Are you considering putting your home up for sale? As we head into fall, the ways to market it may change slightly from how you would have marketed your Westfield home in the summer. We all understand how important curb appeal can be to lure in potential buyers. Proper home staging is also crucial to a successful sale. And, of course, you want to hire the best Westfield REALTOR® to take care of all of your needs. But there are a few lesser known yet extremely important home selling tips you should also focus on.
Home Selling Tips: Tasks You Need to Do Right Now
Market to Millennials
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The first of my home selling tips is to pay attention to millennials. Buyers ages 20 to 37 made up more than one-third of the real estate market across the country last year. So, don’t overlook the importance of marketing to millennials. Highlight any smart-home features on your property, including thermostats, security systems, energy-efficient appliances, and wireless networks. Buyers of all ages search these amenities out. But millennials list them as a top priority by far. Therefore, it makes sense to feature them prominently in any marketing materials. Also, make sure your REALTOR® uses social media as part of your promotional campaign.
Make Repairs Both Big and Small
Most of today’s Westfield buyers want a move-in ready home. Another one of my home selling tips you should remember is to repair or replace whatever doesn’t work correctly. You may think the small scratches on your hardwood floors give them character. And maybe you never got around to fixing the doorbell because knocking seems so much less intrusive. Buyers, on the other hand, don’t feel the same. Also, you want to make sure all of your electrical and plumbing systems work properly. Consider hiring a professional to conduct a home inspection. An inspector can point out potential problems. This gives you the opportunity to fix them before a buyer even knows about it. Every repair you decide to avoid making could cost you big discounts on your final sale price.
Hire a Pro for Photos
I cannot emphasize this enough. Good photographs are important. More than 80% of buyers start their home searches online. Therefore, hiring a professional to take photographs of your Westfield home sits pretty high on my home selling tips list as well. After your home has been staged, schedule a pro to come out and photograph it. They know the right angles and lighting techniques to use to truly make your house shine. You might even want to consider hiring a professional videographer to create a custom video tour of your property to use in marketing materials as well.
Prepare to be Seen
While photographs and videos are nice, they don’t compare to an actual physical tour. It’s rare for a buyer to purchase a property sight unseen. At some point, you will have people walking through your Westfield home. That means that you need to prepare for both open houses and private showings. Move all of your valuables, including jewelry, fine art, family heirlooms and even medication to a valuable location. Buyers look through cabinets, drawers, and closets. Simply tucking them out of sight might not be enough. Lock them up in a floor or wall safe. Ask a friend or family member to hold onto them for you. Or, take them with you when you leave during a showing. And it doesn’t hurt to put out some refreshments to welcome your guests.
Pet-Proof Your Property
Finally, one of the lesser known yet extremely important home selling tips you should heed is to pet-proof your property. Almost 70% of US homes contain at least one pet. Even so, buyers don’t want to be confronted with the sights or, worse yet, smells of an animal living in the house. Clean out the litter box daily and right before a showing. Do the same for your yard if you own dogs. Vacuum up pet hair regularly. Store pet toys, bowls, leashes, etc. out of sight before a showing, too. Deep clean carpets, drapes and upholstery to get rid of any lingering smells.
Add these home selling tips to your other list of tasks to complete for a successful Westfield home sale. When you’re ready to put your home on the market, contact me.
Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes