5 Secrets to Getting Higher Offers on Your Home
Though there are quite a number of ways to appeal to buyers, these are the five secrets you need to know to bring in the highest offers on your home for sale:
Secret #1 to Getting Higher Offers on Your Home: Listen to Your REALTOR on Pricing
When you tell a real estate agent that you’d like to sell your home, they’ll start crunching all the numbers. Your agent will look at homes that have recently sold (which is the reality), homes that are currently on the market (which can be the fantasy), and homes that were on the market but never sold (which are the failures to learn from). Every home your real estate agent looks at will be comparable to yours in size, location and amenities.
Real estate agents do this in order to determine how much buyers are most likely willing to pay for a home like yours on today’s market. This is a simple process that your agent will guide you through. The result is a realistic sales price. You should absolutely listen to your real estate agent’s guidance on home pricing. That’s because your agent has done the math, and they know what buyers are currently paying for homes that are like yours. Remember – the proper price up front means higher and faster profits in the end.
If you price your home too high, the buyers who could afford it if it were priced properly we’ll never see it; that’s because most people begin their home searches online, where they set price parameters. Your agent can give you a range for pricing, and we can’t stress this enough: You should pick a sales price within that range.
Secret #2 to Getting Higher Offers on Your Home: Make Repairs Before You List
When a buyer makes an offer on a home, they typically hire a home inspector to check things out and make sure that they’re getting a good deal. This inspector will check everything from a home’s systems to its structure – and everything in between. Then, the inspector will provide the buyer with a detailed report that includes everything that’s wrong with the home. These days we have all seen that process done from shows on networks like HGTV.
Buyers usually use home inspection reports to negotiate with sellers. For example, if a buyer finds out that the HVAC system needs to be repaired, they may ask you to make the repair, to come down on the sales price, or to offer them a credit so they can make the repair themselves. However, if you make all the repairs before your buyer hires an inspector, there will be nothing for the inspector to find – and that means buyers have less to negotiate with, and you’ll come closer to getting your asking price for the home. This is a huge key that far too many sellers "cheap out" on and in the end lose thousands of dollars. The best advice is to always get the repairs done up front.
Secret #3 to Getting Higher Offers on Your Home: Declutter and Clean Everything
When you sell a home, you’re not simply selling a space to live. You’re actually selling a lifestyle. That means you have to show buyers that they will enjoy living in your home – and the best way to do that is to ensure that it’s decluttered and spotlessly clean.
Decluttering is important so that buyers can understand how spacious your home truly is. Plus, let's face it – it's your clutter. It shows the buyers that this is your home. A buyer will pay you more money when they can envision this as their home.
Cleaning is equally important; you want to show buyers that your home is clean and easy to keep that way. Though buyers may not notice that you’ve cleaned everything, they will certainly notice if you don’t. For many people, the best way to get a spotlessly clean home is to hire a professional. If you hire a professional, you’ll save yourself time – and you’ll only need to maintain with the professional has done while your home is on the market.