Tips for Selling Success in Spring Market

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In the real estate market, “spring” usually comes early, with people eager to list their homes as soon as in January to beat the competition as the weeks get closer to March.  But if you missed this year’s after-winter opportunity, now’s the next best time to sell.  With so many new home shows popping up everywhere on TV, now more than ever, buyers are super savvy so to help you with your home selling endeavor this year we have put together a few tips to get those buyers rolling in.

Make Them Want To Come Inside

Nothing makes a buyer more interested in seeing the property than a gorgeous exterior.  Excellent curb appeal does not have to take a lot of time, effort or money but if you do not tend to this essential aspect of selling your home, you could end up losing a lot of potential buyers to the competition. 

Curb appeal is simply a matter of maintaining and sprucing up the exterior and entranceway of your home.  By cleaning up dirty siding, fixing up post-wintertime yard messes or fixing minor cracks and crevices in the driveway – buyers will be wooed by that inviting first impression.  Take the time to add some flowers, put out a warm welcome mat and give buyers an idea of what they can expect when they set foot inside.  Not tending to this can make all the difference in the number of offers you may or may not get on your listing.

Once They’re In, Show Off Your Space!

So often sellers are selling a home without realizing that potential buyers have different tastes than their own.  The single best way to bridge the divide between one aesthetic sense versus another is to keep things neutral, neat and nice.  If you have a bright orange room, a fresh coat of neutral paint may just be the thing needed to attract the right buyer.  If there are gorgeous walk-in closets in the home, remove most of the items in the closet so the buyer can visualize their own things in the space. 

Fix any things that need repairs, remove the clutter from your home, have it professionally cleaned and then dress it up so you can show it off to the next owner!  If there are any cracks in caulking or baseboards, work to get them fixed.  Clean up baseboards, remove cobwebs and fix up anything else that may need repairs.

Leave a Lasting Impression

As buyers leave your home and move on to view the next one on their list, it is important that they remember your home.  Imagine that your home will be showcased in a magazine.  How would you set things up? Would you rearrange your furniture?  Remove extra items that are too personal or clutter up the space too much.  By giving these things thought and planning how you will present your home, buyers (and agents) that see your home will likely remember it and come back to it after seeing other properties that did not quite meet their standards. 

Keep in mind a show-ready home is one that shows off all the features and amenities of the property. When they can see the full potential of the home, buyers are able to imagine living in the space and they are far more likely to put in an offer.

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If you are getting ready to sell once you have worked on its curb appeal and set up the home’s interior ready for showing – it is a good idea to invite your Realtor for a walk-through.  Years of experience selling (and buying) homes with clients give them the perfect insight needed.  Good luck!

Another Secret to Selling Your Home in this Market

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Nothing is more important to a buyer before buying a home than knowing that they are not walking into a money pit. For this reason, getting a home inspection before getting into escrow is essential for buyers, regardless of whether it is a requirement of their lender.

The process of home inspections is yet to require licenses in many states so the only thing you can do is to rely on other methods to make sure you get a good inspector on your side.  We spoke to the owner of a long-time home inspection company that has performed thousands of inspections to date to find out how one should go about finding the right one.  Here’s what he had to say:

How Does Someone Go About Finding a Good Home Inspector?

The best way to find a good inspector is to talk to your Realtor.  Most agents have a preferred vendors list and of course home inspections are something they deal with on an almost daily basis.   They may have worked with a choice few and can corroborate their performance and results with proven experiences.  In many states there is no license necessary to become a home inspector so going through word-of-mouth is even more important.

Another very effective way to search for a reputable instructor is to go through a national-level association such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).  In addition to member links and information they also have a search tool through which consumers can access a comprehensive directory of qualified, reputable home inspectors that are members of the society as well.  There are also state and local versions of these associations that you can access for more fine tuned searches if necessary. Many of these organizations provide certification after taking extensive testing and completing certification prerequisites. Professionals that have gone through this process are known as certified home inspectors and they are definitely measurably more qualified than many others that have completed first-level testing.

The more inspections performed allow more experienced inspectors to go through additional extensive certification testing and once completed they become master home inspectors – the best of the best and most qualified.

What Are Some of The Benefits of a Home Inspection?

Since a potential buyer can rely on one person to evaluate most of the home in one session, the field of home inspections is a specialized one where they go through every single part of the home.  Whether investigating the condition of the home’s foundation, roof, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, safety, heating/cooling, fireplaces, or so much more – the home inspector is trained to recognize problems in all areas. 

Contractors generally have a specialization in only one field, whereas home inspectors are training to view the entire home so if you know someone in a particular field it would still not make sense to forego the inspection and have that person review your home. 

One of the best aspects of having an inspection is that buyers can freely investigate all areas of the home, they can liberally ask questions during the process and get a good idea of what to expect further down the line if they were to purchase the property. Buyers get so much more out of it if present at the time of the inspection. 

From a Real Estate Perspective, How Do Inspections Help Consumers?

It is becoming more and more common now for inspections to take place ahead of time before the real estate transaction, so buyers can be ahead of the game before they get into escrow.  Also pre-buy inspections allow buyers to go back to the negotiation table and ask for seller credits for any issues that may be potentially substantial expenses. 

Sellers can also gain an edge and leverage when they have an inspection done ahead of time, with documentation to supplement their disclosure statement. At a time when buyers control the market it provides sellers with an advantage over the competition and it allows the process to go lot smoother, especially for older homes.

What Are Some Characteristics of a Good Inspector?

Look for an inspector that is able to find the problems, identify major issues, prioritize the essential ones, offer suggestions as to basic estimated costs for repair or renovation, and maybe even provide some leads for quality contractors to perform the work needed to be done.  They should also provide a comprehensive report that includes time frames and necessary fixes in order to bring the issues back to code or to repair problems.

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Further information about the typical items that are included in a home inspection plus things that require inspections through independent specialists is available here.