How to get your house ready to sell for the spring real estate market

If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, there's a chance that you might be starting to see a turn in the weather from those dreary, wintry days to some sunny skies and more bearable temperatures. 

If you are a homeowner who is thinking about more than spring cleaning this season and trying to prepare your house for market, I have a few tips to share. Connect2Agent members Jean Roberts of Marietta, Georgia, and Kathie Anderson of Libertyville, Illinois, share their recipe for a successful spring real estate listing.

Price to sell

If you are a real estate seller, you need to price your house to sell on the open market. You want to make sure you receive a good comparative market analysis from your real estate agent that will show you what has recently sold in your immediate area--and for what price--that is comparable to your house. You also need to know what prices your direct competition's homes are listed for. 

Anderson recommends selling at the mid-to-low range of what the comparative market analysis recommends as a fair price value. She uses a comparison of the fast checkout lane at the grocery store versus the regular checkout. When you are selling a house, you want the time on market from list to sale to be short. You want to take the fast checkout lane, not the slower lane.

Anderson speaks from personal experience. She recently sold her house after having lived in it for 24 years. She listed it in the mid-price range of what her market analysis indicated. Her house sold within 90 days and only 12 showings, and this was in a slower winter market.

Stage your house

You want your house to look in its best condition every day and be in tip-top, model shape. According to Roberts, the property's appearance should border on being new. Make sure there is no clutter. Box and store furniture, knick-knacks and personal property that make the house appear unorganized. Keep extra magazines, books and papers tucked away.

Make sure the house is in good repair. If there are any structural or mechanical problems with the property, have those fixed before you list. Paint you entryway. Power wash driveways, walkways and the exterior of your house to get rid of dirt and mildew.

Listen to your real estate agent

Your real estate agent is someone you should rely on to best represent your real estate needs. If you have done your due diligence and chosen an agent after careful consideration, screening and interviewing, you should be comfortable with your selection and your agent's professional opinion. Keep the conversation open and make sure to listen to your real estate agent about the price of your house. Continue to have price conversations with your real estate agent until your house has an accepted offer. 

Be flexible with house showings. The buyer who wants to see your house today could be the buyer who makes an offer on your home. Eliminating opportunities, especially in a market where there is high inventory, could result in your house sitting on the market for a longer period of time.

If you liked this blog post, you might want to read:

• Communicate with your agent about house showings
• How to choose an appraiser to value your house
• Five ways to partner with your real estate agent to sell your house quickly (Part I)

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Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

Comments

[Jacksonville FL Real Estate]

"Listen to your real estate agent" is definitely one of the keys to getting your home sold. Don't rely on the real estate values given by an automatic valuation website. Your realtor will not only look at what has sold but what you are competing against in the market.

I would add put your home on a lockbox and leave for showings. This allows for easy access for the buyer to see your home and for them to be able to take "ownership" when you are not there.

My post on Getting the Highest Price for Your Home (http://www.frankelrealtygroup.com/blog/carey-frankel/simple-steps-to-get-the-highest-price-for-your-home/show/) details reasons why you need to be priced and staged correctly.