Spending thousands of dollars on renovations is expensive and a timely proposition. If you plan on offering your home for sale shortly, you might do better by avoiding remodeling. Additionally, it may not result in the return on investment you might be expecting.

Model homes showcase the latest in upgrades and decorating styles. When we get home, all we can see is the tile in our bathrooms and yesterday’s details in our kitchens. These things can become overwhelming if we are considering a home sale shortly. Before you grab the sledgehammer and plan an HGTV weekend of expanding your family room, take a breath. Your home doesn’t need to be the latest and greatest to fetch top dollar in the resale market.

As you evaluate making changes to your home before listing it for sale, the first thing you should do is talk with your real estate agent. They have market experience which allows them to speak with you about how your home compares to others in your area. They work with buyers and sellers every day and know what features and upgrades are top sellers—and which don’t matter at all. While the modern urban home in the magazine looks great, changing the details in your country house into an industrial loft style is not an improvement.

Some improvements do translate to better sales price in every case. Outdated wallpaper, dirty and worn carpets and dark rooms can always use improvement. New or cleaned carpets and a fresh coat of paint, coupled with bright lighting, will showcase the best features of your home.

Most buyers start their home search online. The pictures that represent your offering can make all the difference. Make sure they don’t eliminate your home due to poor presentation. Studies have shown that homes with professional listing photos sell faster and for more money. Using your iPhone will hurt your chances of selling quickly and for top dollar.

Professional photographers do far more than snap pictures with the right lens. They understand how to create the right emotional response in the viewers. They have experience working with listings and homes, especially if they only specialize in real estate.

• Artistic Eye: As they move through your home, they will consider which room or area is the best feature of your home and concentrate on creating an emotional response. 

• Staging the Shot: Your photographer will stage each picture. They will use lighting and space to arrange each room for a beautiful photo. 

• Editing: Professionals employ the latest editing programs to enhance pictures further for that perfect exposure.

Make sure your home stands out among the sea of listings, as potential buyers sort through properties online.

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA). A professional realtor can provide you with data on similar homes that have recently sold, homes that failed to sell, and ones that are currently on the market in your area.

Arriving at the right listing price is not magic, but it is one of the most important aspects of selling your home quickly and at the best price. Consider the market analysis with your agent carefully and base your list price on the comparable property values and your personal goals. You can do everything right, but if the home is not competitively priced, it will not sell.

Buyers are more informed than ever and can often conclude if a listing is overpriced on their own. Buyer’s agents will also suggest they avoid an overpriced home. There is no point having their clients get excited about a home that is unrealistically priced. It’s a myth that buyers will pay over market value for a home they love, and even if they are willing to pay over value, their lender will order an appraisal, and if the value is not there, they will simply not get a loan at that price. The exception to all of this is the cash buyer; they can overpay as much as they wish.

A home gains the most attention the first week it is listed. An overpriced home that lingers on the market will often sell for less than if it had been priced correctly at the outset.

You know the old saying, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”  With home sales, it is the presentation and the price. Package and present your home properly to attract buyers immediately and invite them to move quickly. 

Living in your home is very different from living in your home while it is listed for sale. Decluttering is extremely important. You may have many beautiful and meaningful belongings, carefully placed just where you like them. However, those items don’t help you sell your home. Be sure to consult a realtor in this regard because they will be able to provide you with impartial feedback.

New listings on Thursday or Friday will capture the attention of potential buyers planning to house hunt over the weekend. Time your listing properly, and present it at its best the first time.

Publishing your listing on a website and populating it with your professional photos is merely an online presence and the most basic element of online marketing. While most agents will automatically list your home on the local MLS, there are many other syndicated platforms such as Trulia, Zillow, Realtors.com, ListHub, and others that should be employed to provide maximum exposure.

Additionally, social media platforms have been growing exponentially. Your online marketing should extend to such sites as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, and YouTube.

Technology is a home seller’s best friend. If you decide to employ a realtor, it is important to work with one that understands and participates in a broad range of Internet marketing solutions. Utilizing high-quality photographs, videos and even drone media should lead the way. Accentuate the positives of your offering and provide a reason for potential buyers to linger over, fall in love with, and schedule a tour of your home.

Don’t forget to include your community in your marketing. Neighborhood quality is one of the most important factors that determine where home buyers choose to live. A good online strategy should link to local schools, parks, shopping, and fitness centers.

There is data that shows that open houses can be an effective tool in attracting potential buyers. The first couple of weekends your home is on the market, it will get the most showings and attention. By having an open house within the first two weeks on the market, your agent can be there to provide information to the buyers and their agents, thus encouraging offers.

The main criticism of the open house is the lookie-loo. These are people out for a Saturday afternoon drive who see your sign. It could be the neighbor who has always wondered how that new kitchen looks. Yes, those lookie-loos come through open houses. Embrace their interest. The point of an open house is to get people into your home. They might know others that are looking for a home, or sometimes they don’t realize they are ready to move until they see what they want. You want that particular house to be yours.

There are also those buyers who do not want to talk with an agent. They would rather do the looking by themselves, and when they find the right property, they call an agent. These buyers will utilize multiple websites that advertise open houses and head out to see them on their own. There are more of these buyers than you might think. Open houses allow them to get into your home to see it. This is perfectly fine and normal. Your goal should be to get as many prospective buyers as possible to see your home. Having an open house is the easiest way to expose your offering to local prospects.

Showing your home to buyers is the most important part of selling your home. Everything you do to attract buyers to see your home depends on your home showing well while they visit. Set the stage; keep the home and yard clean and neat at all times. Understand that buyers and agents might show up unexpectedly and you need to be ready.

Remove or contain pets for their safety, as well as for the comfort and security of your buyers. If you are home when the buyers and their agents arrive, it’s time to leave. Buyers feel uncomfortable looking through your home while you are there. If you’ve prepared properly, your presentation will speak for itself. Give them plenty of time to linger; the longer buyers stay, the more they start to picture themselves in the home.

Once you start getting showings, your agent will follow up with the buyer’s agent to get feedback. Listen to the information you receive. While you might not be able to change the location or view, there could be adjustments that you can make. It might be hard to hear, but remember you are moving on, and the goal is to provide potential buyers with a canvas on which they will build their memories, just like you did when you moved in.

Often, small issues you do not feel are significant are uncovered in the early days of your listing. Pay attention while you still have time to make adjustments. If your home needs some minor changes or freshening up, or if the price is too high, most buyers’ agents will give this information to your agent. Listen to the feedback, and make adjustments if possible.

Honest feedback is critical. When interviewing your potential real estate agents, ask them how they process feedback from showings. Choose an agent who has a solid plan for feedback. Every potential buyer who walks through your home without writing an offer has a reason; find out why and if you can make changes. Adjust to what the market is telling you.

You’ve done your homework. You prepared your home to shine in listings and home tours; then, your agent calls you with good news: “We have an offer.” Maybe you even have a couple of offers. The more offers, the better. Now what? As you start to realize that you have some decisions to make, here are a few tips for handling the offers:

• Trust Your Agent: While the final decision is yours, of course, it is time to talk and listen to what they have to say. They are there to guide you. 

• Remove Emotions: Try to stay detached. Of course, you love your home, but this is a financial transaction. Don’t let hurt feelings cloud your judgment. 

• Respond to All Offers: Even if you get a lowball offer, don’t get offended; respond. The buyer cared enough to write an offer, so there is always an opportunity. 

• Consider the Terms as Well as the Price: An offer is not just the sales price. A quick closing or all-cash offer might be worth a slightly lower selling price. 

• Respond Quickly: Don’t sit on offers. Buyers assume you are not interested and will move on.

Negotiate as best you can and for as long as you can. Concentrate on the bigger picture, and don’t sweat the little things. Be patient and realistic with each buyer and offer.

After you accept an offer, there are many steps before you get to closing. You will have to handle typical contingencies and conditions. Some of the contingencies are as follows:

• Buyers securing financing
• Review of seller disclosures
• Inspection of the home’s structural and functional condition, such as foundation, roof, electrical, heating, and plumbing
• Termite inspection
• Appraisal of home that will be required by buyer’s lender
• Final walk-through

Any or all of these contingencies might result in further negotiation of the terms of the contract. Don’t get discouraged and feel that the process is failing; you are just working on common hurdles to complete the transaction. Your agent has the experience to guide you as you move through the contingency period.

Selling a home as quickly as possible for the highest possible price is the goal of every seller. By preparing the home properly and pricing it correctly, you can achieve the desired results and the profit that you deserve.

Your three goals in selling your home are as follows:

1. Present your home in the best possible light to potential buyers
2. Create urgency online with photography, video, and pricing
3. Stage your home to show beautifully in person

Selling homes is not a mystery; it is just a process. Challenge our team if you are not planning to market it yourself.