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Are you thinking of listing your home or land for sale? Here are some helpful tips that will help you sell your home or land for the best price, in the least amount of time.
Find a great real estate agent - Interview several real estate agents. Go with an agent that you trust and feel comfortable working with. Look for an agent who will represent your best interest throughout the entire transaction. I once showed a tract of land that a fellow real estate agent had listed for sale. I called this agent and inquired about the age of the timber and what the creek looked like on the property. They're response was, "I don't know, I've never seen the timber or the creek." Every picture of the property was taken from the road while the agent was in their car. This was evident because the drivers side rearview mirror was in every photograph. The agent never bothered to get out of the vehicle to take photos. This tells me they never took the time walk the property and become familiar with what they were advertising for sale. Choose an agent who's not afraid to get out of the car or truck, get a little dirty, and work for you. A Realtree Land Pro is a good place to start.
Consider your curb appeal- It's true, as it turns out it is important to make a good first impression. Unfortunately, buyers do tend to judge a book by its cover. It's important to consider the curb appeal of your home or land. For houses is can be a simple as painting the front door a different color, or plant colorful flowers. For a tract of land it can be as simple as fixing the old fence that fronts the road, or take down the old fence altogether. Hang a new gate at the entrance and place a new chain and lock on the gate. Give the impression the property has been well taken care of and is secure.
Declutter your living area - Like the old adage says, "less is more." This is so true. Before listing your home for sale be sure to declutter. Pack up those items that are overcrowding your selves, closets and kitchen cabinets. Go ahead and be proactive and start packing up now. Once you've packed up your items be sure to store them off site. Don't just move these items to the garage or sunroom. That will only make matters worse. Go ahead and get them off site. Decluttering your land has the same affect. Clean up that junk pile lying around the barnyard. Organize that workshop and pack up those items that's not needed. You'll be glad you did.
Depersonalize your space- This is a tough one for most home owners. Take down those personal photos of you and your family. Take down that bold artwork. Create a blank canvas for potential buyers to see. You want them to envision their belongings in the house. Remember, the goal is to sell your home for the highest price in the least amount of time. Depersonalizing your space can help accomplish this goal.
Repaint walls to neutral colors- You may love that bright orange accent wall, but it's your potential buyer's least favorite color. Bright color walls can be a turn off with some buyers. Once again, your goal should be to create a blank canvas and repainting the walls with neutral colors is a great way to start.
Fix any loose handles- This seems like a small thing to consider, but you'd be surprised by the negative effect a loose handle or missing light bulb can have on a potential buyer. Anything you can do to make your home or land show better is worth your time. For a tract of land, consider placing culverts on ditch crossings or create a low water crossing for larger creeks crossings. These small updates could make the difference between a potential buyer choosing to purchase your home or land verses another.
Conduct a smell test- We all love our pets. They are great companions for us and our family. However, pets can leave an odor that is very hard to get out of carpet and furniture. It's important to bring in a third party individual who can conduct a smell test for you. This can be a friend or relative or anyone you know and trust to give you good advise. Remember, the time to conduct this smell test is before you put your home on the open market. If not, you run the risk of losing potential buyers.
Hide valuables- This tip is quiet often overlooked by sellers. Take the time to put away your valuables before allowing potential buyers to enter your home or property. Items like jewelry, guns, expensive equipment or any other items of value. Concerning land, put all that hunting gear up and out of sight. Those expensive tools in the camp, shop or barn should be put away as well. Don't make your home or land an easy target.
Add plants- This tip is simple and can really make a difference. Plants can create a very welcoming environment. Before all showings place a bouquet of flowers on the dining room table. Put a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter. This tip may help set your home apart from the others on the market.
Clean, clean, clean- Last but not least... clean you home before putting in on the open market. This is a very important step but is often overlooked by sellers. When you have finished cleaning your entire house... clean it again! This simple process has the potential to make the biggest and best impression on potential buyers.