sonjaadams

Inventory is low right now in Loudoun County and our spring market is upon us.  If you are thinking of selling your home, here are some tips for you to attract more buyers and generate interest.

Focus on the Curb Appeal – The first thing people see when driving to your house or in the photos is going to be your yard and front of the home.  Make it stand out.  Rake the leaves, edge the lawn, weed the garden, trim the bushes and trees and put out fresh mulch.  If the house needs a facelift, think about painting or power washing, repairing any wood trim and making sure the windows and doors sparkle.  Fresh flowers at the door or in the beds creates a welcoming feeling as well.

Spring Clean and De-Clutter – Now is the time to get your clutter out of the house.  Your home should look spacious, simple and crisp.  You can accomplish this by removing all the knick knacks and clutter, putting a fresh coat or two of paint on the walls and cleaning the windows and floors.  A good idea is to start packing.  Yes, start packing!  Put your things in boxes before your house is on the market and you will accomplish two things – you will have gotten a head start on packing for your move and you will have less things out and visible.   Your potential buyer needs to be able to see your home and envision themselves living there.

Deep Clean Your Home – Really deep clean your home.  Wash the windows, clean out the vents, clean the closets and cabinets.  People will open your closets and your kitchen cabinets and your fridge.  Make the entire house sparkle.  The other part of this is that your house should smell good.  You’d be surprised at the number of buyers who are turned off by smells in the house.  If you have pets and especially cats, make sure you can’t smell a trace of them.  Invite a friend over to do a smell check if you can’t smell it yourself.  Open the house up and airing it out will sometimes help the smells.

Fix Things – Nothing is worse to a buyer then seeing a bunch of little things that they need to do.  Eliminate that and fix that pesky cabinet door or replace that board on the deck.  Everything that needs to work should be working.  Check that your electrical is up to code or that any loose wires are addressed. I can’t tell you how many inspections come up with electrical issues which are a concern to buyers because of safety reasons.  Fix that leaky faucet too. You may want to consider a pre-home inspection to check for potential things that the buyer may want fixed.

Create a Plan for your Pets – Many of us have pets at home.  It’s a good idea to know where your pet is going to be before you sell your home.  And its a good idea if you have dogs that they are not at home when buyers come to view the property.  Decide early about how much notice you need to remove your pet or where your pet will be during showings.

Interview Agents and Research your Market – Start interviewing agents early and review the comparable listings they provide.  These agents should be able to give you some good advice on what you need to do to sell your home and what the value is.  Look at your agents marketing plan and find out what they will be doing for you in the process of selling your home.  A good agent is key in getting your home sold and helping you through the negotiation process.

Consider a Stager – Staging your home can be a huge deal in assisting the selling process.  A professional stager can really make your home look appealing.  Its worth it to have someone come in and help you put the final touches on your home.

These are just some of the tips to help you sell your home.  Your real estate agent can assist you in giving advice on what else you may need to do.

We are starting the spring market now.  If you haven’t started getting your home ready, now is the time to do it.  Buyers are coming out and starting to look now that winter is over.  Don’t miss your opportunity!