Selling your home in a crowded market |
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Another way to plug the neighborhood is to write a seller's letter to potential buyers that anticipates and answers likely questions.
"Explain why you are moving, assuming it's for a positive reason, and how you're leaving something great behind," says Duffy. "Give the impression that you're happily moving away, not that you're happy to be moving away."
Make copies of the letter and place them alongside your fliers, brochures and other important sales material.
3. Give easy access to your home
When several of your neighbors are selling too, it's best to be prepared to show the home quickly.
"If there are multiple listings in your area, you'll probably have a higher number of impulse house showings," says Myra Nourmand, a real estate agent based in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Shoppers may have overlooked your house while searching online listings. When they physically visit your neighborhood to see another house on the market, they might spot the "for sale" sign in your yard and ask their agent to show them your property too.
It's reasonable to expect people to give notice before showing up on your doorstep, but don't make potential buyers jump through hoops before they can see your home, Nourmand says.
Severely restricting the hours your residence is available for showings could cost you a prospect.
4. Stage your home
Home staging means decorating your dwelling in a way that appeals to a potential buyer, says Julie Dana, home stager and author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell."
"When done right, your home can really stand out from the others in the neighborhood," she says.
Dana's top home-staging tips include:
Home-staging tips
- Make sure address numbers are clear and easy to see from the curb. Otherwise, buyers might drive to your neighbor's house by mistake.
- Add lighting to make the house look great at night. "People often do an evening 'drive-by' before they decide to ask for a showing," says Dana.
- Clean and de-clutter. Mail, bathroom toiletries and kids' toys need to be out of view.
- De-personalize. The knickknacks that make a house a home can distract buyers from visualizing a property as their own so remove personal items such as family photographs, trophies and vacation pictures.
- Stylize the home with up-to-date designs. Doing something simple, such as placing a slipcover over an old sofa, can greatly improve a room's appearance.
Home staging is essential because even in this tough market, buyers tend to choose a home based on emotion rather than price, McGuire says. "Consumers are price savvy, and they'll make sure they're getting a good buy, but it is the emotional appeal of a nice-looking home that seals the deal," she says.
For sellers who want extra decorating help, Dana recommends hiring a professional home stager.
"One advantage that we have is we can give tips to a homeowner that the real estate agent might be reluctant to share," she says.
For example, if a house smells bad, the home stager can break the news to the owner and offer constructive suggestions for eliminating the odor.
"I've often had to be the bad guy in many situations," Dana says.
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