There is much that is dependent on the sale of a home. The economy and the time of year are important factors. Luck can often have a major role when you ask yourself why your neighbor’s home, almost identical to your own, sold in just a few days while your’s has been sitting idle for a matter of months. There are a few things you should know that could help you with the sale of your own home.
45 seconds.
That’s all it takes. You have 45 seconds to impress your buyer. As your potential buyer is walking into your house, she is taking everything in and making her initial decision right there on the spot. If she loves your home there’s not much that can be done to change her mind unless she sees something truly unappealing and unexpected. If your buyer is on the fence or not 100% certain that this house is for them, you will have to make sure that everything about your home is in order.
Choosing a home is like choosing a partner.
The two are quite similar. We are emotional people. We are emotional buyers. We are very visual creatures. When you meet someone, such as your spouse or significant other, you most likely were drawn to them immediately. If not, there was some other incredible quality that made your partner stand apart from all the rest. Your home must be like this too, especially if you live in an area where homes tend to resemble one another.
Stand apart from the crowd.
Make your home stand out from the all others. Make it remarkable. Make it so that others take notice. The first thing you can do is to clean up and fix up your front yard. Trim your hedges and bushes. Add some fresh mulch, plant some fresh flowers and add some flowers or a large plant near your front door. You may want to add a fresh coat of paint to your front door, and while you’re at it, why not try an unexpected color? Then, make sure the inside of your home is as warm and welcoming as the outside is.
Embrace your visitors.
80% of potential buyers have made up their minds when they’ve walked through your front door, within the first 45 seconds. Here is your chance to wow your visitors. They’re looking for great atmosphere and a good flow. We are a generation and a society that has come to need instant gratification. We want what we want when we want it – whether right or wrong, and more often than not we’d prefer not to have to put too much work into a new home. So here’s your opportunity, as the seller, to embrace your buyers with a home that needs very little to no work.
Today’s buyers are superficial.
We have, in fact, all become a bit superficial in today’s society. And this has to do with all the choices in front of us. The choices we have, whether shopping for food in the grocery store or shopping for a new home, are abundant and we have become spoiled from so many choices. Because of these choices, it is more important than ever to make your home, which is your product, more appealing than the other products out there.
Think of your home as a product.
Take a step back and put your sentiment and emotions behind you. Take yourself out of the picture. You are selling a tangible product, not your home. Why does a consumer want your product? How will your product make them better? How will your product enrich your consumer’s life of lifestyle? When you sell a home, you’re selling a lifestyle and a dream, therefore you want to market your home in such a way that a buyer will believe that he or she is getting a fabulous product that will enhance their life and lifestyle.
Everyone wants a bargain.
As with any purchase, today’s consumers want to feel as though they are getting a good deal. Price yourself well. If you overprice your home you’ll not only likely sit around on the market for too long, but you could ruin a potentially good sale. The longer a house sits the less desirable it becomes. People will start to question why the house hasn’t sold and may think there’s something wrong with the house. This must be avoided. The ultimate goal is to sell your home so that the buyer feels good about the purchase and that you feel good about the sale.
An educated consumer is your best customer.
While this sounds like a bad commercial from the 1980s, it is the absolute truth. Today’s consumers do tend to be educated and spend much of their time researching homes and home trends on the internet. They know exactly what they want and have a pretty good idea how they’re going to get it. As the seller, you also need to educate yourself. You need to see what else is on the market. Get to know what’s out there and learn how you can best position yourself in today’s market.
What today’s buyers are looking for.
For the most part today’s buyers want new and shiny. They are looking for newer homes, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, crown mouldings and anything else that gives a home character and charm. If your home is lacking in one of these areas, how can you make up for it? It might be wise, let’s say to rip up the carpeting if you know that there are hardwood floors beneath. Don’t spend unnecessary money by adding moulding, as that can add up, unless you know that you will get it back in the sale of your home. Take a good look around your own home and figure out what you can do to offer today’s buyers what they are looking for.
A good realtor.
A good realtor can quite literally make or break the sale of your home. A good realtor will be your eyes and ears, your marketing and sales specialist and even your therapist when things don’t quite go your way. Your realtor will advise you on staging, getting your home visibility and traffic, and ultimately your realtor will sell your home home!