If you are thinking of selling your home before the holidays, now is the time to get moving. The spring and summer buyers have likely already found a home, but in Northern Virginia, there is really no bad time to sell your home. The high year-round demand means that serious sellers can sell any time of year. However, there are some things you can do to help ensure that your home doesn’t languish on the market too long.
See also Can You Sell Your NOVA Home in Winter?
Choose the Right Agent
The best way to tank a sale is to hire your second-cousin twice removed to sell your home. Family aside, don’t just go for name recognition, either. You want a Realtor® that knows your area inside and out, and has a well-established network of buyers, sellers, and other agents to market your home to. But you also want someone that will take a personal interest in you, and is willing to answer your questions and give you the best advice. That personal connection is invaluable in any working relationship, and can be especially beneficial when selling your home.
Listen to your Agent
If you have chosen your agent well, s/he will be give you really good advice on where to price your home, based on other homes in the area, your home’s features, and the current market conditions. Trust their knowledge and experience. They want you to sell for the best possible price, which may or may not be the number you had in mind.
One of the hardest things for clients is sometimes facing reality of what their home is really worth. We all have soft spots for our home, and we know how much love and money we have spent taking care of the home. But you have to separate your love from the business of selling your home. This is now a business transaction. One of the greatest disappointments for a client is when they over-price their home and it languishes on the market longer than expected. Your agent is there to help you, and can help you find the best price to attract the most quality buyers.
See also Big Mistakes that Keep Your NOVA Home from Selling
Pay Attention to Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is more than just freshly-mown grass, manicured flower-beds, and pretty potted plants lining the porch. Does your front door need a fresh coat of paint? What about the mailbox? The house numbers? The wood trim around your door or the porch railing? Peeling paint or a bland, faded front door can detract from the image you are trying to portray.
The color you choose is important, though. You may really like the idea of a bright, iris-purple door, but a prospective homeowner will just see one more thing they will have to repaint after they move in! If you are looking for a pop of color, make sure you choose something that coordinates with the other colors one your homes exterior, like the brick, window trim, porch, etc. Or opt for a shade of black, which still rises to the top of most appealing colors for home buyers.
De-clutter your closets
Take out half the stuff from your closets and put it in temporary storage. You want your closets to appear generous, and if you have them stuffed to the gills, then prospective buyers may wonder if they will have room for their own things.
This doesn’t only apply to closets, of course. You don’t want too much furniture making your rooms look small! De-clutter everything!
De-personalize your space
This is extremely difficult for many sellers, as they have spent so much time and effort to personalize their home to what they like. But you want your buyers to see themselves in the home, which may be difficult if your children are looking back at the buyers from the shrine on the wall. And your collection of porcelain cats or collector plates may make it difficult for them to see placement of their own knick-knacks.
Remove anything personal, and if you have wild colors on the wall, a fresh coat of neutral paint should do the trick. You can add some color with pillows or non-personal wall art as part of the overall staging.
See also Top Notch Home Staging Tips
As your local real estate experts, we can help you make great choices in prepping, staging and pricing your home. Our main goal is to help you achieve your dream, as well as facilitate a smooth sale and closing. As always, if you or someone you know need help selling or finding a dream home in 2018, please do not hesitate to call us. Contact Jason at 703-298-7037 or Jason@JasonAndBonnie.com.
