Sell Your Home; Keep Your Head

Some sellers think they can save money by not hiring a realtor, but April’s story helps illustrate how useful professional help can be. A good realtor will know how to price your home and ensure you don’t get stuck in sales limbo. A great realtor will help with cleaning and provide emotional support.

Home Selling Success

Regardless of whether you hire an agent or not, attracting buyers is the fundamental piece of the home-selling puzzle. Placing ads in local real estate publications, home listings and newspapers, raising alluring signs on your property and printing fliers are just a few traditional ways to spread the word. Many shoppers are also heading online to look for homes. According to a National Association of Realtors poll more than 80% of U.S. homebuyers looked on the internet and about a quarter of them bought what they first viewed online. Providing clear, pro-worthy photos is crucial to home selling success.

All of the work that goes into preparing a home and saying goodbye is wasted though, if the home doesn’t sell. Unfortunately, some owners meet this fate. What’s the biggest reason? Overpricing. The urge to list high isn’t uncommon. A home means a lot, but it’s important to maintain objectivity.

Michelle Gaudette, a 48-year old library assistant from South Hadley, MA, learned the market will make up for a low first bid with multiple offers. After modifying her kitchen wood furnace, the house sold for $188,000 during early winter, modest by big city standards, but strong for Michelle’s area. “We priced right and got just what we wanted,” she says.

Michelle’s home sold in just over a month, but if your home takes longer, don’t worry! In some neighborhoods, it’s not uncommon to take a year to sell. However, if you notice other properties selling in the area, you should be curious. You may want to find a new realtor (and if you don’t have one yet, consult one). Think about dropping the price or hiring a professional stager. Sometimes the best strategy is to take the home off the market and wait it out. Whether it takes a month or a year, patience and pragmatism will lead to home selling success!