Are You Really Ready to Sell Your Home?

Although we are all aware of the current market low that has been encompassing our real estate business for the last few years; there are still an abundance of people looking to sell their current home.  With interest rates at an all time low, many people are able to get into their "dream home" at a reasonable payment.  This coupled with several other factors has created a surplus of housing available on the market for potential buyers.

Now we all know that this is a buyer's market (or we should know).  It at times still baffles me the amount of sellers that are unaware of this fact.  We are aware that a home is a very emotional purchase and an emotional experience as it holds our families, our hopes, our dreams, our lives.  However, we need to reset our thinking when it comes time to sell: a home is an investment. 

With any investment, we want to make sure it retains as much value as possible so when the time comes to resell we are able to reap the largest financial gain at time of close.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Clean, clean, clean!  Give your house the super treatment and clean everything!  Steam clean the carpets, mop the floors, clean the windows, clean the inside and outside of appliances, and freshen up your bathrooms.  It is a beauty contest right now and believe me if your house is dirty buyers will notice.
• De-clutter.  It is time to be a minimalist.  Buyers like to imagine large amounts of wide open space for their belongings, not yours.  A few areas to look out for: kitchen counters, excess and overcrowded furniture, kid's toys, closets, and garages.  If you have excess items box them up and store them in the attic or a storage center until the house sells.
• Patch those Holes.  Take the time to patch old holes from previous artwork, shelves or other decor.  Buyers want a home move-in ready and the less you show them they need to do the better.
• Keep it Neutral. When it comes to paint, neutral colors are the best. If you have more dramatic or creative taste, it would be a good idea to paint over those bright walls with a neutral tan or beige color.
• Landscaping. Give the bushes a pruning, trim the hedges and weed the planting beds. Some colorful flowers will also help your home show nicely.
• Exterior maintenance.  Take a quick walk around the outside of your home and keep an eye out for the following: trim that needs repainting, driveway and patio cracks, decks that need staining, exterior light fixtures that may need to be replaced, and any other visually noticeable items.

If you do the work ahead of time, when your home does go to market, it will generate a lot more interest and therefore generate a lot more offers.

Indianapolis Real Estate