6 Tips to Sell Your Home Quickly 

Selling your home can be a nerve-wracking experience. You want potential buyers clamoring to give you an offer.  Putting your best foot forward is critical when selling a home - and even more so if you intend to sell it quickly. Being in a sellers’ market does not guarantee a quick sale. To sell quickly, your home must make a perfect first impression. Selling quickly often means selling at or above list price. Lingering on the market may mean selling at a discount. To achieve your performance goals there are several proven practices.

1. Pretend You Are a Buyer

The first step toward success is to put yourself in your buyer’s shoes. Think about the details you value when shopping for a house and ask yourself the following questions. Put your emotions aside and think ruthlessly about how to best present your home.

• Does your home look appealing from the street?

• Are there any obvious repairs to be done?

• What would I point out as a concern if I were considering this home?

• Should space be staged with furniture and/or art and decor?

Taking these questions into consideration will help you think like a buyer and can help guide your process as you prepare to sell.

2. List at the Right Time

Due to the limited inventory of homes for sale, right now is THE RIGHT TIME. You can sell your home during any season. The historic trends of ‘spring being the perfect time to list’ are not true in today’s market. Yes, spring through fall has historically provided the greatest opportunities for offers.  And, peak summer months have been responsible for 40% of annual sales.

With people spending more time at home, and in many cases that being the future expectation, needs and wants and priorities are changing quickly. And the extremely favorable interest rates are prompting people to buy quickly while their dollars will go farther. So there are many reasons to consider selling NOW. Prepare and Present your best Possible Product

If you have deferred maintenance, do it now before you list. Buyers assume a home that presents itself well has been well maintained and cared for. 

Replace broken shutters, update your cabinet hardware, invest in shiny new faucets, and make sure that deadbolt doesn’t stick anymore. Minor repairs and improvements will provide you with a good return on investment. Don’t try to hide flaws and blemishes; fix them.  And by all means, make sure your windows sparkle and your front entry screams ‘WELCOME’. Easy updates can make a positive impression and may translate into increased value for your home.

3. Declutter So Buyers See Your Home Instead of You

You want prospective buyers to see themselves living in your home. As experienced REALTORS®, we cannot stress this point enough. Decluttering (and depersonalizing) your home is one of the easiest ways to let the house speak for itself. Pack away family photos, hide branded products, and store as much of your clothing as possible. Don’t forget to declutter your front and back yard, too. Store or neatly display hoses and gardening tools, pack away pool toys and floats, and sweep the driveway. If you have lots of pictures and decor on your walls, buyers will imagine all of the damage they will have to repair when they move in. To simplify the decor and make move-in easy to imagine for your prospects

4. Show Your Home to Best Advantage

The more welcoming, warm, clean, and prepared your home looks, the more attractive it will be to potential buyers. Open your blinds and curtains to let in natural light. Turn on lights and lamps. Rearrange your furniture to create a feeling of openness and remove furniture if necessary. . Make your bed, and, if needed, purchase fresh new bed linens. Put away any unnecessary items on nightstands and vanities. Make sure your home smells fresh too. Do not ‘over scent’ your home with artificial products because doing so will make prospective buyers wonder what you are hiding. Green plants and fresh flowers exude a sense of love and care. Being in a sellers’ market does not mean you can ignore the details. Actually, just the opposite. Buyers know they may be paying up, so they expect the best possible product.

5. The View from the Curb

Your front yard, your landscaping, your driveway, the front of your house, and the front entry create the buyer’s first impression. Stand in the street and look critically. Can you complete some simple and inexpensive improvements to enhance the view from the curb?  Easy projects like re-mulching flower beds, weeding gardens, mowing the lawn, blowing debris from the driveway and power washing walkways can make your home look fresh and new, You may consider a fresh coat of paint, either the whole house or perhaps an accent on the trim and front door. We want our homes to look better than they ever have the day we publicly list them for sale. And if people find it attractive and appealing from the curb, they will want to see inside and schedule a viewing.

6. Hire a Marx-Bensdorf REALTOR®

If you are thinking about selling your home, remember our agents have years of experience in the greater Memphis market. We know the market and we know the neighborhoods. Let one of our agents help you accomplish all of the above steps to minimize your stress and maximize your value. Your Marx-Bensdorf agent will walk you through the entire process, from preparation to listing to selling with confidence.