Five Tips to Selling Your Home in 2012

Watch on your mobile device >>

It's 2012, and the new year is starting off great.  We added seven new listings this week, so we are focused on getting those homes sold for our sellers.  That reminded me to create this video and write this post to give you some real-world tips on getting your home sold this year.

Number one, make sure that you list early in the year.  There is no question that the competition will increase as you get closer to spring and summer.  Not only that, foreclosures and short sales will also go up during that time as banks begin to list them on the market.

For some reason, home sellers think that spring and summer is the best time to list their properties on the market.  In reality, there is more competition during that time.  Buyers have much more to choose from, and your house can get lost in the shuffle.  Instead, list early so that you are targeting the realistic segment of the buyers market.  People who are out shopping for a home during the winter months need to move.  They are much more motivated to find a property and are willing to negotiate with you.

Next, make sure that you or your agent market your home aggressively.  Simply sticking a sign in the yard and running it in the newspaper is not enough to get homes sold these days.  Remember that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, so you have to be the squeaky wheel in the real estate marketplace.  Innovative marketing strategies are the only way to get a home sold quickly and for top dollar in 2012.

Third, make sure that you and your agent review your showing activity on a regular basis.  If you have no showings, that should tell you something.  That means that something in your marketing plan needs to be adjusted.  The same can be said for getting a lot of showings and no offers.  You have to adjust your marketing program and plan of action on a regular basis.

Fourth, don't get offended.  Some buyers are going to place lowball offers.  Some people think that they must do that in order to negotiate a real estate deal.  Remember that you can always counter offer.  Any offers equal activity.  Activity will eventually lead to a sold home.

Finally, think of selling your home as a financial decision and not an emotional one.  So many home sellers make the mistake of getting emotionally involved in the transaction.  They get offended over offers, buyer feedback and a multitude of other parts of the transaction process.  You have to think of selling your home as a financial decision and nothing more.  Remember, you want to sell the home to someone else so you have to let go of the emotions associated with it as much as possible.

As always, let us know how we can help you with any real estate question or transaction.  We welcome your referrals and look forward to speaking with you soon.