We Realtors hear stories from unhappy home sellers all the time about why their last agent couldn’t get the job done. “He didn’t do this, she didn’t do that…” But as an agent working in the field every day, I can tell you this: SELLING A HOME ISN’T ABOUT THE AGENT. It’s about the house, the price, and the seller. Here are a few things you can do as a seller to make sure your home selling period is successful and stress free when selling your home in Nashville
- Get the home into PRIME showing condition before it hits the market. This means trimming hedges, cleaning under everything and most importantly: DE-CLUTTERING. I think clutter is the number one issue when it comes to selling a house. You need to store everything – and I mean everything – away. Investing in a temporary storage unit is well worth the investment. Think of it as early packing.
- Neutralize bold colors. Pink walls in the baby’s room. Dark red in the dining room. Hunter green in the living room. These color schemes are passé and will make the space seem smaller. Wallpaper in the hall? Unless it’s a bold graphic design, it needs to come down. And wallpaper borders… let’s not even go there.
- Let the house be shown – even if it’s inconvenient. Does the baby nap from 1-3 everyday? Do you have to come home from work to remove the loud dog? Too Bad. If you cancel a scheduled showing, there is exactly a 0% chance that your home will be sold to that buyer.
- Let there be light! Open the curtains all the way and turn on the overhead lights. Don’t expect the showing agent to do it. They’re too busy fumbling with keys and making sure there aren’t any escaping cats. First impressions are important. The buyers need to walk right into a bright, welcoming, clean space.
- Get rid of pet, food and cigarette odors. This may mean painting. I recommend air fresheners in citrus scents. This will convey feelings of a clean, well-cared-for home. Cookies and spices smell great too, but personally they make me think of grandma.
- Fix the deferred maintenance issues. Has Fido scratched up the backdoor? Is the grout in the tub turning black? Is the paint on the back splash stained? Fix it. Now.
- Make sure your agent is marketing with great photos. Fabulous photos are the key to bringing potential buyers from behind the computer and through the door. I personally employ a professional photography company on every single one of my listings. If your agent isn’t syndicating professional-quality imagery throughout the internet, then demand it.
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Great list that if followed gives the seller every opportunity to SELL their home. Only thing I would add…as a seller, do NOT be present when the buyer and their agent come to preview your home.
Every agent should print this list and include it in their listing package. I have seen some scary things that could be solved simply by following these instructions. While I agree that the home, price and seller have a huge impact on getting the home sold, many new sellers won’t know what to do to make the most of having their home listed. It is up to us, their agents, to guide them through that process. Love the site redesign Stephanie. Great job.
Thanks Rich! I’ve been working on it non-stop for about two weeks. It’s getting there…