Thinking of selling a home in 2016? Let’s meet for a free and confidential consultation. Here are my Top 10 Tips for Seller Success:
- Get rid of it before you move: Why pay to move unwanted items and then discard them? If you aren’t taking it with you get rid of it before you list your house. Houses with less clutter sell for more money.
- Clean it top to bottom: There’s nothing worse than showing a dirty house. It’s a complete turn off, a distraction and it makes buyers wonder how well you’ve maintained your house. Clean it top to bottom before you list.
- Repair obvious issues: Fix obvious defects before you list your property otherwise they could de-rail your transaction during the home inspection.
- Close open permits: Phone your town building department to check and see if you have any open permits and close them out before you list. You won’t be able to provide the required Certificate of Occupancy for your buyer unless these are taken care of.
- Pull your oil tank: If you have an underground oil tank it can be costly to remove but I suggest that you remove it before you list. It’s extremely rare for a buyer to purchase a home with an underground tank since many of them have leaked and they are reluctant to take on that liability. Even de-commissioned tanks are problematic and must come out.
- Make your house easy to show: As someone who works with home buyers, I can tell you that houses that are difficult to show end up getting shown less and that houses with the most showings sell for the most money. As much as possible, don’t limit the hours of showings, require too much advance notice or say “no” to agents who want to show your house.
- You only get one chance to make a first impression: Because most buyers start their home search online, your internet photos are critical. Focus on improving curb appeal. Use a professional stager and professional photography, floor plans, video and marketing materials.
- Set your expectations for home inspection: The buyer of your home will do a home inspection and every home inspector picks up issues. When your buyer asks for a credit or a repair try to take the emotion out of it and remember this is a business transaction and your house is a commodity.
- Make sure your buyer is qualified:Make sure your agent takes on the important task of qualifying your purchaser. There’s no sense negotiating with a buyer who isn’t really a buyer.
- Finally and Most Importantly…Price it right from the beginning.Only a buyer can determine what your house is worth. Price it right from the beginning and you be in control of the process and will net more for your sale.
My goal is to help 60 families buy or sell homes this year. Who do you know who needs to buy or sell a house in 2016? Please call me so I can help them. Thanks!
Allison Ziefert is Maplewood, NJ based realtor and the #1 individual real estate agent at Keller Williams Mid-Town Direct in Maplewood, NJ. A local market expert, Allison specializes Maplewood, NJ real estate and homes and South Orange, NJ real estate and homes as well as Millburn/Short Hills, NJ, West Orange, NJ and surrounding towns. Allison’s success as a Maplewood/S. Orange realtor is driven by earning great testimonials from sellers and buyers of homes her marketplace. You can read her testimonials at www.azhomesnj.com/testimonial
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