Geoff Thomas

In today's market, it is more and more difficult for any home seller to get the price they want for their home. Housing markets are squeezed and it is a buyers market right now. For you to sell your home for the price you are asking for there are a number of things that you can keep in mind. If you keep these thoughts at the forefront while you are selling, you have a better chance of selling it quickly and for a fair price.

Fair Price
Today's market is not the same market it was five years ago. What your house was worth then is certainly not what it is worth today. Unfortunately almost every house has depreciated in value over the past few years. Although you would like to sell your house at those higher valuations, the fact is, you need to put your house on the market at today's values. One of the primary reason sellers are not selling their homes is their refusal to offer them at market prices. If you don't, someone else will and their house will sell while yours sits.

You can find out fair market prices by getting your home appraised. In addition, reviewing the recent sales in your area is a great way to understand what houses in your area are selling for. You should keep in mind, that unless your home has something very different from those surrounding you, recent sales are the best indicator of what you might get for your own home.


Curb Appeal
It’s true. First impressions last. So grab that can of paint, the lawn mower and trimmer and spruce up that yard. Paint the chipped garage door, trim that low hanging tree branch and weed the garden out front. You want people to look at the outside of your home and see themselves sitting on the front porch. No one will want to see themselves spending months getting the yard in order when hundreds of other sellers have done their work and are ready to sell.

Not only do you want to spruce up the outside but you want to remove all clutter. You don't want broken down cars parked in front or bikes lying on the grass. You want an unobstructed view of the home, one that focuses on the entryway to the house. Think about a door decoration and welcome mats. These simple things make the home more welcoming.

Clutter Free Zone
If you are selling your home while you are still living there, you must "bus" your home every day. Pack up and put away all non-e3ssentials. You do not want the home to look cluttered. Take down family photos; you want people to vision the home as theirs and with your pictures up, you take away from that vision. Clean up your dishes every day. Make the beds every day. Vacuum and dust, again, every day.

Take down nick knacks that collect dust. First off buyers don't need to see all that "stuff" and second it just makes more work for you. Keep as little furniture in the rooms as you can while still making the rooms look usable. If you have a room that you have stuffed with too much furniture, clear some of it out. You want your rooms to look big and too much stuff makes them look small.

Bathrooms are King
Nice, fresh and clean smelling bathrooms are very important. Spend time in them and clean, scrub and decorate them so they look as "hotel ready" as you can make it. Clean, pressed bath towels, flower arrangements or potpourri are all great for these rooms.

And by all means, clean the shower regularly. Nothing that doesn't belong there should be there. The toilets should be scrubbed down regularly and sparkling.

Showing the House
You will want to be convenient for anyone who wants to see your home. This means letting realtors come to your home at their convenience, not yours. This is often difficult to manage with the busy schedules we all have but make an effort. House sold by "appointment only" are cutting out half their traffic. Most people will move on to the next house without even trying to set an appointment.

Talk to your realtor about the success of open houses. In some areas they work very well and are an easy way to get more people to see your home and in other cases they don't, so use this as a tool to sell your home only if your realtor suggests it.

If you follow these simple thoughts and tips, you might have more success in selling your home.