| The longer a piece of property stalls, the | | | | for their investments, sellers must map out |
| greater threat it poses to your marketability | | | | their selling plan. What is a reasonable |
| and profit. There are 7 simple things you can | | | | price for that market and how far would you |
| do to enhance your home's appeal, get warm | | | | be willing to come down off that price? Set a |
| bodies through the door and close the deal | | | | date on which you will reduce the cost if the |
| sooner rather than later. | | | | home has not yet sold, as flexibility is key. |
| | | | A good agent should have the know-how to help |
| 1) Open houses | | | | you with mapping out your strategy. |
| | | | |
| This is one of the most popular weekend | | | | 5) Get organized |
| activities. Letting people walk through your | | | | |
| home - touching it, feeling it, picturing | | | | Cleaning out all your personal stuff can make |
| their children playing in your backyard - is | | | | a prospective buyer start viewing the home as |
| a highly effective way to generate interest. | | | | their own. A clean, open, clutter-free space |
| However, an open house is only as effective | | | | leaves room for imagination and creativity. |
| as the traffic it generates. Without some | | | | Does your home have a wealth of storage |
| other key home-selling strategies, you may | | | | space? Show it off by cleaning and organizing |
| find your open house events sorely | | | | your closets and cabinets. Above all, make |
| disappointing. | | | | sure the home stays clean. Nothing kills a |
| | | | deal faster than seeing hairbrushes and dirty |
| 2) Perks | | | | dishes lying around. |
| | | | |
| Creativity is key in some areas where the | | | | 6) Get chic |
| housing market has peaked, leaving sellers at | | | | |
| their wit's end. Throwing in perks like a | | | | An interior decorator with an eye for design |
| cash rebate disguised as a "decorator's | | | | can be your best friend. Their skills can |
| allowance" or homeowner's association fees | | | | entice buyers and help transition the house |
| for a year can be very enticing. It can also | | | | from "your home" to a "show home." Spring for |
| be considerably cheaper than letting your | | | | new end tables, pillows, decorating |
| property languish on the market, forcing you | | | | accessories, fresh paint on the walls and |
| to slash the price. One of the standard | | | | ceilings. You may even want to remove your |
| incentives is to cover closing costs for the | | | | old personal effects, such as family |
| seller. When including perks, be mindful of | | | | pictures. Small details like setting the |
| the buyer's perception. You don't want to | | | | dining room table as if you were about to |
| seem over-eager, because they will then | | | | host a dinner party can also help prospective |
| question your motives and probably use that | | | | buyers picture themselves in your home. |
| against you in price negotiations. | | | | |
| | | | 7) Professional photography |
| 3) Hire the best | | | | |
| | | | Just as professional models attract jobs by |
| Hiring a good agent with years of experience | | | | using professional photographers for their |
| and knowledge of the market and its current | | | | head shots, so should you give your home |
| trends is crucial. For Sale By Owner | | | | top-notch treatment. Quality photos of not |
| properties are generally preyed upon by | | | | just the exterior, but several different |
| opportunistic investors who plan to flip the | | | | rooms on the interior, can enable prospective |
| property and see this as a way to take | | | | buyers to take a "virtual tour" of your home. |
| advantage. If you don't have the knowledge | | | | |
| and the real estate savvy, get somebody on | | | | In this day and age, Internet shopping is |
| your side who does. Hiring a good agent will | | | | becoming increasingly popular as an essential |
| generally bring you a higher sale price, and | | | | step that precedes an actual home tour. It is |
| is worth any commission you may have to pay | | | | important to gain interest up front with |
| out in the end. | | | | these photos, and a professional can help |
| | | | capture the true essence of your home. It is |
| 4) Make a map | | | | a worthwhile investment to drive up interest |
| | | | and foot traffic. |
| Just as real estate investors create a plan | | | | |