrooms which have the highest rate of returns for renovations. Look at regrouting the tile or updating the countertops or backsplash. Going back to curb appeal, a new front door can be huge for buyers and have one of the highest returns. Click here for the highest returns for renovation projects.

Check for cracks

Look around your house for any cracks on the inside or the outside like your foundation or in any structural area. Even if you’ve had your foundation repaired, cracks will be a red flag to buyers and inspectors. It will typically cost less to repair the cracks now versus losing potential buyers or having buyers negotiate repairs into the contract price.

Keep it cool

While the temperatures may be cooling down, that doesn’t mean your thermostat needs to be turned up. Buyers will be wearing layers and walking around your home. If they are too hot and sweating, they will want to leave. Warm and cozy temps inside doesn’t always mean welcoming.

If you have any questions about preparing your home to sell, give Minteer Real Estate Team a call. We’d be more than happy to answer any of your questions – completely complimentary.

(Source: Today Show)

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