Selling

Home Selling

Selling Your Home Could Cost More Than You Think

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Selling Your Home Could Cost More Than You Think

Thinking about selling your home on your own? Here are a few things to consider when considering on selling alone or with an agent.

  1. Amount of Time

Depending on the market conditions, homes can be on the market for a few weeks to a few months before they sell. One thing to take into consideration is the amount of time needed to sell your home. There are many elements that happen before you sell your home. This includes the amount of time to:

  • Complete projects around the house
  • Research how to price your home competitively
  • Organize your marketing materials
  • Interact with buyer’s/buyer’s agents during the sale
  • Host open houses/showings (3 – 4 hours)
  • Negotiate terms of offers made
  • Set up closing

For many individuals working full time and for families busy with extracurricular activities around the clock, finding time to sell your home is often the largest challenge. Write down the amount of “free” time you have each week and compare that to the estimated amount of time needed to complete the steps above.

  1. Online Marketing

Many individuals who sell on their own post purchase a few yard signs to promote their sale. But is that really enough? Over 85% of home buyers start their search online and if you want to reach more than a few drives-bys, you will need an online marketing plan.

Digitally promoting your home is the direction most home sales are going. Many top agents have a unique listing package that includes virtual walk-throughs, custom home websites, social media promotion and optimized home listings on third-party sites.

Consider looking into digital marketing options like social media, Craigslist, Trulia, etc. when you’re listing your home online. Remember your online presence is one of the top ways to attract more buyers.

  1. Cost of Supplies

Outside of the amount of time needed to sell your home, there are also some costs up front that are often involved in selling your home.

  • Yard Signs – $150 – $200
  • Zillow, Trulia, Realtor Online Listing – $99/mo – $149/mo
  • Website/Online Lisiting – $250 – $350
  • Flyers/Promotional Hand-Out – $50 – $100

Total: Est. $675

  1. Knowledge of Real Estate Market

Each home is unique and on the same note, each home sale is unique as well. Because the process of selling a home is quite complex, it’s important to have an understanding before entering into a legal agreement. Real estate agents have an in-depth knowledge of the market, as well as their state requirements and laws. Certain laws are enacted to protect both the buyers and sellers during a transaction and failure to understand or comply with them may have costly repercussions down the road.

  1. Constant Communication with Buyer’s Agents

As the sole point of contact for your home sale, you can expect constant communication from buyer’s and buyer’s agents throughout the sale. This may consist of text messages, phone calls, emails, or in-person visits throughout all hours of the day. Although seemingly exciting to have interested buyers, the constant communication and negotiations often can be overwhelming and stressful.

Brought to you by:
Austin Solomon, Realtor | Coldwell Banker Action, Schofield, WI

Home Selling

5 Easy Ways To Make Your Home Look Worth More

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5 Easy Ways To Make Your Home Look Worth More

Put your best foot forward when selling your home. Here are a few helpful tips that may improve your home’s value before selling.

1. Temporarily remove outdated furniture

Although it may be important to you, at some point it becomes a distraction to your home. Temporarily removing your dated furniture can help rooms appear larger by simplifying the space. This can indirectly increase the perceived value of your home.

Hint: More is not better when it comes to furniture. Avoid overcrowding your room with too many furniture pieces or decor items, it can make the room feel smaller.

2. Update light fixtures

Old light fixtures can change the look of the spaces in your home. It’s important to updated outdated lights with vibrant bright lights that illuminate the space and create an ambiance that correlates with the color pallet and mood of each room.

3. Add some texture

Enhance your walls with narrow strips of molding called “picture framing”. This can give your walls a luxurious look and feel, while enhancing the rooms symmetry and perceived cleanliness.

4. Add a backsplash

Add a backsplash in your kitchen and bathrooms. Use that accent to tie in other accent items in the room, such as plant holders, decorative dishes, etc.

5. Amp up your entry

Spend some time enhance your walkway and exterior entrance to your home. This will dramatically increase your homes curb appeal.

As always, each home and selling situation is unique. Consult your Realtor to come up with the best plan for your needs and work together to prepare your home for selling. Have a question, contact Austin today!

Brought to you by:
Austin Solomon, Realtor | Coldwell Banker Action, Schofield, WI

Home Selling

Market your Home like a Real Estate Expert

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Market your Home like a Real Estate Expert

1. Stage Your Home

Staging displays your home in it’s best light. It’s important to highlight your home’s top features by eliminating common distractions that can lower the perceived value. Start by removing the clutter and boxing up personal items, leaving only clean and simple decorations. Next rearrange the furniture. Too much furniture makes a room look small, so temporarily move furniture into your basement or garage storage. Finally, deep clean your home from top to bottom for the best results.

2. Photograph your Home

Once your home is staged, capture about twenty professional photos highlighting the unique features of your home. It’s important to remember not all cameras or electronic devices produce the same quality of images. Remember, there are many aspects to consider when taking your photos including, lighting, color, and composition. Hiring a professional photographer can help you attain higher quality images, especially if you don’t have camera equipment or photography experience. If you decide to take photos on your own, take photos at different times of the day to capture optimal lighting.

3. Target your Online Audience

According to the National Association of Realtors, 90% of homebuyers start their search online. For this reason, it’s important your home is listed on the web. For optimal exposure, create a listing page on http://www.ForSaleByOwner.com. This relatively inexpensive approach will market your home to your online audience. If you’re looking to save money, create a free home listing on both Zillow and Craigslist. Use social media to share your home sale with friends and family. Make sure to include a link to your listing page and a few of your professional photos in your post so others can easily share and view more information about your home. You’ll be surprised how many people can be reached by one simple post.

4. Promote Curb Appeal

When buyers are interested in your home, they will likely drive by before making formal contact. For this reason, it’s vital to promote curb appeal. Keeping the yard clean and parking your clean car outside are two simple actions that go a long way. It’s also important to have a yard sign including a weatherproof box with promotional flyers at the end of your driveway. This is a great way to inform daily commuters about your home. Whether you’re selling your home now or later, keep these four simple steps in mind. You will drive more traffic to your home and increase your selling success. I wish you the best with your house sale and search. I enjoy hearing feedback from my readers. Please comment with your feedback or further questions.

Brought to you by:
Austin Solomon, Realtor | Coldwell Banker Action, Schofield, WI