Home Selling Tips

Selling a house is a competition, and you are up against all of the other homes for sale in your area. To shorten the time it takes to sell your home and get the best price possible, you need to help your house stand out from the crowd.

Select a real estate agent to help you sell your home.

Real estate agents can provide you with invaluable marketing resources that can get your house sold. Their knowledge of effective sales tatics, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the neighborhood aroudn your house can be extremely valuable. In addition, they know how to best advertise your house to a wide audience of potential buys and other real estate agents.

Work with your real estate agent to come up with a realistic listing price based on comparable homes in your neighborhood.

Before you set the asking price for your home, visit a number of other homes in your area that are listed in the price range you are considering. Be honest with yourself and try to objectively decide if a buyer would choose your home over the others that available for a simialr price. If the answer is no, you need to consider listing your house at a lower price or investign in home improvements that will justify your desired asking price.

Make your home more appealing.

Give your house curb appeal.

• Mow the lawn, plant new flowers, and trim hedges and bushes.
• Keep the sidewalk clear, and spray down sidewalks and the exterior of your house with a hose or a pressure washer.
• Paint weathered window trim, doors and fences

Spruce up the interior.

• Wash windows
• Vacuum carpets frequently and wax floors
• Dust furniture (and don't forget ceiling fan blades and light fixtures).
• Touch up nicks and scratches in the paint; repaint rooms that look faded or outdated in a neutral color
• Strip faded, outdated or "theme" wallpaper and repaint in a neutral color
• Put new caulking around tubs, showers, and sinks
• Polish chrome faucets
• Put air freshners in damp, must areas (including any area that has pet odors).

Make minor repairs.

• Patch up holes in walls and fix cracked floors and coutner tiles
• Repair leaky faucets
• Fix doors, closets, and drawers that don't open and close properly
• Replace light switches that don't work