Selling Your House for the Highest Amount
Posted by Super Admin on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 11:17am.
How can I know if my Fairfax agent is doing the right things to sell my house? Well, every agent is different in what they emphasize is important in showcasing a house effectively. This will serve to be my humble opinion on the subject, but it is an opinion that has served me and my clients very well. First, please don’t make the mistake so many sellers make in simply getting the most popular real estate agent that sells the most homes in your area. Without spending too much time on this subject, ask around for opinions on agents that return calls, give weekly reports on feedback and showings, and at least semi-weekly reports on the status of the market and how your home’s comps are doing. In Fairfax, referrals are the most accurate assessment of who you should hire. Okay, with that out of the way, what are the simple things you must do to separate yourself from your neighbor’s home that is on the market that is a direct comparable to yours? These things aren’t mind blowing, but you’d be amazed at how sellers and listing agents don’t do these simple things. First, first impressions in real estate are enormous, and the first impression for Fairfax homes, or Arlington, VA homes for sale, or any home in America is curb appeal. When you buy a home, you know as well as I do that what a house looks like when you drive up makes you excited to see the inside or excited to see the next house on the list. Spend a little money trimming the bushes AND trees if they’re blocking the front of the home. Spend more money if paint is needed. Mulch for goodness sake. These things will pay for themselves in a higher offer every time. Spend a little money, or find an agent like me that will pay for a professional stager to tell sellers exactly what each room should look like. This includes furniture placement, wall color, rug angles, wall hangings, clutter removal, etc. For the interior this alone has netted my Fairfax sellers much more that they would have received had they not staged the inside. And remember, staging doesn’t mean the sellers can’t continue to live there. Next, market unique facts about the house you know other sellers aren’t doing. For example, if you’ve just installed a new furnace, or windows, or a tankless water heater, or have efficiency appliances, not only would I market those facts but I’d leave copies of the most recent power/gas bills indicating why the expenses are lower than the competition. If you have a 35-year shingles on the roof, highlight that feature. Not even inspectors can always tell the difference. Put prospective buyers at ease by explaining the maintenance and upgrades done to the house. When I sell Fairfax homes or any home in Great Falls, McLean, Vienna, Reston, Chantilly or Centreville, I incorporate all of these tools to maximize offers to my sellers.
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