Happy New Year! Is this the year? Are you excited to put your house on the market? Whether you’re selling your dream home to downsize, swapping a starter home for a family home, or making a lateral move to get into the GREAT Greenwich neighborhood you’ve always wanted to be in, I’d like to be the realtor to help you sell your house fast in 2019.
Here are five steps we need to take together. Of course, each of these breaks down into multiple steps – and I can help you map it out. Read on…
- Plan – Selling a house takes planning on your part and planning on my part too. The sooner you link up with a knowledgeable and trustworthy realtor, the better support you’ll have to identify and complete the necessary tasks. You’ll need to find the right lawyer, home inspector, mover and maybe even a home stager (more on this in future articles). You’ll need to understand what goes into setting a realistic “sell-by” date. There’s more than a few things to sort out, but we’ll do it together to make it as easy as possible.
- Repair/Replace/Upgrade – I can’t help you unless you can trust me. And that’s not going to be easy when on our second or third “date” I’m going to come into your home and critique it from top to bottom. I’ll assess all the unique and wonderfully special aspects of your house; but I’ll also give you constructive feedback on the work that needs to be done to make your home sell. Are you dying to replace that kitchen countertop as well as the pasta pot dented sink? Nope. But it’s my job to let you know that a beautiful stone counter with a new stainless steel or ceramic sink will help your house to sell in weeks instead of months. A moderate kitchen upgrade is one of the best tweaks you can make that speaks directly to potential buyers. It says: “We’ll be hanging out in here with wine and cheese.” I’ll point out simple fixes too – a new coat of paint on the front door is magic! Replace the outdated lamp shades on your sconces and see a dramatic light change. I’ve seen hundreds of small and large improvements ranging in price from $10 – $10,000 and I’m going to share all of the tips and tricks I’ve learned.
- On-Point Price Point – Because I’ve been a full-time realtor and broker for 15 years and have toured and sold hundreds of homes, I know what people are looking for and what they’re willing to pay to get it. I know the market, the economy, and Greenwich. Your home is unique and PERFECT for the right person. It’s my job to find that person. I do an in-depth market analysis that takes all of this into consideration and then give you recommended
- Clean and De-Clutter – Once you’ve repaired and replaced, it’s deep cleaning time. Do it yourself? Sure, if that’s the kind of thing that makes you jump out of bed with joy. Otherwise, hire someone to do a deep cleaning (Need recommendations? Just let me know). Then you need to keep it clean while it’s on the market. This is another point where trust will be important and why you should choose carefully when you select a realtor. Because it’s going to be my job to point out any problem areas in your home that relate to cleanliness and clutter. Yes, there is a funky smell in the downstairs carpet. No, you can’t leave your collection of 74 antique tea cups and saucers on display in the kitchen while we show your home. I don’t love this part, but I’ve said this before in a previous article – you may not always like what I have to say, but I’ll always be honest with you especially when it can impact our combined goal of selling your home for the best price.
- Stage it – When we open that front door for the very first prospective buyers, your house needs to scream THIS IS YOUR DREAM HOME. The last 15 years of reality television have made many of us aware of “staging.” Staging is a blossoming industry with national accreditation programs and partnerships with high-end furniture lines for experienced stagers. Staging is an added expense, but stagers remove (some or all) of your own furniture and décor and bring in items to create an atmosphere that has been shown to reduce the time required to sell a house by as much as 50 percent. It’s an added expense, but depending on the state of your interior design can be worth every penny spent. There are certain tricks to this – great lighting, ample space, clean windows. I’ll work with you on this, and can recommend excellent staging companies in our area.
Get a jump on this list. Let’s talk ASAP if you want to put your house on the market now or in the spring. Let’s start off 2019 off with a bang!
