You don’t want to leave any money on the table when selling your home. The planning, prep work, and updates cost you time and money, so you want to make sure you get the best ROI for your hard work.
It’s stressful to list your house, have it sit on the market for months, and then get a mediocre offer. This only leads to disappointment, and can impact your plans to move.
Thankfully, there are actions you can take before, during, and after listing your home to make sure you get what it’s worth — and more!
Set yourself up to sell your home for more money by following selling tips that get you results.
1. Work With An Experienced Realtor
The real estate market can be complicated, so you will benefit from working with a knowledgeable and experienced local Realtor. A real estate professional will know your local market and be able to give you sound advice.
An agent can help you:
- Decide on which repairs and updates will get you the best ROI
- Competitively price your property
- Stage your home
- Market your home through their vast network
- Sift through offers and negotiate
You may be wondering why you should hire an agent when you have to pay them a commission. According to the 2021 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors, the rate of “For Sale By Owner” homes continues to decline.
On average, these homes sell for less and spend more time on the market. The median selling price of FSBO homes was $260,000, compared to $318,000 for agent-assisted homes. Even with a 6% commission, that’s an extra $42,000 in your pocket.
Plus, when you hire a Realtor, they take on all of the paperwork and details. Get peace of mind with an expert who knows the market, the ins and outs of selling a home, and the connections to make the process as fast and painless as possible.
If nothing else, hire a Realtor to sell your home for the most money.
2. Sell At The Right Time
Life is unpredictable, and your specific circumstances may dictate when you need to sell. Sometimes, you have the opportunity to choose the time that you sell. If you can do this, you can usually net more money.
Again, this is where an experienced local Realtor can help you win.
In most markets, homes listed in the spring tend to sell the fastest and for more money. Because of school schedules and the weather, listing in the spring or early summer can boost your profits because demand is higher.
3. Make Repairs & Upgrades
Chat with your agent about which repairs and upgrades will give you the most return on your investment. Buyers are usually most interested in the kitchens and bathrooms when looking at homes. These are the best rooms to spruce up to make your home look more desirable and boost profits.
In addition, you want to make any necessary repairs. Leaky faucets, holes in the drywall, and disconnected dryer vents will be red flags to potential buyers.
If you don’t have much time or money, there are plenty of budget-friendly projects you can take on to spruce up your house and make a great first impression.
Easy fixes:
- Washing the windows
- Deep cleaning the whole house, including the carpets
- Paint the interior in neutral colors
- Clean up the yard by trimming bushes and cutting the lawn
- Replace the front door
4. Competitively Price Your Property
Correctly pricing a property is crucial. People will run from an overpriced listing and wonder what’s wrong with an underpriced one.
First, you need to find out what your home is worth. The best place to start is to check out what similar properties are selling for in your area.
After this, your agent can perform a comparative market analysis (CMA). This helps determine a reasonable price based on what the other similar homes are selling for.
Your agent will know what’s going on in the market and help to strategize the best price point to motivate buyers to come to see the home. You want to set the price right the first time. Homes get the most traction right after the initial listing. The longer a home sits, and the more price drops you have to make, the less desirable a home looks.
5. Stage Your Home & Hire A Professional Photographer
Most people begin their home search online, so thoughtful staging and crisp, well-lit pictures will help your home to stand out. A professional stager knows the best strategies for highlighting your home’s best features.
By using neutral colors and objects, buyers can envision themselves living in the home. Professional stagers also know how to make your home look bright, warm, and inviting.
Eye-catching listing photos can help a home sell faster and for more money. Professional photographers have high-quality equipment and the knowledge to make rooms look big and bright. Professionals will show off your home’s best features and entice more people to come to see your home.
6. Consider Offers Carefully & Prepare To Negotiate
Lean on your Realtor when it comes to sifting through offers. The highest bid may look enticing to you, but it may not be the best offer.
Your agent can help you look at all the offer terms, not just the asking price. This is especially true of contingencies and “the fine print”. Realtors are especially skilled at negotiating with buyers’ agents, as well.
Have someone in your corner to sift through multiple great offers (because by now you should have at least a few!) and get you the most money for your home.
Sell Your Home For More Money
Now that you’ve got the roadmap, it’s time to take action to sell your home for more money!
First, find an experienced agent to work with and consider your timing for selling your home.
Then, make repairs and upgrades and competitively price your property.
Next, stage your home and hire a professional photographer to make your house shine.
Finally, when offers are flooding in, lean on your Realtor to help you look them over and — you guessed it — sell your home for more money! Your hard work paid off! (quite literally, in fact)
A home is a significant investment, and you’ve invested many hours into it. So when you sell you want to get the most money possible. By preparing and doing your research, you can sell your home faster and for a more significant profit.
It feels good to walk away from a successful home sale. With more money in your pocket, you can spend more on your next home, pay down debt, or go on that vacation you deserve. The possibilities are endless.
HighPoint’s team of experts are ready to advise you and help you through the process of selling your home. Schedule a free discovery call with us today and let us help you sell your home for the biggest profit possible.