Three Universal Tips Every Home Seller Should Know

There’s definitely a formula for success in selling a home. And when it’s time for you to think about selling yours, if you’re working with an experienced and knowledgeable Realtor™, they’re going to let you know what it is. The formula will change depending on the home, the community, the city, and the surrounding area – but there are a few ‘universal’ concepts that you should be aware of. That way, when it’s time for you to plant that “For Sale” sign in your yard, you’ll be a few baby steps ahead – and sometimes, that’s just enough of a leg-up to get to a happy finish line sooner.

1. Buyers Know Within Seconds If They Want To Buy Your Home.

Yep – buying a home is a huge investment, so you would imagine people want to weigh all the pros and cons, maybe even make some spreadsheets to compare features, costs, and benefits.

You would be wrong.

Why? Because the mind processes far more information in less time than previously thought; one recent study shows that 80% of prospective buyers know if a home is right for them within seconds of stepping inside. That’s a daunting thought, isn’t it? But all the more reason that we drive home this fact: No detail is too small for the Seller to consider. Sweep the front sidewalk, clean up the leaves; tidy up the entryway, unclutter every horizontal surface. And of course, we’ve never heard of a Buyer complaining that a house is “too clean.” That’s worth remembering, too.

2. Pricing Makes A Difference – But Not For The Reasons You Think

First off, we’ll say this: Your home needs to be priced right to take advantage of every sales opportunity. We addressed that at some length in a previous article – “5 Reasons Why Your Home Didn’t Sell” – check it out here. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

It’s one thing to think you’re getting a great deal at Nordstrom’s Rack when you see that $14.99-price tag. It’s another thing to be shopping for a home with a price like “$299,999.” (You just felt a little “thunk” didn’t you?) There’s a certain sense of ‘bargain-hunting’ that is out of place with all those 9’s in a home’s sales price. Even without setting a foot on the property yet, it’s enough to turn off many buyers because it feels dishonest and “cheap.” Just don’t go there.

On the other hand, while those last two numbers should always end in “00” – you don’t necessarily want tooooo many of them showing up in the rest of the price, either. You know that feeling you get when you’re at the grocery store and your total comes out to EXACTLY $20.00? Yeah. That almost never happens – and when it does, it’s pretty memorable. If your Realtor™ has performed an accurate price evaluation of your property, the odds of it coming in to show five 0’s in a row are just about as common.

The fact is, a sales price of $200,000 seems arbitrary – like you just plucked that figure out of thin air – and that makes your valuation suspect, to say the least. Stick with the facts, and base your final listing price on firm data.

3. There’s A Reason Why There’s A Home-Staging Industry

Buyers. Love. Staged. Homes. How do we know that? Those homes sell faster. Often by 50-70% faster. How’s that for an eye-opening thought? You don’t necessarily need to shell out the money to hire a professional stager – because these days, you can find a myriad of helpful tips online about how to do much of it yourself. But it does boil down to two things:

1. If you’re still living in the home during the listing period – consider renting storage space to streamline what furniture and belongings are on display. After all, you are moving, right? May as well take this opportunity to start packing and simplify the look of the house. It takes a good eye and a commitment to a bit of heavy lifting – but more often than not, it will pay off with a quicker sale.

2. If you’ve already moved out of the home – think about adding some furniture and accessories back into it, even if it’s only to stage the main living areas. For a potential Buyer, viewing an empty home is a little like making whoopie with the lights on (ack!) — i.e., every flaw is visible. (Unless you’re J.Lo.) PLUS, most people aren’t capable of fully visualizing the potential of space in a home when it’s completely empty. Help their imagination see your home for what it really is: The. Awesome. Place. They. Want. To. Live.

As we referenced above, your specific home has unique attributes that a professional Realtor™ will help you recognize and capitalize on to help you get to that fabulous trifecta of “Offer-Escrow-Closing.” But knowing these handy tips can help, too. If you’re planning to sell your home soon – we’ve got a lot more of them we can share with you. All you’ve got to do is ask us!

New Home Resource helps current and future homeowners with all of their Las Vegas real estate needs. Whether your preference is for a newly built home from a local builder, or a resale property in just the right location, a New Home Resource Realtor® is here to find the perfect property for you. Please contact a New Home Resource Realtor® today at 702-365-1000 or at www.newhomeresource.com. Broker Joanna Piette, and agents Denise Moreno Thrasher, Jessica O’Brien, Evelyn ‘Beng’ Kern, Lance Partin and Kathy Paterniti are all here to help!