If you absolutely must sell your home in today?s market, begin by reducing your price, real estate experts say.
Sellers “need to get out of their mind that they will get a million dollars for a $100,000 home,” said Kevin Goodnight, a broker at Prestige Properties LLC in Stevensville. “Pricing is critical in this market,” he said.
Instead of researching the sales price of neighboring homes for the past six months, as is common in the realty industry, Goodnight said home sellers should see what homes have been listed for during the past four months, and then see what those homes have sold for in the past 30 days. “Price your home realistically,” he said.
Real estate broker Yvette Hardison, of Upscale Realty in Baltimore, said she agreed that sensible pricing is the key. She said the better the location, the better the chance of getting your price. Goodnight and Hardison said paying particular attention to the appearance of a home ? or staging ? can only increase the likelihood of a quick sale.
Kitchens and baths are top draws for homebuyers, Good night said.
“The better they look, the faster a buyer will make a decision,” he said.
For Hardison, cleanliness tips the scale
“Things need to be freshened up, painted, cleaned and organized,” she said. “And lawns should be maintained during the process of selling.”
She also said that any roof leaks should be repaired and ceiling stains should be fixed.
“If you expect someone to buy your property, make the first impression the best,” she said. “A stain onyour ceiling is not going to sell your house.”
The Web site www.stagedhomes.com offers tips on looking at property through the eyes of a buyer.
Hardison, however, has another tip for making a home sell.
“Make sure it smells nice,” she said. “That?s why I bought my home ? it just smelled so good.”
