Owning real estate is a great investment, as any agent will tell you. Terms like “appreciating asset” and “equity” can convert almost any potential buyer to a homeowner. However, the excitement of purchasing a new home might feel like a distant memory when it comes time to cash in on your investment, especially if you want to sell your property quickly.
To optimize your chances of a fast sale at a great price, ask yourself these two questions:
1| Is my home priced correctly to meet my goals?
2| Is my home market-ready to sell fast?
There are several different factors that contribute to the pricing of a property:
- The neighborhood (“location, location, location”)
- Size of the house or property
- Comparable houses in the area
To figure out the prices of houses in your area, you can do some research on your local housing market online or with the help of an agent. If you are working with an agent, ask for their opinion about the price of your house. An honest agent will help you accomplish your goal of a quick sale, even if it means pricing the property lower than you (or they) would like. It is important to remember that you may have to take a hit on the price to sell the property quickly.
If your goal is to sell your property quickly, you need to put your best face forward. Small cosmetic changes can have a huge impact. Potential buyers are probably looking at several properties and it is important to make yours stand out for the right reasons. Here are four design decisions that will help you expedite your sale:
1| Boost Your Curb Appeal
Many sellers are so focused on prepping the inside of their home that they forget what makes the first impression: the exterior! Boost your curb appeal by mowing the grass, raking the leaves, power washing the walkways, and investing in fresh, new, seasonal flowers and greenery. Most buyers will drive by a home or search for images online before making an appointment for a showing. This means that if you want to sell fast, you need to maintain your curb appeal at all times once you have listed your property. Make the first impression the best impression!
2| Make Every Surface Sparkle
It sounds like plain common sense, but you would be surprised how many homeowners say they want to sell fast and then do not bother to dust the baseboards or get years’ worth of grime off the windows. Get serious about cleaning if you want to move that property! Scrub the floors, grout the tile, clear and clean all surfaces. Repair all cracks and touch up the marks on the walls. Steam clean the carpet. Who doesn’t love a clean home?
3| Neutralize Wall Colors
Dark, bold colors tend to shrink a room which can turn off a potential buyer. Neutral wall colors will brighten the room, which will make it feel larger. If you’re looking to move in a hurry, you might want to take the time to paint. According to Zillow’s 2017 Paint Color Analysis report, “For-sale listings with cool, neutral wall colors sell for more money” than comparable properties with darker, bolder color palettes. Zillow analysts made particular note that light beige and oatmeal-colored living rooms net sellers nearly $2,000 extra, and light blue kitchens and bathrooms can also add thousands to the final price tag.
4| Maximize and Highlight Available Space
While a lot of people are talking about living in tiny homes and simplifying their lives these days, the truth is that most buyers still want to feel like they have plenty of “living room” in their potential purchase. Maximize the space you have by opening the blinds to allow the most natural light. This will maximize the spacious feel of your home and any extra space you have to offer.
You can also achieve this spacious feel by decluttering floors, closets, cabinets, and other surfaces. Furniture that does not serve a clear purpose in a room should be removed, and take extra clothes, shoes, and accessories out of closets to make them feel roomier.
If you are unsure of how to furnish your home, consider consulting with a professional stager. A good stager will be able to enhance your property’s space by addressing the home’s individual needs, ranging from camouflaging an imperfect layout to depersonalizing your property giving it a mass appeal. A small investment in staging can have a much larger payoff when you’ve sold your home quickly and for the top dollar possible.
Selling in a hurry does not always have to mean taking a huge hit on your home’s price tag. Optimizing your staging and design for a fast sale can save you both time on market and hundreds or thousands of dollars that you might otherwise have had to give up landing that fast close.
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