The prospect of buying a home might seem scary. But selling your first home might be downright terrifying, especially as a first time home seller.
Remember the feeling you had as a first-time home buyer? You poured over listings for the place you could call home and bargained until you agreed on the most affordable price possible.
Now switch the roles, and this time you’re the one selling your home to potentially a first-time buyer. You will benefit from understanding some first time home seller tips.
The process of selling in Denver may seem overwhelming. It’s important to take one step at a time and first address the key factors in a successful sale. The first impressions of your house are critical so don’t overlook the visuals in order to make your house as attractive as possible. Make sure it’s in tip-top shape when you make the decision to put it on the market.
With these first time home seller tips, you’ll be able to get the most out of the money you invested in your very first home.
Decide Upon a Reasonable Price
You will work with your real estate agent to figure out a price point that is both reasonable for the buyer and the seller. You obviously will have a number in your head that you want to reach. There are valuable local resources available to establish the best possible price. Take the time to sit down with your agent and arrive at a competitive price point that is representative of the neighborhood, includes the improvements you’ve made and reflects the market trends.
Do a Deep Cleaning
A deep cleaning of your house is ALWAYS necessary. By deep cleaning, we mean making your home spotless. It’s time to scrub, dust, polish and apply a fresh coat of paint in some cases. If your home is dirty, potential buyers may immediately devalue your home — don’t give them that opportunity. We would even recommend hiring a professional cleaning service to complete this important task. The money will be well spent. Following a deep clean, it will be easier to establish an ongoing cleaning plan to keep your house looking fantastic.
Remove Unnecessary Clutter and Furniture
It’s hard to start remove furniture when you don’t know when you’ll be moving out, but this is a crucial step. Extra pieces of furniture, like a huge dresser in a smaller bedroom, aren’t going to help sell the house. Buyers need to be able to see how they can make your house their home. De-cluttering is the best way to let the buyer see the space for what it is. It’s hard to envision a space in a new light when there are personal belongings, clutter and excess furniture everywhere. Try removing one piece of furniture from every room and storing it in the garage or a storage unit. Remember, less is better!
Invest in the Small Repairs
You know that broken screen door, scraped up walls and leaking faucet you’ve been ignoring for months or longer? Small defects like these are going to be noticed by potential buyers. In return, they will want to discount the value of your home. Your realtor can assist in determining which repairs are necessary and the ones that can wait. Generally, focusing on small home improvements like painting the walls, replacing carpets and changing the light bulbs are more important than huge makeovers.
Listen to Your Agent — Don’t be There During Open Houses or Showings
You chose your real estate agent for a reason. They are experts at what they do and no one knows the housing market better than they do. Having said that, you should leave the house during all open house events. Why? Because too many things can go wrong if the seller is there to answer all of the buyer’s questions. There can be a more honest and open exchange of information when the homeowner isn’t present. The agent you hired knows how to answer questions and show a house, so let them do what they do best.
It’s All About Marketing
Many times, homebuyers and real estate agents start the real estate search online. It all starts with the photography, videos and other visuals. Make sure the photos you are using to list your house are professional, bright and detailed. You’ll also want to be sure there are more than less in order to show every room in your house. Often, buyers make the decision whether to visit your house or not based on what they see online. Review the pictures before they are posted online to ensure they will attract an audience. Your Usaj Realty broker will cover the costs of the photography and videos, and has high-quality vendors from whom to choose.
Keep it Secure by Cleaning up Personal Items
Besides de-cluttering and giving your home that deep clean, personal items should be removed or locked-up for security reasons. Unfortunately in today’s world, there are people who might attend your open house with bad intentions, whether it be stealing objects or personal information. Place money, jewelry and expensive items in a locked safe or take the items with you. Remove credit card statements, bills and personal information from counters and secure them as well. Carry spare keys with you. The last thing you want to happen is having your items stolen or worse yet, enabling someone to break into your house.
With these seven tips, you’ll be maximizing the potential profit of your home while moving to the next residence that better fits your lifestyle.
Are you looking for a full-service real estate firm to partner with? Check us out at Usaj Realty, where we add value to clients in the Denver market.
(Editor’s note: This blog was originally published in April of 2017. It has been updated and edited to reflect current trends).
