One of the key metrics we look at when studying the market is the number of days a home is listed on the MLS before getting a sale. I've always felt that 90 days on market is the midpoint. The higher that number goes, the more of a buyer's market we're in. Conversely, the lower the number gets signifies a stronger seller's market. This metric not only gives us an idea of what shape the market is in but how we as a real estate team are doing in selling our listings.
We almost always beat the days on market average for the market. That means we're doing something right!
So how do we do it? It is actually quite simple. We ensure that every home we list is set up perfectly for showings and is ready for buyers to see. Sometimes we have to give some tough love to our sellers but generally the likelihood of a quicker sale at a higher price is enough to get the wheels turning.
Here are some of the ways we ready our listings for a quick and painless sale.
Declutter Your Home and Then Declutter Some More
One of the characteristics of a home that will sell fast is that the living area is free of clutter. We all have coffee makers, statues, family pictures or even things as innocuous as television remotes. However, all of those items need to go away in order to have a neat and orderly home for photos. You would be shocked at some of our before and after pictures.
You may be thinking, "What am I supposed to do with that stuff?" You're moving! Box it up, label the box, then put it in the garage. Buyers do not tend to look at garages critically so having boxes neatly stacked will not harm your buyer's first impression.
Clean as if Your Grandmother Is Coming to Visit
In a competitive buyer's market like we are in now, it isn't enough to simply dust and vacuum. We want you to clean like you've never cleaned before. The inside and outside of windows need to be perfect. Get those cobwebs away from your front door. Scrub those tubs, dust those fan blades, clean the oven, beautify the grout and make those stainless steel appliances shine like they did when Sears delivered them.
This can be a very big undertaking and if you're not up for it, invest in professional cleaners. We have a phenomenal housekeeper that we're happy to send you. A small investment in professional cleaning will pay dividends when your offer comes in.
Wow Your Buyers From the Second They Drive Up
You know that you only have one chance to make a first impression. It is cliché to say that but it couldn't be more true in the world of real estate. Don't just mow your lawn, weed the garden and trim a tree. Put some real effort into every aspect of your yard. Would some colorful flowers in the flowerbed help your curb appeal? You bet. Would brown mulch around your trees make them more beautiful? Absolutely. Here's your shot to make your landscaping stand out and impress your buyer.
Make Every Small Repair You Can Find. We’ll Even Help You Find Them.
This can sometimes be a controversial topic when we give listing presentations. Many sellers know of small issues around the house and will readily point them out to us. They feel that those items will be discovered by the home inspector once they have an offer and can be repaired at that point or have a monetary credit issued to the buyer. We encourage our sellers to make those small repairs even though all of them may not be visible when the buyer walks in. Where it saves our sellers though is that when the buyer does the inspection on a home that's been repaired in advance, the inspector will often say, "This is a really great home. They've kept it up really well." That sort of commentary helps so much to keep deals together and gives you a strong position to counter any repair requests.
Clean Up Your Paperwork Before You List
One of the worst discoveries we make as REALTORS® are open permits. I recently had a home listed where the sellers had completely remodeled their kitchen and moved plumbing and electrical without a permit. I'll keep it professional here and just say, "Yikes." Had the inspectors not come out and approved their work, they would potentially have to gut the entire kitchen and start over. It's that sort of situation we prevent for our sellers by looking up permit information before we list to ensure we're going to have a smooth closing and not scare away a buyer.
There are other documents you're going to want to have in hand when you list:
Previous title insurance policy. You can often get this PDF from the title company or attorney that handled your closing when you bought the property.
A current survey. If you haven't made any changes to your property, you can sign an affidavit to that point and supply it to the buyer. It's a great way to build goodwill if you have one!
Elevation certificate. Many of our properties here in Southwest Florida have portions that are unbuildable due to wetlands. If you have an elevation certificate, you'll be able to show your buyers the full story.
And Finally, Staging Brings in the Bucks
We all have our furniture, decor and accoutrements that make our house feel like home. In most cases though, we can improve your space and make it look so much better for pictures. Here's the best part--we almost always use your existing items! We've found over the years that staging helps buyers picture themselves in a home. I like to think about it in the same way I feel when I walk into a hotel room. As soon as you run your keycard over that hotel room lock 14 times before swearing that the front desk didn't program it right, then the 15th time opens the door, you're hit with a refreshing burst of energy. Everything has its place. The desk is in just the right spot, the loveseat sits comfortably in the corner with a view of the TV, and everything on the night stands and dressers is perfect.
We want to give your buyers that same, serene feeling as they enter their future home.
Buyers are not enthused when they walk through the door and see furniture oddly placed or a home full of clutter. It leaves a bad taste in their mouth. And guess what... those buyers are not only looking at your home! They will see multiple homes during their tour and at least one will stand out due to staging. I've seen it happen so many times.
Sellers, Are You Energized and Ready to Make a Great First Impression?
I hope that this article helps you net the most money from your sale in the fewest number of days on market.
If you are not already working with a REALTOR®, please consider Laney, myself and our team. We have years of experience helping sellers make the most of the home they have and would love to meet you and discuss the specifics. We will happily come by and give you our advice free of charge and without obligation. We want the best for everyone!
