Are you thinking about selling your current home but aren’t sure where to start? You’ll want to get the highest price you can for your property, but don’t want to have it sitting  on the market forever. Here are a few suggestions and tips on how to sell your home that will  help you get the highest offers for your home and minimize any headaches that can occur.

1. Pricing Your Home

One of the most important factors in selling your home is the price. Every home seller is looking to get as much as they can for their property, but pricing a home too high can have serious downsides. It is important to set aside your emotions and have a realistic idea of what your home is currently worth. This is often found by comparing your home to similar homes that are in your neighborhood or in close proximity to your home. Websites such as Zillow and Trulia, which can offer you estimates on how much your home is worth, are often very inaccurate and can give misleading information. Your best bet is to consult a local real estate agent, or even a few agents, to get their opinion on what your home is worth.

When a home is priced too high you will typically see them sit on the market for longer and they often need multiple price drops before you begin to get offers. If a property has been sitting on the market for a very long time, many people will assume that there are issues with the property, think that the seller is being unrealistic, or may write it off in their minds as undesirable. This could force you to take an offer that is potentially much lower than if you were to have it priced correctly in the first place.

On the flip side, pricing your home too low can result in you leaving money on the table unnecessarily. When you receive offers on your home you do have the option of countering at a higher price. However, if your home was priced too low, it will be much more difficult to negotiate it higher  after the fact.

To get the most for your home, you want to find the price that falls in the “sweet spot”. Sellers do not want to feel like they are losing money, and at the same time, buyers do not want to overpay. If your price hits the  “sweet spot” and is correctly priced based on local comparisons, you will attract a greater number of  homebuyers and both sides will have more room to negotiate. Another strategy that can be useful is to price your home on a range, sometimes offering you better leverage in negotiations.

2. Curb Appeal

The phrase “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” is something that many of us have heard over the years. This saying is good in theory, but the reality is that we all make first impressions and the first impression is often the most important one. The first thing that any buyer sees when searching for homes is the exterior, or the home’s curb appeal. You may have the most beautiful home on the block inside, but if your exterior looks bad, you will lose buyers. Some may just continue to drive by your house and not bother to go in, while others may go in, but not be able to shake the thoughts of all the work that needs to be done to bring the house up to the level they want it to be. To reach the biggest pool of homebuyers, the idea is to have your home give the impression that a buyer could move in and start enjoying their home right away instead of having to spend time and money fixing it.

If your home is in need of some touch-ups, it may be a good idea to go ahead and get them done before listing. A fresh coat of paint, clean gutters, trimmed bushes, and a well-manicured lawn can add value to your home and will attract a bigger pool of buyers.

3. Clean and Clear the Clutter

When your house is on the market and available for showings or open houses, you want to present it in the best way possible. It is suggested that you remove any clutter from your home, even going as far as removing furniture if a room feels too “full”. You want buyers to be able to picture themselves in the home. If your home is filled with personal items and family portraits, it can make it difficult for a buyer to imagine themselves living in the home.

Removing clutter and extra furniture can also help rooms to look bigger and give buyers a better idea of the space that they have to work with. You may even want to remove items from closets, as it  is not uncommon for buyers to be opening closets as they evaluate a potential home. You do not want them to find all the clutter from the home stuffed into these areas.

Depending on your situation, staging can also be a good option. The costs of hiring a stager can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand based on the extent of the staging. Stagers will bring in modern or neutral furniture and accents to give your home a new feel. Many believe that having a home staged can help it sell faster.

It is also important to conceal any pets that you may have. Although you may love your pets and there are others that will love them too, not everyone is a fan of them. Buyers do not want to see pet hair everywhere, litter boxes, or bowls of food out. These things can give an impression that your home is not clean, which can influence buyers. If you have a scheduled showing or open house, it would be a good idea to take them away from the house for the day.

4. Move-in Ready

After getting the look and feel of your house ready to show buyers, it is also important to make sure all of the mechanics are good. As mentioned earlier, you want your home to give buyers the feeling that they can move in right away. Having electrical and plumbing up to current standards and codes, making sure windows and doors function properly, and that appliances are in working order will all help to ease buyers minds as they preview your property. Taking a proactive approach can also help you in the end when it comes time for a buyer’s request for repairs.

5. Dis-associate and Evaluate

Now that you’ve taken all these steps to make sure your house stands out to homebuyers, a good test to give yourself to see if you missed anything is to pretend to be a homebuyer yourself! Remove any emotional attachment and give yourself a tour, keeping a keen eye out for anything that may stand out to you that would deter you as a homebuyer. Start outside and see if the home feels welcoming. Evaluate each room as you walk through it. Is the furniture arranged in a way that makes sense? Does the décor match? Are there things that seem out of place? Does anything look too cluttery? The closer you can get your home to looking like a brand new staged home, the better.

Taking these few simple steps will help your home to stand out amongst others during a buyer’s search. They may be looking through countless photos online of homes and going to open houses every weekend. You can bet that many of the homes they are previewing are in less than desirable viewing condition. Having a clean, move-in ready home gives you a better chance of sparking that “This is the one” idea in a buyer’s head and that is just what you want to sell your home!

The above real estate information on Need Advice On Selling Your Home? Check Out These 5 Tips! was provided by John and Melissa Steele. John and Melissa can be reached at steelesandiegohomes@gmail.com or by phone at 619-887-4429.

Considering buying or selling a home? John and Melissa of Steele San Diego Homes have a passion for Real Estate and would love to share their expertise with you!

Steele San Diego Homes services all of San Diego county and also works with out of area clients to connect them with a strong local agent. Whether you’re interested in buying, selling, investing, or just want to learn more, John and Melissa Steele are here to help you.