7 Ways to Simplify Selling Your Home for Busy Homeowners - Keep your home sale simple with these tips. Topics include pricing, clutter, and taking a vacation!
7 Ways to Simplify Selling Your Home for Busy Homeowners
By Steph Medeiros
Dec 20, 2011 - 11:26:04 AM
These days, homeowners have a lot on their plate. When it comes time to sell a home in addition to all the demands of day-to-day life, they also must meet the demands of real estate sales. With so much involved in the process of listing and selling a home, it can be easy for busy homeowners to get overwhelmed. Here are some quick tips for simplifying the task:
1. Hire a great real estate agent who will work hard for you.
Selling homes is a job in itself - which is exactly why real estate agents exist. Hiring a professional, licensed real estate agent should be step number one for simplifying you home selling experience. Hiring an agent who has a proven track record of success will give you peace of mind that all the details are being covered. Making sure your agent communicates quickly and clearly will help you rest assured that things are being handled well and that you are being kept in the loop as a buyer. Stay away from agents who keep you in the dark, are slow to return calls and E-mails, or who don't seem to have your best interests in mind.
For homeowners who decide to sell their homes themselves, without the help of a real estate agent, be prepared to feel like you've taken on a second job. It is not impossible for homeowners to successfully sell their homes on their own, but it takes a lot of work, time, and energy.
2. Set an aggressive price.
After you've hired a real estate agent, one of the first things you will discuss with him or her is price. Depending on your local market, your real estate agent may suggest setting a price that is lower than you expected. This can help generate more traffic to your home's listing and will promote a shorter stay on the market. Priced-to-sell homes are often the result of sellers who are getting ready to relocate soon or are busy career-driven people who don't want to have a home on the market for very long.
3. Cut off personal attachment.
For many homeowners, this is one of the hardest things to do. This place has been your home for 5, 10, or maybe even 15+ years. You have a lot of great memories attached to this home, but now it is time to let it go. For people who aren't so sentimental, this can be an easy transition, but a lot of homeowners feel bittersweet about selling a place that holds so many memories.
If this is the case for you, just keep in mind that by selling your house, you aren't selling the memories - those will be with you for a lifetime. Also, remind yourself why you decided to sell in the first place. Repeat those reasons to yourself whenever you begin to feel attached and try to focus on the positive. Instead of saying, "This house is too cramped," say, "This house isn't big enough for our growing family." Instead of "I have to move and I can't take the house with me," say, "It is time to move on to the next phase of my life." Another tip is to try not to think of the home as "yours" anymore. Think of it as someone's home that you are taking care of before they come and claim it.
4. Move clutter into storage.
This will be much easier to do once you have cut your personal attachment to the home. Take any knickknacks, souvenirs, family photos, etc. and put them in storage. Experts say that a home shows well when there are minimal personal touches throughout the property. One or two framed photos on the wall is acceptable, but you may want to store things that just take up space. Nonessential electronics, any kind of collection and nonessential furniture are all examples of things that can be stored. When was the last time you used that food processor on the kitchen counter? If it was more than a few weeks ago, store it! Buyers want to see spacious rooms. Not having a lot of appliances and bric-a-brac will give the illusion of space, even in a small room.
5. Organize closets and cupboards.
Potential buyers who visit your home will most likely be inclined to snoop. They'll want to open drawers, cupboards and closets to see what kind of storage your home has. A big turn-off for buyers is opening a cabinet and seeing it stuffed to capacity. Do your best to remove nonessential items and be sure to put the essential items away in an orderly fashion. One suggestion would be to buy a few decorative storage boxes or baskets that can fit in small spaces. These are great for holding several smaller, or awkwardly-shaped items and can give the look of organization in compact areas.
6. Remove or replace favorite items and fixtures.
If there is a particular fixture that you have added to your home that you want to take with you, make sure you take it down before you list the home and definitely before anyone comes to view it. Things like chandeliers, curtain rods and wall shelves are all considered part of the house, since they are physically affixed to the property. That means that when a buyer purchases the home, he or she is also purchasing whatever is affixed to it. Sellers are not allowed to take fixtures with them after the home has sold, so be sure you replace that custom ceiling fan you love before a potential buyer sees it.
7. Take a vacation or visit relatives during high-volume showing periods.
Your real estate agent will help you determine the best strategy for attracting as many viewers as possible. Part of that strategy should include scheduled showings and open houses. To make things easier, consider taking a short vacation or going to visit some relatives while your agent handles these events. Juggling work schedules, family dinner plans and everyday life can be hard enough as it is - imagine having to work all that around an open house or private showing. This is yet another reason to hire a good real estate agent.
Selling a home is a big job, and for busy homeowners, anything that simplifies the process can save valuable time and energy. These are just a few of the basic ways you can simplify selling your home. Talk to your real estate agent for more tips and advice.
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