selling your house

When you think about selling your house the first thing you think of is price. But is price really all that important in selling? It’s more of a piece to a puzzle that ends in the sale of your home. Price isn’t the “be all end all”, other pieces play key roles too.

Price isn’t everything!

Now that I have your attention, let me say again, price isn’t the “be all end all”. Yes, it’s important in getting buyers to see your listing. Yes, it’s important in getting it right so it sells.

The importance of price isn’t being downplayed. What is also important are other things. Things like condition, amenities and location.

Location, condition, etc.

You know that when you looked for your current home you were looking for a lot of things other than price. You wanted a certain number of bedrooms and baths, a certain square footage. Most likely you didn’t want a home that needed a lot of updating.

In Florida a property with a pool is also a big selling point. So size, condition and home amenities were important in your search.

So why would you ignore those things when selling your house?

Have you seen the commercial for Trulia where they talk about “the house is only half of it?” The commercial is to advertise their map overlays to show things about the neighborhood where the listings are located. These overlays show crime, schools, traffic and so on.

Neighborhood amenities and location are super important. Some great research went into the basis of that commercial and Trulia along with Harris Polling found some numbers that might just open your eyes.

Neighborhood, square footage, etc.

According to the survey, 84 percent of Americans said that neighborhood is as important to their home search as the home itself and they would be willing to overlook or give up certain things to live in their ideal neighborhood. Things like a furnished basement (55 percent), square footage (33 percent), a garage (21 percent), or a yard (19 percent). Things like the safety of your neighborhood and its proximity to jobs, shopping and so on were very important.

For parents schools were even more important to them than the rest. While location isn’t something you can control, it is something you can play up if your home is located well. So stop making price your top priority.

Make the best things about your home the priority and you will get the price you want.

You’ve decided that you need to sell your home. Of course you want to get more money for your house, so what can you do to make sure you get the most? What tips can you use to go for the green? Pretty simple ones.

First things first, make sure your home is clean. Use your time before the listing goes up scrubbing it from top to bottom. Move furniture and appliances and clean under them. Pack up clutter and put it in storage. Put excess furniture there as well. Soap, water, dusting and decluttering should be your mantra.

That will lead you to the next tip: repair. Fix broken hinges, leaky plumbing, and all those little jobs you’ve been putting off. Do them now. Re-caulk old windows and door frames. Bathroom and kitchen fixtures also need it. Not only does it spruce it up, but it seals out drafts and water leaks. If you have bathroom or kitchen tiles that are loose or cracked, replace them. Re-grouting is also a good idea. Again, it freshens up and makes the room look like it was recently updated.

Update. Yes, if you can afford it, update the biggies: kitchens and baths. Talk to your Realtor and ask their opinion about what, exactly, you should replace. Carpeting should also be professionally cleaned or replaced. Repaint walls. You need to make your home as project free as possible.

Replace appliances. You need to do this especially if you are planning on taking the ones you already have. Who wants to spend top dollar on a house where they will have to immediately buy a refrigerator or washer and dryer?

Have a friend walk through your house and tell what it looks like to them, gloves off, no holds barred. You may get a much better idea of
how others view your home and figure out what to improve. The point is to get more money for your house so put on your thick skin and then put the sweat equity in and go for the green! That check at the settlement table will be your reward!