A fast sale is every seller's top priority. In today's market, crossing the finish line first isn't a matter of luck. To win the home-sale race, you have to stay ahead of the pack. Price the house right, market the house competitively and make sure the house is in move-in condition.
Here are 3 key ways you can get your home on the home sale fast track.
1. Price to Sell
Don't overprice. A nationwide survey of the National Association of Realtors found homes that sell within four weeks of the initial listing sold for close to the original asking price. Homes on the market for up to six months sold for about 7 percent less than the asking price. Listings that languished for more than six months sold for 15 percent less than the asking price. Experience shows overpricing results in a slow-to-sell home.
This is an area where our neighborhood expertise pays off. By performing a competitive market analysis, we can help you determine the best possible price—one that puts the most money in your pocket and gets it sold fast. We'll study listing and selling prices for similar homes in your neighborhood and compare your home's special features, improvements and condition. Interest rates, local economic trends and the availability of homes for sale in your area will also affect your home's value. The feedback we glean regularly from home seekers helps us keep our sellers informed of what today's buyers want and are willing to pay.
The more realistic the asking price, the sooner your home will sell. Unrealistic prices, on the other hand, are the major cause of "shopworn" listings, causing potential buyers to wonder if something is wrong with the home beyond price.
2. Create a Marketing Plan
Once you've established a selling price, the next step in your fast-track strategy is a maximum-exposure marketing plan. An effective marketing plan can include:
- Tours to familiarize other agents with your home.
- Showing your home to qualified buyers.
- Advertising your home where it counts.
Offer Buyer Incentives. For example, sellers can help with closing costs, provide a home warranty, give allowances for carpet or draperies or pay utilities or lawn service for a limited time. Lowering cash barriers to the purchase will significantly enlarge the circle of potential buyers. We can discuss many other ways to market your home so it stands out from the competition.
3. Showplace Condition
To tempt a buyer, your home has to be inviting. Today's buyers generally don't have the time to do their own fixing up, so for maximum appeal, your home must be in move-in condition.
Focus on curb appeal. First impressions really do count. Inside your home, recognize that living condition is different from showing condition. Prospective buyers want to see your home in near perfect condition, even if that's not the way they'll keep it once they move in. Make your home a "showplace" and you'll soon be taking a victory lap after a fast sale.
Give us a call for more tips on getting your home ready to sell, developing an effective marketing plan or setting the right price for your home. With our experience and track record, together we can make sure you finish a winner.
