Simple solutions to help a listing sell quickly

Simple solutions to help a listing sell quickly


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There is nothing more frustrating for a seller than having a home sit on the market for a seemingly indefinite time. Though a multitude of reasons for transaction postponements may come into play, avoiding critical sale-day delays resulting from relatively minor fixes is comparatively straightforward.

Perhaps one of two perplexing scenarios is taking place. Buyers are walking through your house, but not making offers via their agents. Or you cannot figure out why you have had little if any interest in the property since you put it on the market. In either case, your frustrations are mounting and the listing is beginning to take on the most of unwanted labels, “a stale house.”

So, how do you avoid becoming the owner of a dubiously-labeled “stale property?” The following is a short list of suggested proactive solutions.

1. Keep the listing price reasonable

Even if you think your house is the best one on the block in a highly desirable neighborhood, be very pragmatic when establishing the initial sales price. Do your homework and work with your selected agent to research an accurate and reasonable listing amount. What financial stories are comps in the area truly telling and are the comps in fact derived from clearly comparable properties? The timing of your listing may in fact coincide with a hot, seller’s market where buyers are far more apt to make generous offers. However, if that reality does not materialize in your case, that previously-mentioned “stale” label may quickly become an uninvited reality if the price is perceived as inappropriate.

2. Repair minor structural and cosmetic issues

Being frugal and trying to avoid laying out too much cash before the sale is one thing, being unrealistic and trying to “mask” obvious issues is another matter altogether. As the old adage goes, “there are many ways to skin a cat” – even if that saying is somewhat distasteful – still rings true. Just because the roof needs some TLC may not mean the entire structure needs a brand new skin. However, mismatched patch work undeniably leads to impressions of cheap repairs and potential future problems. Spending needed money to get the property into optimal sales shape will no doubt come back in spades. Again, a multitude of buyers stopping by without making ultimate offers is the antithesis of the expected fruits of being proactive.

3. Be cognizant of even less expensive measures

Be very careful not to let little things turn off potential buyers in a big way. Have you “de-clutterized” the den / office and garage, the areas most likely to be full of your favorite things? Your hobbies may include a multitude of cherished objects and mementos, but do these personal items obscure the most desired impressions of each space? Rooms full of stuff may in fact be very reassuring and yield a sense of accomplishment and hard word. However, if buyers do not share your passions, unique objects may well become a hindrance to favorable offers if they are perceived as overly quirky. At a minimum, take a car or truck full of your favorite, non-essential, house-showing items to a relative’s or friend’s house to “lighten the interior load,” create pleasant lighting with optimal blind and/or curtain positioning, locate accent lamps in dimly lit areas, and position furniture to maximize room layout, form and function.

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