The Okanagan real estate market is buzzing, and if you are looking to sell your house, you could slap up a ‘for sale’ sign outside, and it will sell by the weekend.
If only it were that easy. Unfortunately, this will likely take more effort than that. But it will be worth it once you finally put the ‘sold’ sign out front. There are a few things you should do before listing your home that can help to get it sold that much sooner.
Curb appeal
You only get one chance to make a first impression, so you best make it a good one. The exterior of your house is the first thing potential buyers see, both in person and in a listing. If the grass is overgrown, the shingles are all lifting off the roof, window boxes are hanging on by a prayer, and the screen door will barely close, you’re probably not going to have a bidding war on your hands. If it looks terrible on the outside, potential buyers may not even want to go inside.
Take the time to keep the grass at a reasonable height, weed any garden beds, do some pruning on the trees and shrubs, and ensure it looks like the home has been taken care of. You don’t want it to look like it hasn’t been cared for because if a homeowner can’t keep up the exterior, chances are they didn’t bother maintaining the interior either.
Declutter
Once the exterior is all good, it’s time to tackle the interior. Unless you’re a hardcore minimalist, odds are you have a lot of stuff in your house. And that’s fine; personal items make your house feel like home, but when you’re trying to sell, you want buyers to picture their future home, not your current one.
Start decluttering where you can; closets should be half full, and the drawers should also be purged. People like to open doors and drawers while viewing a home and don’t want to see all the stuff accumulated in your junk drawer. Empty the closets by about 50% so people can see how much space they have.
Do quick repairs
Spending ten grand to do a complete bathroom renovation won’t encourage someone to buy your house, but making sure the caulking around the tub’s edge is redone might. And the caulking is far cheaper.
Minor repairs that are cost-effective for you because that means that a potential buyer won’t have to do them, making them more likely to want to buy the house. So look at fixing any stuck drawers, tightening hinges, and changing any light bulbs that need it.
Price to sell
As much as we would all love to make back double what we paid for our homes, you might not make that much. One needs to be realistic when setting a price for a house, so make sure you understand how much your home is worth and how much similar homes are going for in the current market. Looking at comparables will help you determine what the best price to list is.
If you set the price too high, you may scare buyers off or have to go through the back and forth of negotiating if a buyer wants your house but not for the list price.
Also, consider listing an even number; when perusing listings, people usually search for a specific maximum price, so if you list for $403,000, the people looking at $400K homes won’t even see yours.
Find the right real estate agent
The best way to make selling your home an absolute breeze is finding the right real estate agent, and we at the Mayne Brothers are ready to step up to the plate. With an abundance of experience in the Okanagan, we can guide you on the right path to getting your home sold promptly. Call 250-860-0303 today, and let’s get started!
