Habits All Successful Home Sellers Have in Common
Everyone has personal habits. Only some of them are good though! Similarly, when it comes to your home, there are good practices that pay off in the long run. This is especially true when it comes to selling your home. When you maintain your home well, there is no need for a sudden rush to fix things up at the last minute.
Besides, your home, like your car, requires periodic care. When you pay regular attention, you nip problems in the bud. This means that you don’t allow little irritants to become problems. And, you do not face huge bills when you want to patch up your home before selling it. After all, a homeowner is expected to spend between 1% to 4% of the home’s value every year on repairs and maintenance.
Read on to discover the good habits required to be a successful home seller in the future.
1. They Tidy Up Daily
Keeping your home neat and tidy is easy when you clean up regularly. It’s just like that pile of dirty dishes. If you tackle them when the pile is small, it won’t need a big effort. But if you let the pile grow, it’ll become a mammoth task, and you’ll then be tempted to postpone it, making the task even harder.
When you tidy up every day, you lower the chance of that bit of grime becoming a tough stain. You reduce the need for a major paint or polishing job. And you can push the replacement or reupholstery of the furniture to later.
One habit successful home sellers have in common is keeping their outdoor spaces tidy and inviting, as curb appeal makes a powerful first impression on buyers. Simple tools like cordless leaf blowers make this task easier and more efficient, helping sellers quickly clear leaves, debris, and dirt from driveways, patios, and walkways without the hassle of cords or extension leads.
Tidying up daily is especially important when your home is on the market. Your home should be show-ready all the time, all set for a sudden buyer visit. Then, you won’t have to rush the cleaning and do a shoddy job in the process.
2. They Deep-Clean Weekly
If you want your home to be always ready to be displayed, you can’t afford just an annual spring clean-up. A weekly deep-clean is necessary. But, it needn’t be as arduous a task as you’d imagine. Don’t try to blitz the entire house in one go. Instead, pick the area that needs immediate attention and fix it. Next week, pick another part of your house to deep clean. Clearing and cleaning closets, as well as cabinets, is especially important, as it then appears more spacious.
Vinegar and baking soda are two friends to take along when you’re in deep-clean mode. The areas to focus on are:
- Bathtub, grout, and bathroom fixtures
- Shower curtains
- Kitchen cabinets
- Fridge
- Oven & stovetop
- Dishwasher & microwave
- Kitchen countertops & sink
- Linens like dust ruffle, duvet, and shams
- Wiping down furniture
- Vacuuming upholstery & carpets
- Cleaning closets
- Wiping down the washer and dryer
- Wiping down walls and baseboards
- Clean lighting fixtures and fans
- Removing floor stains
- Treating windows
3. They Maintain the Exterior Monthly
First impressions can be make-or-break when it comes to selling your home. That’s because of the curb appeal. How your home appears when seen from the curb is the real estate version of swag, and it matters a great deal. It can raise the value of a home by as much as 5%. While a complete exterior repaint might call for professional help, the rest of it can easily be done by you.
You can patch up any paint that’s peeling off, and deal with any damp patches. Doing this early prevents the damage from spreading and keeps the costs down. You can mow the lawn, and replace any dead or dying flora. Clean the windows as well as drains. And put up nice, new lighting fixtures around.
Fresh landscaping, a tidy exterior, and even modern touches like composite decking can instantly elevate the look of a home and signal that the property has been well cared for. By presenting a home that feels both welcoming and low-maintenance, sellers increase their chances of attracting serious buyers quickly and securing higher offers.
4. They Respond to Offers Daily
Responding quickly to offers is always a good thing. It’s a sign to the buyer that things will move quickly if they like the house. Besides, you must realize that you also are competing with other homes in the area. If you’re slow, someone else may close a deal by the time you respond.
Deciding ahead on which kind of offer is acceptable, will help you respond quickly. Also, figure out which kind of contingency offers are okay before you start receiving them. Speaking of offers, here are some that you just have to check out.
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5. They Advertise Weekly
Some folks think that once they hire a real estate agent, they can simply put their feet up, and the house will get sold by itself. On the other hand, the money-savvy ones opt for cost-effective flat fee MLS listings – here’s the best flat fee MLS listing service out there. They also sometimes feel that once their home is listed, the publicity bit is done.
But the really clever ones know that the advertising can always be improved upon. So, they let everyone know that their property is up for grabs. They inform friends, family, acquaintances, and even people they sometimes meet, like the store owner nearby. There’s no let-up when they’re on social media either. All of this adds up, and sometimes homes are sold based on word-of-mouth working in the most unexpected ways.
6. They Keep Updated With Real Estate Happenings
When you know that your home will be up for sale sometime in the future, it makes sense to keep abreast of all that’s going on in the real estate world, particularly in your locality. One good way to achieve this is to go to open houses. You’ll know the prices currently ruling the market. You’ll also learn a bit about the trends by keeping an eye on the size of the crowds. And, if your house is on sale under FSBO (For Sale By Owner), such events give you ideas for your home showings or open houses. It’s also worthwhile to browse through home listing websites to keep your finger on the pulse.
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Now that you know exactly what to do, make sure that you develop good habits to keep your house ready for sale anytime. We also recommend you follow these better budgeting habits when you reap the rewards of a very good sale price.