Nobody goes into the process of selling a home hoping to settle on a low price. However, if you don’t market the home correctly, set the best listing price and take care of a few other things, you may be stuck accepting a low offer or, even worse, not selling your home at all.
Getting the most out of your Tallahassee, FL home when selling doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to help you when you’re getting ready to sell.
Saving Money vs. Making Money
Often, home seller struggle with the idea of paying a real estate agent a commission to help with selling their home. However, if you try to sell the home yourself, you will not only be taking on quite a bit of work, but you may also be leaving money on the table.
The average home sold by a real estate agent in the United States went for $235,000 in 2014, according to the National Association of Realtors. Compare this to the average For Sale by Owner home for 2014, which only went for $208,000 and you’ll quickly discover it may be worth spending the 6% for a real estate agent’s commission.
Even if you decide to take on the sale of your Tallahassee home yourself, you may still have to spend the money on a commission for the buyer’s agent. While, you may be able to save half the commission, is it really worth it to sell your home for less and do all the work yourself?
The first step to get the most out of your Tallahassee home, when selling is to hire an agent. Did you know 88% of buyers across the United States used an agent in 2014? In the same year, the top marketing method for the For Sale by Owner seller was a simple yard sign. Which do you think is a more powerful way to market: hiring an agent or using a yard sign?
Not only will hiring a real estate agent pay off when it comes to the actual sales price, but it will also save you all kinds of time. They will take on the job of marketing your home, holding open houses and helping to advise you on things, such as staging and other tips to get your home ready to be sold.
7 Secrets to Selling a Home for More Money
Along with hiring an agent, there are many other things you can do to ensure you get the most out of selling your home in Tallahassee, Florida. Here are seven excellent tips to help you get every dollar out of your home.
1. Half-Empty Closets
It may seem silly, but when you take half the stuff out of your closets and organize what’s left, it looks clean and tidy. Buyers will snoop at open houses and during appointments. Half-empty closets take away the cluttered look when they open the door.
2. Board your Pets
During an open house or a showing, make sure your pets are not in the home. They can be a distraction and not everybody loves cats and dogs. You should even get rid of any of your pets’ toys and other things they use.
3. Be Ready to Show at Any Time
Showings come when they are convenient for buyers, not for you. Make sure your home is “show-ready” at all times to help accommodate the schedule of potential buyers.
4. Price Your Home Right
Your agent will be able to help you with pricing, but a good rule of thumb is to have the home appraised and price it 10% to 20% lower than the appraisal. This may seem odd, but it will attract multiple buyers and may start a bidding war, which will drive the price up.
5. Maximize the Lighting
Location may be the most important thing when buying a house, but it’s followed closely by lighting. Most buyers want to see plenty of natural sunshine coming through the windows. You can easily light up your home by taking down drapes, increasing the wattage of light bulbs and cleaning the windows.
6. Upgrade, but Not Too Much
Certain upgrades can really pay off when selling your Tallahassee home. However, if you overdo it, you may struggle to sell your home. Simple upgrades, such as new paint, curtains, door handles and simple fixes may be all you really need.
7. Stage it
Staging your home properly makes a big difference when it comes to selling it. Personal items should be put in storage and you should consider hiring a professional stager to make sure every inch of your home is set up perfectly for buyers.
There are several ways to make sure you get the most out of your Tallahassee home when you sell. Use these tips and hire an informed real estate agent if you want to sell your home for what it’s really worth.
