When it comes to selling your property, you are bound to get a lot of advice on the best way to go about this. Some people will advise you to sell the property yourself without an agent others will say that the best way to offer your property for sale is through an estate agent. At the end of the day, you do need to go with the option that suits you best and only you can decide which option that will be. In any event, whether you use a real estate agent to sell your property or not, you will need to do some basic things in order to get the best price possible.
Staging the House
We have all heard that we should have the smell of biscuits baking wafting through the house when it is being shown to prospective buyers. The reason that this works is because it is one way for buyers to imagine themselves living in the home. Another way to achieve this effect is to stage the house. This basically means making the house as generically appealing as possible so that prospective buyers can easily imagine living there. This means getting rid of that more outlandish décor in favour of décor that is more elegant and understated. It also means clearing out items of a more personal nature such as photos, etc. Generally speaking, a well-staged house more than recoups that cost of setting it up.
Clean and Clutter Free
Again, the aim here is to make it easier for the prospective buyers to imagine living in the house. Tons of clutter is very distracting and is more likely to put people off. You may be offered a lower price simply because of the clutter. Make sure that your house is as neat and tidy as possible and that you clear out as much of the clutter as possible. If it is rented, a good property management agent will ensure the tenants have the place looking presentable.
Cosmetic Changes
Giving the house a fresh lick of paint, making sure that all the light fittings are in place and doing all those little tasks that we never seem to get around to is quite important. It not only gives the impression that everything is in working order but also that everything has been well maintained. Make sure that the grass and garden are well-maintained and get rid of any old dead leaves and plants quickly. You don’t want any signs of neglect to be evident anywhere.
Have a Professional Inspection
Yes, this will cost you a couple of hundred dollars but it will also prevent you from the shock of discovering a termite problem when you are waiting for the sale to go through. If you find out if there are major problems upfront, you are more easily able to fix them. If you leave it for prospective buyers to discover you may end up losing a lot of money or finding that the sale falls through altogether.
In general, getting your home ready to sell may involve a little bit of effort on your part but you will find that it will be worthwhile in the long run – not only will you find that your house is easier to sell, you will also find that you are likely to end up getting a better price overall.