6 SIMPLE TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOUSE FAST…THAT NO ONE DOES.

Take the time to prepare your house for a quicker (and more lucrative) sale. It is SO worth it.

Homes that are well maintained, decluttered, clean (and priced appropriately) at the start sell FASTER and often for more money.

Follow these steps and you’ll be WAY ahead of the competition around here. Trust me, we have shown a LOT of houses in the Chicago 'burbs.

Most buyers cannot imagine a room any other way than it currently is. Re-arrange or move your furniture around to show off the home’s features.

1. DECLUTTER It will be well worth your time to move any extra items into storage while the home is being viewed (you are going to be packing anyway, you might as well get started early).

2. PAINT If you have any brightly colored walls or wall paper, you should consider re-painting to a light, neutral color that makes your room look larger and appeals to a broader audience. Buyers love a house that looks “Move In Ready.”

3. FRONT DOOR and CURB APPEAL The front of your home will attract drive-by attention especially when that FOR SALE sign goes up in the yard. So make it look good! Tidy up the bushes. Or tear out those overgrown bushes completely if they obstruct the view of the home. I see this issue ALL the time. People want to SEE what they are buying.

And consider that the buyer’s real estate agent will be standing at the front door getting the key out of the lock box while the potential home buyers are standing around, so you might consider painting the front door a fresh color and adding some flower pots near the doorway for a great first impression.

4. FIX AND CLEAN Walk through each room of your house and think about what little things you’ve been living with that could be improved:

Fill nail holes, finish trim work, replace cracked tile, replace old caulk, leaky faucets… basically anything that the buyers would want to or need to do when they moved in would be worth doing now.

And clean EVERYTHING. Get rid of limescale build up, clean baseboards, walls, cabinets dust, and it’s especially important to get rid of ODORS (pet, food and smoke odors are huge turn offs), and make that place sparkle (or hire someone that can…it will be worth every penny!)

5. UPDATES This will depend on the situation but we help our clients decide if it’s in their best interest to consider updating the roof, the kitchen, bathrooms etc.

Sometimes it’s worth it. Sometimes it’s not. That’s what a good agent can help you decide.

6. PICK THE RIGHT AGENT A Real Estate Professional can be a HUGE asset if you use the right one. Just like any profession, they are not all the same.

Choose someone that is knowledgeable about your specific market, regularly monitors new listings and sales in your area. Someone that will tell you the truth…even if you don’t want to hear it. Someone that is tech-savy and can reach a broader audience than your yard sign. Someone that you trust to negotiate on your behalf.

If you are local (Chicago area) and would like to set up a consult to discuss your home, please visit our FULL SERVICE SELLING PROCESS page and get in touch. We can also refer you to a trusted real estate agent anywhere in the US through our network, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thanks,

Dave and Kelly