10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money cover picture shows a traditional home at night with all the lights on.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money

Introduction

Getting top dollar when selling your house typically requires effort beyond just listing it and waiting for the offers to pour in. Implementing key strategies sets your property apart, grabs buyers’ interest and drives up the final sales price. This comprehensive guide reveals 10 expert-recommended tips for maximizing your home’s value when you’re ready to sell in the current market.

 

 

 

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  1.  Partner with an Experienced Local Real Estate Agent

Arguably one of the most vital steps is partnering with a knowledgeable, well-connected agent who specializes in your particular city and neighborhood. An expert guide assists you in setting the right listing price, marketing the home effectively to qualified buyers, and negotiating the best possible deal on your behalf. Recent industry analysis found sellers who worked with an agent received a median $318,000 for their house, versus $260,000 for FSBO homes – a significant difference. So take time to thoughtfully interview a few candidates until you find an agent you trust and connect with. This working relationship is key to selling smoothly and profitably.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  2.  Make Visual Curb Appeal Improvements

It may sound trivial, but freshening up exterior “curb appeal” matters immensely, as this makes the critical first impression. Ensure the lawn stays neatly mowed, trimmed bushes look tidy, and overall appearance is welcoming to visitors. Strategically placing a couple colorful potted plants or new mulch around trees instantly draws the eye. A fresh coat of front door paint also boosts appeal. Little touches make a property look loved and updated. You only have one chance to wow buyers from the street, so make it count by showcasing your home’s finest features upfront, spurring interest in what’s inside.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  3.  Invest Wisely in Kitchen and Bath Updates

The money rooms with the most valuable real estate are the kitchen and bathrooms. Even modest updates here add deeper buyer appeal. For example, repainting outdated cabinetry, upgrading old light fixtures or regrouting dingy tile visually freshens the space at relatively little cost to you. Yet kitchen and bath tweaks often return very solid ROI. Check with your agent before gutting rooms completely to avoid over-improving, but these DIY mini facelifts better showcase what prospective owners could do to put their own touches on the home you’ve updated neatly for modern lifestyles.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  4.  Consult on Smart Staging Strategy

Making each room feel light, neutral and spacious helps buyers envision themselves living in your lovely home instead of focusing on your stuff occupying the space currently. Consider renting storage units to pare down personal furnishings and daily clutter that visually encroach. Reposition remaining furniture to open the flow. Then style vignettes in key areas like the entry and kitchen with a rug, plants and art generating visual interest without barriers. Handled strategically, staging minimizes buyer objections and gets more bids by showing off the home’s square footage and architectural elements seamlessly.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  5.  Invest in Skillful Photography

Fantastic photography gives your listing an undeniable edge attracting more buyers browsing online first before deciding which homes to tour in person. While anyone can snap iPhone pics, hiring a professional real estate photographer is money wisely spent. Their artistry with lighting, zooming in on architectural details and thoughtful editing puts your property’s finest features on proper display. Intriguing photos also build buyer curiosity and excitement to visit next. Just make sure you’re prepared for short notice showing requests once you activate that eye-catching online listing. But photography delivers visual impact setting your home apart.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  6.  Price It Accurately From the Outset

Work closely with your agent to set a listing price precisely reflecting current market demand without over-reaching. Overpriced homes unfortunately deter potential buyers from even touring the property let alone making offers. Yet an attractively positioned home – accounting for room to negotiate – grabs more upfront attention, especially among relocation buyers researched on pricing for the area. Leverage your agent’s insight on comparable neighborhood sales to arrive at the magic number sparking bidding wars.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  7.  Prepare Documents Before Listing

Once active, your home’s listing may spur rapid buyer inquiries requiring fast follow-up on your end. Get paperwork in order beforehand including disclosures, improvement receipts, permits, warranties and more that buyers request when touring. Clear copies also help you respond promptly to agent questions, leading to smoother negotiations. Staying organized and responsive is key when eager buyers emerge who don’t want time wasted gathering home details that delay their ability to make an offer.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  8.  Expect Some Negotiation Requests

Understand that once buyers walk through and become excited envisioning your house as their future home, they will likely bring up credits or repairs to negotiate a better price. Don’t take offense! It’s perfectly common. Tap your agent’s expertise on navigating this tricky aspect separating emotions from the financial transaction reality. The risks of losing an excited buyer over minor concessions possibly outweighs sticking firmly to your ideal price.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  9.  Have Reasonable Expectations

Again, partner with your agent on what’s fair and average for recent comparable home sales in the specific neighborhood. Their behind-the-scenes understanding of market dynamics helps you set reasonable expectations heading into the sales process. While we all hope to sell our beloved home for top dollar – or better yet, spark a bidding war – many factors are at play securing an offer. But preparing the property thoughtfully makes it much easier for an agent to get potential buyers excited and motivated to sign on the dotted line.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money:  10.  Declutter and Clean Thoroughly

Before listing your home, go through each room with a critical eye, removing excess clutter that accumulates over years of living in a space. Pare down seldom-used items, contain others neatly in storage bins, and pack away most personal photographs and family memorabilia. Clear kitchen counters completely and ensure any small appliances are tidy and clean as well. Scrub down bathrooms; clean ceiling fans, baseboards and lighting fixtures which buyers inspect up close. Making every room crisp and tidy helps buyers focus on the house itself – not scrutinizing your belongings. Decluttering also makes rooms appear larger, allowing potential owners to visualize fitting their own furniture inside. It’s time well spent to thoroughly clean and declutter prior to agent walkthroughs and photography.

10 Tips to Sell Your Home For More Money::  Conclusion

Selling a home can feel overwhelming, but need not be with an expert agent guiding you. From staging to pricing and prepping for showing requests, these 10 tips help ensure you maximize your sale price in the current market. Putting extra effort into home preparations and photography pays future dividends getting more eyes on your listing and compelling buyers to make serious offers. Here’s to selling smoothly and successfully!

If you are looking for a St Petersburg Realtor visit https://avalongrouptampabay.com/

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About the Author
Rob Johnson
Realtor, St. Petersburg FL