There are a few things that can really impact how your home performs once it hits the market, and a little preparation beforehand can go a LONG way. We’re going to cover pricing, timing, and presentation so you never have to worry about what goes into a great listing. Keep reading to find out exactly what I tell my sellers before the home ever hits the market.
Pricing your home with no data to back it up
Let’s start with one of the biggest parts of selling your home: pricing it correctly. I know this can be a hard one because you have a personal connection to your home. You’ve made memories there, you’ve put time and money into it, and naturally, you want to get as much as you can when it’s time to sell. But sometimes that personal connection can make it a little harder to look at your home objectively.
I also see sellers get their idea of value from neighbors, friends, or someone who recently sold a house nearby. While it’s always good to hear what is happening around you, your neighbor may not have all the information that goes into determining what your home is actually worth in today’s market. A real estate professional is going to look at things like:
- Recent comparable sales
- The current competition
- Your home’s condition
- Updates
- Location
- What buyers are actually willing to pay right now
And this is especially important when you’re comparing your home to other houses that have recently sold. If another home down the street had a completely updated kitchen, new bathrooms, fresh flooring, and other renovations, you can’t necessarily expect your home to bring the same price if it hasn’t had those updates. Buyers are going to notice those differences!
Listing your home high so buyers can negotiate
Another pricing mistake I see is listing a home higher than its market value because the seller wants to “leave room to negotiate.” I completely understand the thought behind this. You want to have some room to come down if a buyer makes an offer, but starting too high can actually hurt you more than help you.
When a home sits on the market for a long time, buyers start to wonder why. They may start thinking something is wrong with the property or wonder why no one else has bought it. Then, instead of getting excited about your home, they may start looking at it as a house that has been sitting around for too long.
Pricing competitively from the beginning can help create interest while your listing is fresh and give you a much better chance of getting serious buyers through the door.
Listing during a slow season
Another thing sellers need to keep in mind is the time of year they are putting their home on the market. Real estate has natural seasonal cycles, and buyer activity can change throughout the year. That doesn’t mean there is necessarily a “bad” time to sell, but it does mean your marketing strategy may need to change depending on what is happening in the market.
Take the beginning of August, for example. Back-to-school season can naturally slow things down a little bit. Families are getting kids ready for school, summer schedules are changing, sports and activities are starting back up, and suddenly everyone is wondering where the summer went! With everything going on, some buyers may not be spending quite as much time looking at homes as they were earlier in the summer or spring.
Read more about the spring market and why it is such a popular season for the real estate market on our blog → https://gailhardy.com/home-buying-tips/why-spring-is-the-best/
Low-quality photos and marketing
Okay, we HAVE to talk about this one because your home’s first showing is often happening online. Before a buyer ever walks through your front door, they are looking at your listing photos, watching your video, reading the description, and deciding whether or not they want to schedule a showing. That means professional photography and video are not something I would skip.
Think about the way you shop for pretty much anything online. You see the pictures first, and those pictures can make you want to learn more or make you scroll right past. Buyers are doing the same thing with homes! If your listing doesn’t look good online, you could be missing out on buyers before they ever have a chance to see how great the home actually is in person.
Not organizing your photos in the listing
And it’s not just about having professional photos. The way those photos are organized matters too. You want the listing to have a logical flow so that buyers can look through the photos and feel like they are walking through the house. Showing the rooms in an order that makes sense can help buyers understand the layout and get a better feel for how the home is connected.
Clear room labeling is important as well. Buyers should be able to easily tell if they are looking at a bedroom, office, bonus room, bathroom, or another space. The goal is to make the online experience as easy as possible and give buyers a reason to want to see the home in person.
Here’s What To Do
If you’re thinking about selling your home, the best thing you can do is start preparing before you ever put that sign in the yard.
1. Take some time to really look at your home
Understand what similar properties are selling for, and talk with a real estate professional about how your home compares to the competition.
2. Think about timing and what is happening in the market when you’re planning to list
While you can’t always control the season you need to sell in, you can control how you approach it. Having a marketing plan that takes buyer activity and seasonal changes into consideration can help set your home up for success.
3. Don’t underestimate the importance of presentation
Professional photography, video, a logical flow of photos, and clear descriptions can make a HUGE difference when buyers are deciding which homes they want to see.
Selling your home is a big decision, and there are a lot of little things that go into making sure you’re putting yourself in the best position possible. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own, though! If you’re thinking about selling and aren’t sure where to start, reach out. I’d love to help you come up with a plan for your home and make sure you’re ready before that FOR SALE sign goes in the yard!
