How to Sell Your Home—Even Now

Thursday, 18 February 2010 00:00

Written by Administrator

The current real estate market may make it more challenging to sell your home, but don’t think it’s impossible. The Coweta Fayette area offers a wonderful quality of life in a comfortable and convenient location. A wide variety of homes are available, from cozy condos to spacious executive retreats, so families can easily find a place to suit their tastes and budgets.

The area’s many benefits draw home buyers here. So how can you direct them to your door?

The most obvious answer is to find a reliable real estate professional. You’ll want someone who knows the neighborhood and has a proven track record. Look for an agent you like and trust—and then listen to their advice!

Jeff Warlick and Christine Jordan are the owners of Peachtree Fine Properties, LLC. They’ve sold over $102 million of real estate over their 10-year history of success. According to Jeff, Broker/Owner, Realtor, Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, GRI and e-Pro, open communication and attention to detail are important to a successful sale.

Realtors know what they’re talking about. Their livelihood is helping people like you sell homes to qualified buyers. They don’t want to waste time—yours or theirs—by listing a property at an unrealistic price or before it’s ready to be shown.

Christine is a Realtor, Real Estate Owned Specialist, Short Sale Specialist and Accredited Staging Professional and GRI. She reports that clients appreciate the helpful staging techniques that she offers. With the help of the professional services of photographers and videographers, many clients have enjoyed quicker results and better offers on their properties.

List your house at a reasonable price. The days of making a killing in the real estate market are gone. Take a hard look at what you expect from the sale of your house and then compare that number with the actual selling prices of comparable homes in your area. A good decision is going to take an objective eye and a willingness to listen to your realtor.

Make sure your home is ready to show. All those little repair jobs that have sat on the honey-do list…well, now they need to get done. Don’t think any flaw is too small to fix. Very often, people looking at your house will see past the blinds to the cracked hall window—and the message they’ll get is that the homeowner didn’t care enough to repair it. Then they’ll wonder what big repairs you’ve left undone.

Clear out the clutter. Entire TV shows are dedicated to this piece of advice. If you’ve watched any of the episodes, you know the dramatic difference that tidying up can make. Sell or donate what you don’t want to move, or rent a storage unit if you must—then box up and put away all the knick-knacks and mementos that you consider ‘homey.’ It’s not easy, but it’s important. Prospective buyers will be impressed by your home’s large, bright rooms, and they’ll have an easier time imaging themselves living in them.

“Clutter is extra stimuli that can be a distraction from your home’s features and space, such as an easy path to walk through from room to room,” explains Christine. “If a homebuyer has to get small to walk through a space, they will feel uncomfortable and insecure and may not enter the space.”

Set your stage. If you’ve wondered whether the downstairs bathroom needs a fresh coat of paint, it does. Make sure your curb appeal is up by keeping the lawn mowed, the bushes trimmed and the windows washed. Search out any unpleasant orders and eradicate them.

Jeff and Christine add this quick tip: When homebuyers enter your home, the natural tendency is to turn right. This should be one of your most impressive rooms. Make your home memorable, and homebuyers will have a harder time passing it by.

Keep it clean. From baseboards and bathtubs to the carpet and counters, everything needs to be scrubbed. If the job is too big for you, consider hiring a cleaning service. These days, buyers usually have a lot of homes to choose from, and a clean home has a very real advantage over the competition.

Have it ready to show. Don’t expect to sell quickly if you limit the hours your house is available. Talk to your realtor about installing a lockbox so they can bring in potential buyers even when you’re not home. If you are at home during a showing, stay out of the way. You can answer questions, of course, but let your realtor do the actual job of selling.

Add some value. Buyers are attracted by incentives, so consider leaving the kitchen appliances or custom-made drapes. Or you can cover part of the closing costs or include a decorating allowance. Again, your realtor will guide you on the best ways to prompt buyers to make an offer.

Consider carefully and respond promptly. Once you get an offer, talk it over carefully with your agent. Don’t let the offer slip buy by taking too long to respond, countering too high or quibbling over details. If there’s a serious difference in the price or other requests, you’ll need to negotiate with the help of your realtor and decide whether you and the buyer can make it work.

In the current market, it helps to be realistic and stay flexible. Homebuyers are looking for more value for their money, and a seller who’s willing to work with them is a real asset.