By Michelle Metcalf
Selling a house can be a big job, and stressful too! There’s so much to think about regarding the market, home staging, repairs, and more—it’s no surprise sellers find it overwhelming.
So, in the interests of winnowing it down to the true essentials, these tasks can make a real difference, here are some helpful tips from when to put your house on the market, to how to price and present your property just right.
Pony up money on repairs:
It’s best to get repairs done before buyers start poking around your house. Every house has a few things wrong that will probably have to be fixed before closing, so you might as well do those little fixes upfront allowing buyers to see your house at its best. If buyers saw a bunch of small problems, they wouldn’t be wowed or want to pay full asking price. So, take a walk around and make a list of things that could be fixed. Look for loose door handles, leaky sinks, hard-to-open windows, and things like that.
Don’t price your house too high:
Certain listing agents might claim they can list and sell your house for a higher-than-market value price. They’re usually just trying to get your business, so don’t be fooled. In fact, you will be better off listing your house at the price of what you might expect which, a LOCAL realtor, NOT a realtor from Tucson that does not know this area, can tell you. Take my advice and list your house at a price that is obtainable and not off-putting. You will have interest in a few hours, and possibly multiple bids within days. From there, you can choose the best offer. By pricing it right, I can help you get a much higher price than you would expect.
Winter is not always the best time to sell:
Green Valley / Sahuarita is not so “SEASONAL” any more. There is a high percentage of folks that buy during the summer months. If you list during the summer, you will have less competition on higher price than if you wait to list October through April hoping for snowbirds.
Photos sell houses:
Choose a realtor that presents every house like the Taj Mahal. Quality pictures of your house are worth thousands in your pocket. In today’s housing market there are many options like Twilight photos – which makes your house warm and inviting, aerial drone photos, HD photos to see mountain views from inside, and virtual tours. Make sure the photos are not dark, blurry, crooked, or a photo of a messy garage or closet. I personally pay for the cost of my clients’ outstanding photos to ensure the best outcome for a sale.
Curb appeal and bathrooms are 80%:
When buyers are touring houses, I notice that they often make a decision about a house before they even step through the front door. Hire a landscaper, put more plants in, trim up trees… it creates a pleasant appearance for the front of the house. Getting the master bathroom shower tiled, repainting the guest bath, adding some decorative hardware and fixtures, a framed mirror, plus some stylish wall hangings and towels will be just the right touch.
ln Green Valley, Michelle Metcalf is consistently ranked at the top. Michelle’s innovative marketing has resulted in her being one of the top 10 producers in the Green Valley/Sahuarita markets. Michelle has earned the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation. Michelle is also proud to be a SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) as well as a Real Estate Broker. Michelle has lived and worked in the Green Valley/Sahuarita area for 19 years. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, contact Michelle at: # 520.400.5735 or e-mail her at m(dotted)metcalf3(at)yahoo(dotted)com.