You’ve already been told to clean out your closets, eliminate the clutter and give the lawn a makeover, but did you know there are additional steps you can take to sell your home that have nothing to do with cleaning, remodeling or staging? While it’s important to provide potential buyers with a blank canvas of a home, you should also consider the following.
First, if you’re beginning to feel that your home has been sitting on the market for too long, it’s time to start actively soliciting some feedback. This will come from registered attendees of an open house or visitors who have viewed your home by appointment. More than likely, you’ll want your listing agent to act as the solicitor. Why? Because at least 25% of the feedback given will be personal assaults on your decorating tastes. Another 25% is likely to be purposeless shopper fantasy.
Also, don’t feel like you have to wait to start gathering feedback – this is something you can (and arguably should) start doing from the moment your property is listed.
Second – and you’ve heard this one before – know and analyze the competition. Being familiar with the nearby properties, to which you’re home is being compared, will help you decide what aspects of your property to play up and can ensure that you’ve settled on an appropriate asking price. Take note of how other properties are staged, how their list prices compare to yours and what about it is inviting or unappealing to you.
Finally, because you know that buying a home is often a stressful pursuit, do what you can to simplify things for your buyer. For instance, be flexible on your move-out date. Or, if you know that you’re dealing with a first-time buyer, alleviate some of their worries with a transferable home warranty that ensures they won’t have to worry about potential repairs after the sale. The warranty will cost a few hundred dollars, but is a strong appeal to buyers.
In all of these, remember that your Chicago real estate agent is your partner and, to a large degree, can handle these things for you. But don’t hesitate to be proactive in your home sale – your home and your time are both valuable and it’s worth going the extra mile to get a fair return on your investment.
