REAL ESTATE SPECIAL SECTION SUMMER 2024 hit the market . Enlist the help of a professional real estate agent to guide you on the journey .
WANT TO SELL IN 2024 ?
Putting your home on the market requires a lot of work and can be emotional . Sellers often assume buyers will like their taste in decor and design , possibly overlooking simple things that could end up preventing their home from appealing to a wide variety of buyers . These tips will help you make your house marketable :
1 . You only get to make a first impression once . Start with good pictures for your listing . Clean the space as if you were already showing your house before pictures are taken . Check out your home ’ s curb appeal . Look for the first thing buyers will see when they pull up for a walkthrough . Do dead bushes need to be removed ? Old holiday decorations need to be put away ? Try to view your house as if you were seeing it for the first time . Maybe an exterior power-wash or fresh coat of paint on your front door would make buyers eager to go inside .
2 . Make your interior warm and neutral . Bold or bright colors may have been an accent to you but could turn off a buyer . Some buyers want move-in ready and don ’ t want to think about putting work in , even if it ’ s just choosing a new paint color . Use freshly painted neutral colors and remove abstract art and family photos from the walls . This will be a great opportunity for you to start packing up your personal belongings while providing buyers the opportunity to imagine their own touches in the rooms .
3 . Space sells . Buyers want to feel like they can move right in , with spots for their furniture and belongings . Store ( offsite , if possible ) items that you don ’ t need for day-to-day living , such as off-season clothing , holiday decorations , and old toys . This gives cabinets , closets , and storage spaces a clean , spacious look . You could also use this decluttering opportunity to donate or sell items , giving your next home a fresh start .
4 . Don ’ t go overboard with updates . Ask your real estate agent about changes that can add value or create appeal for your home . You don ’ t want to put too much money into unnecessary upgrades that may not even appeal to the type of buyer looking at your home . A small update may be just what you need to close a sale .
5 . Don ’ t price yourself out of a sale . A listing price might seal the deal on selling your home . Make sure to work with your real estate agent to review comparable homes listed in your area , pricing trends and inventory available , and work to list your home appropriately . A fair market price will attract buyers interested in making your home their dream home .
HOW TO GET TOP DOLLAR IN A SELLER ’ S MARKET
High demand and low inventory make up a seller ’ s market in real estate . Listing your home in a seller ’ s market could be the difference of having your home sell in days versus months . Demand for houses typically drives up competition , allowing sellers to potentially receive above asking price for their homes . But listing in a seller ’ s market doesn ’ t automatically guarantee your home will sell quickly . You still need to take the time to find a good real estate agent , ready your home to be listed , and do some research on the housing market in your neighborhood .
Once you decide you are ready to take the next step and sell your home , do some research on real estate agents in your area . Ask family , friends , and coworkers for recommendations and feedback on why they liked their agents . Once you have a few recommendations , reach out to them to learn more about their experience in selling homes like yours , the types of clients they usually work with , and to gauge if your personalities jibe . It ’ s critical to have someone you can trust .
Upon hiring , ask your agent to do a walkthrough of your home from the outside in , to provide you with constructive feedback on how to best ready your home for a buyer ’ s eyes . Be sure to keep an open mind when hearing feedback because decorations or paint colors that appealed to you may not appeal to potential buyers .
Once your home is ready to list , work with your agent to do some research on the housing market in your neighborhood . In a seller ’ s market , you may be able to list slightly higher because of limited inventory , but you ’ ll still need to list at a fair market value . If you list too high , it will immediately turn buyers off .
WANT TO BUY IN 2024 ?
You ’ re ready to buy a house . Whether it ’ s your first home , your forever home , or your retirement home , buying a house is an
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