How to Sell a House
Do you want some of the best advice on how to sell a home? Who wouldn’t?
Selling your home will take some work, but just because it will take effort does not mean it needs to be any harder than necessary.
By being smart about how you use your time and energy, you can smooth the way for a sale that satisfies your goals and lets you realize the full potential of your property.
Below you will learn some of the best advice for selling a home. These home selling tips include pre-sale preparation for both the interior and exterior of your home.
The following tips are tried and true – ways to make selling a bit easier and maybe even more profitable. Try a few out, or if you are a real go-getter, all of them! You are sure to see some benefits if you do.
Be sure also to check out the link above that will also give you some great home selling advice surrounding the process, including picking a top Real Estate agent, pricing the home correctly, addressing needed repairs, and avoiding getting hung up on the small stuff.
Let’s take an in-depth look at what to do before selling your house. Enjoy these best tips for selling a home!
Selling Your Home – 15 Tips You Can Definitely Use
1. Take care of your landscape.
One of the first things you should add to your getting your house ready checklist is the exterior. Some of the first things buyers are going to notice as they pull up to your house are the landscape – lawn, plants, flowerbeds, etc. Now you don’t have to be extravagant, install a fountain or even hire a professional. You just need to tidy up and make sure things look neat and preferably alive if possible.
Mow the lawn, trim your bushes and buy a few bags of mulch to pour in the flower beds to tie things together. In real estate sales, first impressions count. This is one of the simple improvements that will increase home value. Make it count!
2. Remove clutter.
One of the most cost-effective home selling tips is to make your home clutter-free! You want to maximize the perceived space in the home. The more clutter, the more uncomfortable things will feel. Go through everything and clear out all the non-essentials.
One of the better ways of getting your home ready to list is having a donation pick up. Numerous charities will come to your house and take the stuff away you no longer want for FREE!
Even if you don’t feel like going through all of your stuff and sorting them, you should at least put things away in places where buyers won’t be looking – so no cramming stuff into closets or the garage. Rent a storage space if you need to.
You can search online for storage facilities near you to see where it will be most convenient to store your things.
A cluttered home can make your home feel a lot smaller than it is. This is not a good thing when trying to get the most you can out of your sale. Today’s buyers like bright open spaces unfettered by an abundance of someone’s personal property.
Keep in mind there is a significant percentage of the population who do not have the vision. Make things easier on the buyer by giving them something they can visualize. Take a look at some of the top tips for clearing the clutter when selling your home.
One of the things that will help sell a house fast is an uncrowded, clean space. It is all about a buyer seeing themselves in your home.
3. Paint your interior if it needs it.
Dark, dreary colors can shrink the perception of space. Old, stained paint makes rooms look decrepit. By painting with contemporary colors and ideally with a little insight from a knowledgeable Real Estate agent or interior designer, you can change the whole feel of your home.
There is not another home improvement that will give you more bang for your buck than a fresh coat of paint. From a selling standpoint, it is important to stick with neutral colors.
Remember selling your home is not about personal preferences but appealing to the masses. Stick with off white and light creamy colors for maximum benefit. Sherwin-Williams offers some excellent interior home painting tips that are worth a look.
4. Hire a great Real Estate agent.
If you are noticing a trend here, that’s because there is one. Working with a professional to sell your home has many benefits and takes a lot of the heavy lifting off of your shoulders.
An experienced Realtor can often sell your home faster and for a better price than you can on your own. This, in fact, is one of the most valuable tips for selling a home. Just make sure you hire the right agent!
Before a real estate agent even begins their work of selling a home, they can be a great source of knowledge in pricing your home correctly. Without the right price, everything else you do will be meaningless! Don’t be like so many other sellers who put a pie in the sky price tag on their home. This is a sure recipe for failure.
An exceptional local real estate agent who knows the market like the back of their hand is worth having in your corner.
Here are some great tips on how to pick a real estate agent worth checking out. The article addresses what you should be thinking about when hiring a Real Estate agent, including important interview questions.
Keep in mind that pricing a home properly is vital to your success, and some agents will intentionally mislead you just to get your business.
Avoid this kind of agent at all costs! Nothing will prevent you from getting top dollar faster than hiring a real estate agent who overprices your home!
5. Put up a sign in the yard.
With all the emphasis on online marketing – which is critical, of course – it can be easy to forget about the basics.
Putting a “For Sale” sign in the yard will let everyone know what’s going on and makes it easier for people to find the house. Some folks want to “keep their home a secret” for a multitude of reasons. This, frankly, is a mistake. Home sellers should never underestimate the power of real estate signage. Many homes have been sold over the years due to a sign.
More often than not, this can happen with a person who was not thinking of buying but has always said to themselves if that certain home comes on the market, they would be interested. That home could be yours!
One of the creative ideas I came up with years ago was incorporating a Google this real estate address as a sign rider. Many buyers forget that they can Google the address of a home when they are in a neighborhood. A quick search on their phone will point them to the exact places I want them to go, including my website, video tour, and other enhanced marketing channels.
6. Make sure your photos are exceptional.
The pictures you post on your listing can make or break your sale. They are the first thing anyone sees. If you are not skilled at photography, and your Real Estate agent isn’t either, then hire a professional. It is worth the expense.
Many sellers hire a real estate agent but don’t bother to check on one of the most important parts of the selling process – how does the home being marketed look online? This is such a vital consideration, yet so many sellers underestimate the importance.
Your home’s photography is a gateway to a buyer’s perception of the property – good or bad! Want to see a quick example of really bad real estate photos posted online? Please take a look and keep in mind when buyers and other real estate agents see this, they cringe. It is Real Estate agents that market like this who give our industry a lousy reputation!
7. Consider a video tour.
The best Real Estate agents today are utilizing some form of video or slideshows, in addition to photos. Buyers like to take a tour before they decide to visit, which a video allows.
Again, working with a professional here is important – either a Real Estate agent skilled in video tours or a professional who makes real estate videos. Do you want to see an example of what a professional real estate video tour looks like? Take a look at this video tour of 45 Camp Street in Milford, Massachusetts. Would you not agree that this is an exceptional way to market a property?
Homebuyers will probably look at the photos first, but once they take a look at the video, it will seal the deal, and they will be scheduling a showing.
8. Make sure you are marketing using all channels – particularly online.
Old school Real Estate agents can sometimes be slow to adopt new marketing channels, which is why you should hire someone who has a demonstrated ability to utilize the web.
A Realtor with a website is great, but you also want to use someone who has a complete understanding of how to make your home shine online.
Real Estate agents who have command of their online presence understand the importance of making your home “stand out” from the competition. Again it all starts with your photography.
Without good photos, you can be all over the internet, and it won’t matter because your presentation will be lousy.
Real Estate agents who really have a solid command of their advertising are also using social media to enhance their Real Estate marketing efforts further. Nearly everyone owns a smartphone today.
An exponential number of these people use one of the major social media channels, including Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, and Twitter.
If they are looking for a home and you have an agent marketing in these channels, you could see an increase in showing activity.
9. Take advantage of good lighting.
A bright, cheery home is more inviting to buyers. Let the sunlight in if you can, and add some better lighting if your home is dim.
Even buying brighter light bulbs can help. One of the things I always mention to my clients is to make sure all of their curtains are drawn, and lights remain on when there is a scheduled showing.
Again the presentation of your home is critical. Small things like lighting can make a big difference with no money coming out of your pocket!
10. Consider a professional cleaning.
A clean home is inviting to buyers, whereas a dirty home can turn them away faster than just about anything. The easiest way to know your home is spotless and looking its best is to hire a professional cleaning company.
Make sure your kitchen and baths are spotless. Buyers will pay closer attention to these areas. Also, make sure your carpets are as clean as possible. If need be, consider having your carpets professionally cleaned. This is one of those things where spending a few hundred dollars can save you thousands by preventing the buyer from thinking they need to replace the carpets immediately.
In fact, just last week, I had a client in Grafton, Massachusetts, who wanted me to list their home. After viewing the property, it was clear that it needed a professional cleaning before anyone set foot inside. A tenant had just moved out, and the owner did not realize it was not up to snuff.
11. Make sure you repair the things that your Real Estate agent advises.
Many renovations are arguably a bad investment for sellers, as it is hard to get your money back in the sale. But if your real estate agent advises that you fix some things, like faulty wiring, a hole in the fence, a leaking toilet, or a visible stain in the ceiling, you should do it. These are things that the buyer may balk at or demand a lower price because they feel immediate attention is needed.
Secondarily when the buyer does their home inspection, more than likely, they will be trying to renegotiate the sale price or, worse asking to back out of the deal.
One of the things I constantly stress to my clients is being well prepared for the buyer’s home inspection. This is the number one place where home sales fall apart. It only makes sense to address the problems beforehand. If you know about a problem, a good home inspector will more than likely find it.
12. Address all odors.
The smell is powerful and can easily drive someone away from buying your home. However, you may not even realize the smells are there.
Ask an outsider you trust, like your Realtor, to let you know if there are any unpleasant odors – like pet or cooking odors – and address them before you show.
Believe it or not, pet odors can kill a home sale. This happens because some buyers fear they won’t get rid of the odor once they purchase the house. Don’t take any kind of chance with home odors – remove them!
13. Make your kitchen appealing.
Many buyers are very focused on kitchens, which is why you want to make sure yours is reasonably appealing.
Formica counter-tops from the 70s may need to be updated, and you might want to install a new appliance or two if the existing ones are in horrible shape. Most Real Estate agents will tell you that the kitchen is the most important room in the home.
It makes sense as it is typically the place where we spend most of our time. Do what you can to make your kitchen as appealing as possible.
14. Get organized.
The people that are looking at your home are going to open every door, including closets and the garage.
You may help your sale by making sure these areas are relatively organized. The better they look, the easier it is for buyers to imagine that they can fit all their things in the home.
This again goes back to one of my previous home selling tips of DE-cluttering. Organizing your closets and garage should be done as part of the process. Anita Clark, a Georgia Real Estate agent, offers some fantastic tips on how to organize your closets when selling a home.
You may want to also gather some boxes for moving and put excess “things” in them to make your home feel more spacious.
15. Take your pets somewhere for showings.
It is hard for pet owners to imagine sometimes, but some people really don’t like pets. As a dog or cat owner, you may not want to hang out with such people, but they might make a great offer on your home.
Take the pets somewhere safe and comfortable, like friends. Having evidence of your pet, including their odors, can be a real turn off to some people. Have a look at some of the best tips for selling your home with pets for some sound guidance.
There you have it – these are some of the best home selling tips to get you on your way to a successful home sale! You now know how to sell your house.
Additional Helpful Home Selling Articles
- Why open houses aren’t needed to sell a home – learn why open houses are never necessary to sell a home. An open house is one of the least effective marketing activities.
- Don’t let neighbors sabotage your home sale – see what you can do to ensure the neighbors do not become a problem when selling a house.
- The ultimate spring home selling guide – get some solid home selling advice when you are putting your home on the spring market.
Use these additional top home selling tips to make the right decisions when selling. Mistakes can happen very easily when you don’t follow sound advice.
About the Author: The above Real Estate information on the 15 killer tips for selling a home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 34+ Years.
Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.
Nicely stated advice. Seen too many homes that sellers did not have their house in top listing condition. Following these guidelines is sure to get a seller top dollar for their property. Thanks for the sound guidance.
Kyle as you know selling a home is not rocket science. Follow some good selling advice and the job will get done far easier.
I appreciate your information about pricing a home correctly. I’d say that this would depend a lot on your priority list. Sometimes getting the most money is lower on the priority list that you would expect. I think that a good real estate agent would be aware of what you are trying to do and adjust their methods in order to accomplish your specific goals, don’t you think? Thank you for such a helpful article!
The value of a home is based on the demands of the market for the product being sold. Not the dollars the seller needs or wants. Buyers are very savvy and research the comps. Overpricing is a waste of selling time.
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to tidy up your landscape to help you sell your home. I haven’t been very serious about landscape care for a while, and I’ll admit things are looking a bit messy. I’ll definitely make sure to clean up as much as possible and make the outside look nice for potential buyers. Thanks for the great post!
I have six dogs. I do not really notice a smell from them, but I am sure that they make my house smell like dogs. I will have to have a cleaner come by and clean my carpets and couches to make sure the place does not smell like my dogs.
Taking your pets somewhere else during the showing seems really smart. I am allergic to cats, and I would be really turned off a home if I saw a cat running around the house. It also seems like a good idea to deep clean your home if you have pets that way people who are allergic aren’t sneezing during their tour.
What stuck out to me the most in this article for me is the tenth and twelfth points. I think I need a professional cleaning to get the odors out before I put my house up for sale. It’s true that each home has its own smell.
This list perfectly sums up how to sell a house. I strongly recommend removing clutter and cleaning your house immaculately. It seems like the houses that always sell the quickest are the ones that are really well kept up and cleaned.
Great advice to remove clutter. You might be surprised by how much junk you have laying around the house. It makes a huge difference to get rid of it.
I totally agree that it’s important to get quality photos and videos of a house when you list it. As someone who is looking at buying a home soon, I can’t stress how much I base my opinion of the house on the images included with the listing. However, just as some poor photos can make a good house look bad, I feel it’s equally important to make sure the house isn’t falsely advertised. One house I visited looked completely different in person than on the listing. So I would suggest getting high-quality photos but be accurate in your representation when selling a house!
“Hire a great real estate agent” — I think that is one of the biggest things I can think of after hearing all the horror stories my poor clients have been through over the years.
I really like the insight you gave about making sure that you’re marketing using all channels. As you say, this will help you to have good photos that will reach a large amount of people. Additionally, you suggest using a realtor, which is a great idea too. They have the tools and the skills to know what people are looking for and how to reach people in your neighborhood. They even could have connections to other people who are not in your neighborhood but are looking for a new home, too. Overall, using a professional will help you dip into all facets of marketing and ensure that your home sells quickly! Thank you for sharing.
I liked your tip to remove the clutter from your home so that you can sell your house faster. You also said that you should paint your interior if needed since dark colors can make a room look smaller. I think it’s a good idea to choose a real estate agent that can give you solid advice on how to sell your home faster.
I agree that when it comes to selling a house it important to find the right agent to help you. I would want to hire someone who knows the market as well as having a lot of connections to sell and buy. I can see how someone like this would not only have more experience but also help you choose the house that is best for you for a fair price.
I totally agree that the kitchen should be your main area of focus to sell. This is usually going to make the biggest impact on your buyers. It is amazing how an updated kitchen can up-sell a home.
Removing clutter is a very good tip, Bill Gassett. I think sometimes we forget how home buyers just want to look at a home and imagine what it would be like to live in there. Having clutter would deter them from seeing themselves living in the home. By removing clutter you really do maximize the size of a room in the home like you said.
I thought it was really good advice to make any repairs your agent advises. If you are putting some real estate up for sale and want to do it quickly listening to your agent would probably be your best bet because they know what they are talking about. It would definitely be a better idea to sell your home before moving into your new property over trying to live in one and sell the other while not being there. It just seems like that would be such a hassle to have to travel back and forth trying to get rid of it.
I found the article to be very informative. I’ve been trying to sell my home and it has been difficult. Been in the market for almost 6 months now. I want to avoid real estate agents because of the commission they charge. I would like to do it on my own. I think using listing sites and getting good pictures of my home uploaded will be a good idea to start with. I also used an online home evaluation tool to get an estimate on my home’s worth.
Laura using an online valuation service is not a wise move. The tools like Zillow for example are often wildly off from the actual market value. You will more than likely end up pricing your home wrong by using such a service.