Top 10 Secrets To Selling Your Home

So you’ve decided to put your house up for sale. Now what? Aside from hiring a real estate agent, there are a few other important matters to address before your home is listed and potential buyers start coming through the door. Some of these items, more important than others.

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It’s important to remember that while you may look around your abode and see your dream home, not everyone will agree. After all, potential buyers aren’t buying your aesthetic. They’re after square footage, closet space, great light, and up-to-date—maybe even brand-new—appliances and fixtures. Thinking like a buyer, we uncover the Top 10 Secrets to selling your home fast for top-dollar.

Selling Secret #10: Pricing it right Pricing is the most important aspect of selling your home and you need an experienced Listing Agent with extensive market knowledge. Your Agent will consider up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and smoothly. RELATED: The Importance of Proper Pricing Selling Secret #9: Half-empty closets Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy. Selling Secret #8: Light it up Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable. Selling Secret #7: Play the agent field A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong broker. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know your marketplace and understand the latest available marketing methods. RELATED: How to Interview A Listing Agent to Sell Your Home Look for a Real Estate Agent who embraces technology. You particularly want a Real Estate Agent with Social Media Presence. A tech-savvy Listing Agent has many tools to get your house sold. Selling Secret #6: Conceal the critters You might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you’d be wrong. Not everybody is a dog- or cat-lover. Buyers don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the critters to a pet hotel for the day. Selling Secret #5: Don’t over-upgrade Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Mammoth makeovers, not so much. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or go buy some inexpensive new ones. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout. Selling Secret #4: Take the home out of your house One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space. Selling Secret #3: The kitchen comes first You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. RELATED: Home Staging Ideas for the Kitchen to Make Buyers Bite The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style. If you have a little money to spend, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the kitchen. RELATED: 7 Easy and Cost-Effective Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look and Feel Bigger Selling Secret #2: Always be ready to show Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold. RELATED: 10 Ways to Prepare for A Home Showing in Under An Hour Selling Secret #1: The first impression is the only impression No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s curb appeal. Entryways are also important. You use it as a utility space for your coat and keys. But, when you’re selling, make it welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even some cookies. YOUR TURN What home selling secrets do you have to add to our list? We want to hear from you! Sound of on our Facebook Page, Twitter or Instagram feeds or connect with us on LinkedIn. 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