Five Reasons you may not get top dollar for your home
Every Seller – even distressed Sellers – should know there is a huge benefit in presenting the home for sale in the best possible light in order to obtain the highest sales price. Yet many Sellers choose not to participate fully in the selling of their homes and in many case, slam doors to possible higher offers.
1. If a Buyer can’t get in to see your home, they will not make an offer; let alone top dollar. Generally, only investors make offers sight unseen and often below market price as they are looking for a steal. Showing your home is an inconvenience, but allow your Agent to place a lockbox on the home to provide a simple way for Buyers and their Agent to show the property. A digital lock box is more secure than a combination lock box. Consistent hours during the day, early evening, and on weekends can help agents schedule showings.
In addition, if a buyer can’t see your home because they are obsessing over the mess in your house, they will not write a top dollar offer. If they can tell you don’t care enough to clean up the kitchen, vacuum the floor, or clean the shower and toilet, they pretty much believe you have never taken care of the house since you owned it. Pick up the dirty clothes, buy some cleaning supplies, and take some pride in your home if you want the buyer to offer you their best price.
2. Be sure your Agent is taking and uploading multiple photos of your home. Your agent should be taking a minimum of 24 well lit, clear photos of your home. With over 80% of consumers starting their home search on line, this is your best chance to get a buyer to come see your home and make an offer. At minimum there should be photos of the kitchen, main living area, master bedroom, all bathrooms, and back yard.
3. If you want a buyer to offer top dollar on your home, give them a reason by preparing your home for the market. Complete a property inspection and termite inspection (at minimum) before placing the home on the market. Many of the items called out will be minor and can be fixed immediately. If there are major issues, know that your listing price will need to be adjusted. If homes in your neighborhood sold for a great price, find out how your home can be like them. Did they have kitchen upgrades? Open floor plans? New roof? Best Schools? The closer you are in comparison, the closer you can get to their price. For everything you don’t have that they do/did, deduct from your asking price. To be a top dollar home, the home has to look like it. Pride of ownership, strong maintenance records, appropriate updates, clean, fresh, and good quality staging will help you meet your goal of highest sales price.
4. If you or your agent are mean, rude, or too busy; you may not get top dollar for your home. No kidding. Who wants to spend hundreds of thousand of dollars buying something from rude people? When prospective buyers come to see your home, leave politely and take a walk or drive around the block. Take Fido with you. If you are going to stay at the home, be friendly, answer questions honestly, and then give them space to look without you hovering over them. Your agent should be flexible, friendly, as responsive as possible to all inquiries from buyers and buyer agents.
5. If you think someone owes you something, you may not get top dollar for your home. Just because you bought the home in 2006 for top of the market price you can not expect current buyers to eat your loss by an over inflated sales price. It is what it is. A bad turn of events. The best thing you can do is try to make both situations better. Work to get top dollar for your home so the amount short is reduced to bare minimum.
Selling a home in a “buyer’s market” takes commitment, proper promotion, serious negotiating skills, and confident kindness. If you are not getting top dollar offers on your home, there is a reason. If you are not sure what those reasons are, your agent should and can assist you in providing a list of service providers to get needed repairs done.
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