Selling your home in the Worcester area is a huge decision, and even if everything goes relatively smoothly it will be a disruptive process to live through. Anything you can do to promote a speedy sale of your real estate will reduce your stress levels considerably, so here are seven tips to help you to get the price you want in double-quick time.
Property Brothers discussing the secret to selling your home fast
Choose Your Realtor Wisely
Picking a realtor with solid local knowledge and a good reputation can go a long way towards securing a sale, but that’s not the only consideration. The vast majority of home-seekers nowadays begin their search online, and you need to ensure that your property will be well represented there. Does your real estate agency have their own website, with high quality pictures, enticing descriptions, and good search facilities? Just as importantly, do they syndicate their catalog with other sites to reach the largest possible audience?
Make Viewings Easy
Whatever your domestic or work situation, it makes sense to be as flexible as possible when it comes to viewings. Even if you can’t commit to show your home during the daytime, try and arrange for a neighbor, friend, or family member to be available whenever possible. Also, don’t be afraid to allow viewings at very short notice – yes, this means you’ll need to keep your home in immaculate condition at all times, but that’s the price to pay. Remember, you’ll be competing for a sale with plenty of repossessions and other empty properties which can be viewed at any time, and so any restrictions you place on potential buyers will only reduce your chances.
Complete Minor Repairs
When it comes to securing a sale, it’s the little things that can make all the difference. Attend to any small maintenance jobs that need doing before allowing viewings – if your property is full of niggling problems such as dripping taps, loose door handles and so on, it may give the impression that more major issues might also be lying in wait. Likewise, make sure that your home is decorated to a presentable standard throughout. There’s no need to go overboard with interior design – most people will want to redecorate to their own tastes in any case – but you want to present a clean and tidy image at the very least.
Depersonalize and Declutter
You may think that showcasing your property as a comfortable family home with individual character will boost the chances of a quick sale, but the opposite is usually true. If viewers are met with too many personal mementos, photographs, and other trinkets, it can be difficult for them to imagine living in the property themselves. Aim to present a blank canvas by cutting your family’s visible influence to a minimum, so giving your viewers’ imaginations the freedom to plan their own future in the property.
Don’t Forget the Outside View
Before a potential buyer arranges a viewing, the chances are high that they’ll have already driven past your property as part of their initial search, and if it presents an untidy appearance from the outside you’ll put many people off before they ever set foot in the door. While your yard needn’t win any landscaping or design awards, ensure that any lawn is neatly trimmed, that borders and shrubs are tidied, and even consider a few ornamental flowers even if only as a temporary addition.
Assess the Competition
Make appointments to visit other properties on the market in your area, posing as a potential buyer, so that you can see what kind of standard they offer for the price. This may seem slightly dishonest in that you have no intention of making the purchase, but it’s a fact that your potential buyers will also be checking out competing properties, so you need to know what you’re up against.
Be Flexible With the Asking Price
When all else fails, dropping the price is a time-honored way of trying to encourage a sale. However, if your home has been on the market for some time and has already attracted several viewers, setting a new, lower price may not have the desired effect – potential interest may already have waned. If you’re aiming for a really speedy sale, make an impact with price at the start: research local values, and price your property at around 10% below the average. Of course, you’ll forego a portion of your proceeds compared to selling at full market value, but the trade-off between an ideal price and a quicker sale is your judgement to make.
Any real estate agent will tell you that selling a property can be something of a lottery, often a matter of being in the right place at the right time. However, following these tips will greatly stack the odds of a quick sale in your favor.
