Earlier this year, we found our dream home. We had to jump – quick. Like real quick. Like so quick we weren’t anywhere near ready to list the home we had lived in for nearly 10 years. But such is the market, so we did it and in June we closed on our new home. Holy Double Mortgage Payments, now what do we do?! Well, I took the exact advice I give my clients:
- Fix what you know is wrong. A poorly hung light from a DIY project – fixed it. Leaky spigot – fixed it. Mismatched switch plates – fixed them. Mismatched lightbulbs in the same fixtures – change them. Many times these little things can be done in an afternoon for little money – or if you’re more comfortable with a handyman these types of fixes are normally quite inexpensive.
- Neutral paint. We had neutral paint in all but two rooms. But they were all different neutrals – light gray in the family room and kitchen, beige in the living room, light blue in two bathrooms, lightgreen in another bathroom.It needed to be the same and it needed to be freshened up. One of the biggest impacts you can make on a home is fresh paint. So we did it – closets, pantries, laundry room, ceilings, trim. It looked amazing
- Service the HVAC. Even though this is something that needs to be done twice a year, doing it just prior to listing gives you an opportunity to make sure everything is clean, and operating properly. It also sends a message to buyers that we cared for the major components in our home, and helped ensure a smooth inspection
- Hire a professional to clean your home. Here’s the thing – when we clean, we generally all clean the same way most of the time: Vacuum, mop, dust, bathrooms – yada yada yada. A professional will come in and clean with a critical eye: Ceiling fan blades, cold air return vents, baseboards, lightbulbs, windows, flooring. A bonus is that once you have it done professionally it’s easier to keep up with
- Price it correctly. We didn’t price it high. We didn’t price it so people could talk us down. We didn’t underprice it. We priced it right.
The last thing we want to do is give Buyers a reason to lowball, or even worse, think of reasons you don’t deserve the money you’re asking for and don’t make an offer at all. By making repairs, staging, and pricing correctly from the start, you’re removing objections and sending a message to Buyers that you’re serious and want serious offers
Our results:It was stressful, and daunting but…. more than twenty showings scheduled in the first three days, three offers in the first 24 hours, closed in three weeks and no double mortgage payments. I do dish it out, but I took it, and it was totally worth it.
By Angie Garard, talktotucker.com/angie.garard
