Holiday House Selling Strategies Your Agent Won't Tell You

The holiday season between November and January is often thought to be the worst time to put a house on the market. It is bittersweet for the seller as buyers often downgrade their house-buying activity during the festivities. 

While the thought of selling your house during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, rejoice because the season does have its advantages! 

Any buyers looking at properties during this time of year tend to be more serious. In addition, your competition may be taking a break during the holidays leaving fewer houses on the open market. So, if you really need to sell during the holidays, here are some strategies to help your New Year be in a new home!

Deck the Halls!

A house is never more beautiful than during the holidays. Holiday decorations can turn an average house into a showpiece. At the same time, sellers should be careful not to overdo it. This is not the time for The Great Christmas Light Fight! 

Be tasteful in how you decorate. Look to top design and home keeping magazines to see what is trending this year. It may surprise you, but if a buyer thinks your decorations are out of date, they may consciously or subconsciously think the same thing about your house. 

Decorations that are too large in scale for your house or are everywhere a buyer can look will make your house seem small and crowded. It can also distract buyers. Try to stay with themes from popular culture in order to avoid offending buyers who may be sensitive to, or even offended by religious themes.  Autumn leaves, harvest produce, winter greenery and even snow are good choices regardless of faith.

Create an Entertaining Oasis

Keep your house entertaining ready at all times. That way you don't need to scramble if a buyer wants to visit.

Set the dining room as though you are expecting your guests at any moment. Use your best linens, dishes and glassware. Have bottles of wine or other festive beverages ready to go. Put out snacks or hor d’oeurves. The more elegant and appealing this display is, the more buyers will secretly envy your happy and successful lifestyle. 

They will want that lifestyle, too!

Make your home feel cozy and inviting during visits and open houses by keeping the temperature just a little too warm. If your buyers have to take off and put on their coats, they will have to stay just a little longer ;) 

Light candles, turn on any holiday lighting and play soft holiday or classical music. If your family prefers the convenience of an artificial tree, bring in some real pine boughs or wreaths. Simmer some apples with cinnamon to create a natural holiday scent.

Offer your buyers some holiday treats. Keep them fuss free and universally appealing. Avoid anything that could crumble, stain or melt. 

When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your house, you also give them more time to consider themselves living there and to admire its best features.

Curb Appeal is Still Important in Winter

When autumn leaves fall, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Keep yards clean and well groomed. Don’t count on snow fall to cover things up! Bare trees also mean a more exposed house. Touch up the paint, clean the gutters, siding, and windows. 

Spruce up a bare yard with holiday decorations, potted flowers or other ornamental plant that can weather the temperature changes. If you live in an area with snow, keep your entrances shoveled and crisp. Your buyers may be coming at night so keep safety in mind by making sure entrances and paths are well lit and free of snow, ice, and leaves.

Hire a Professional Photographer

These days buyers are likely to start their house hunt by browsing through listings on the Internet from the comfort of their homes. This is even more likely in winter when weather can be challenging. It’s important to make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If you have the time, offer holiday decorated and undecorated photos of your home so buyers can see how it looks at other times of the year.

If your photographer is versatile, have them create a video tour for the Web. Posting a walk-through of your house on YouTube, Facebook and other sites can increase your exposure exponentially. 

In addition, if the weather is bad in your region, you may get less actual traffic though you house during the holidays and perhaps all winter. Posting a video tour on the Web may attract house hunters who don't have time or inclination to physically see your home during bad weather conditions.

Talk It Up!

You have decorated, prepared for guests, and spruced up your yard. Now it’s time to tell everyone you know your house is up for sale! Mention it at any holiday party or business function you attend. Tell everyone. Let people know how to contact you and where to find pictures and info for your house.

You might want to have some business cards made just for this occasion with contact info and a great photo. 

There are companies that will print these for free in exchange for advertising themselves on the back of the card. Pass them out to everyone who is interested!

Above all, the holidays should be celebrated and enjoyed with loved ones. If you start to stress about your house sale, take a moment to remind yourself that if you don't sell now, there's always next spring.

If you have come to the realization that it is time to move right now to have a better life, but your house isn’t ready for the traditional market, we can help. 

If you are juggling too many responsibilities to sell your house yourself this winter, then there are people who specialize in the sale of properties "as is" - usually within a week to resolve the situation quickly. We have a team of professionals able to assist you immediately.

Contact us for details.

So thanks for reading my post. I'm so glad you're here! If you have a question you would like answered, just let me know! 

And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can 

Turn Your House To $OLD!

Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.

Linda  623-335-2662

Write to Turn My House To Sold

Turn My House To Sold on Facebook

More Info

_____________

Article Sources:

Lynda Bathory

Don’t Let Your Spring Sale Haunt You!

Most people know that selling a house can be a long process. Once that For Sale sign goes up, days can seem like years until the right buyer comes along.

Don't Let Your Spring Sale Haunt You!

But did you know that the longest part of the process happens before that sign ever goes up?

A smart seller knows to take care of the essentials before putting the house on the market. The fall is the perfect time to get started for many reasons. Here are the top five target items to get your house sold in record time.

And some interesting tricks and treats why you probably need to start NOW!

Get Your House Inspected

Most people don’t consider getting their own house inspection. While it is true that a serious buyer will most likely hire a professional house inspector (unless they are one or are a contractor) you probably don’t want to wait for that potential buyer to surprise you with any bad news from their report!

The cost of an inspection is usually around $250-$500. It is a wise investment. If you have someone interested enough in your property to pay for one, it is better to be prepared. You want to know about any issues before the buyer starts to lower their original offer with a counter offer based on an unfavorable inspection report, or worse yet, back out of the deal completely!

Think of it as an early warning system. If you get an inspection soon, you will have plenty of time to make repairs before the spring. It is to your advantage to know what the inspector is going to find and be able to fix it -- and pick who will fix it. 

You can shop around for the best price instead of perhaps paying an inflated “rush” price later on when you will have so many other things to think about.

It also gives you the opportunity to coordinate with the work you had already planned on doing. You would probably be very unhappy if you just put in new landscaping and then found out you had to redo your roof. Large repairs can often have a big impact on the area – or areas around them. As careful as any trades person may be, the dumpster and new materials have to be placed somewhere.

Find out what the inspector thinks, review the report and make a list of necessary repairs and projects. Then get started now.

TRICK: Many trades people experience a lull during the holidays. This may be the perfect opportunity to negotiate a discount for work you need to get done!

TREAT: Your holiday photos will be extra special with the fantastic updated look of your house!

Curb Appeal

Everybody knows that curb appeal is important when selling a house. Fall is the perfect time to review your garden’s performance. If your house is not inviting from the street, buyers may not even get out of their cars to look inside! Get the opinion of your friends and neighbors – the ones that will give you an honest answer.

Note any outdoor maintenance, repairs or improvements.  See if you will need to remove dead branches from trees, pull weeds, prune and freshen as needed. Check the paint on fences, decks, trim -- and everywhere else. Decide if you will need to paint or if a good pressure washing will do. An inspector may not comment on driveway cracks if they are not structural. Fixing them will keep your house from giving the impression that it's not maintained.

If your budget allows for more than basic maintenance, think about improving the landscaping. Depending on where you live and your landscaping style, consider new mulch, add gravel, sharp edging, show a healthy lawn and beds of flowers. Make sure you will have a clean entry way. Plan to sweep or pressure-wash the front walk and porch (you will probably need to do this anyway if you decide to paint). Will you need to polish the outdoor metalwork, clean the windows and glass and replace any burnt-out bulbs in outdoor lighting? Would it help to add planters with flowers?

TRICK: Getting a start on your garden now will mean you will have less to do in the spring to get your house ready for sale when time will be at a premium. Most plants are easier to remove in the fall when they are slowing down for the winter.

TREAT: If you prune and remove anything that didn’t perform well over the summer, it will be less likely that you will have to deal with mushy damaged or dead plants in the spring.

Evaluate The Interior

Even if you got an inspection, the report may not address outdated features if they were working well. Are your kitchen and baths more than 10 years old? Do you need to paint the whole house, just a few rooms or touch up the trim or doors? Do the floors need to be updated? Are the carpets worn? Will any wood, tile or stone flooring stand up to the scrutiny of a buyer? 

There are a lot of areas in a house that can get outdated easily. Take an objective look to see where improvements will help you sell your house fast and make a list. If you can, do all the work. If your budget doesn't permit it, take care of the worst offenders.

TRICK: Fall is a great time to take care of this work. The cooler weather will make it more pleasant to get the work done. For painting projects, you can cut dying time – and quickly eliminate paint odor – by turning the heat up a notch and opening windows to let the moist, pungent air out.  

TREAT: You will get to enjoy the fresh, updated look during your holidays rather than just paying to make it nice for the next owner.

Declutter

Everyone knows that when you have buyers touring through your house, you don’t want them distracted by clutter. You want them focused on the HOUSE you are trying to sell and not your nick-knacks!

And some buyers will have attitude. They are expecting to see your house at its best. They are “visiting” after all!

In addition, removing anything unnecessary will give the impression that your house is bigger, brighter and airier. Buyers look and pay for space and light. There will be couples and even families plus their agent, or if you are lucky, multiple families walking through your house -- so make sure they can get around easily! If you are thinking you will “just stuff it in the closet when they come” - guess again! Buyers will expect to actually walk into those "walk-in" closets.

Think positively of this process. You are going to a new home and a new start in the spring. Has your family outgrown it? Will it fit in your new place? Is it time to get something new anyway? Do you really love something enough to PAY to move it!

TRICK: As you are changing over to your fall décor, take a good hard look at your spring and summer items. If they are outdated, worn or frumpy, now would be a good time to get rid of them altogether! You wouldn’t want buyers to see anything less than perfect during your open houses next spring. Why take the time to carefully pack, store and prepare to move something that has already seen its best days?

TREAT: Send your unnecessary items off to your local charity and give someone else the opportunity to receive a great gift for the holidays.

Clean

Most people know that buyers have little tolerance for dirt. You're never going to be able to sell your house fast without cleaning it first.  While this is a stage for later in the process, objectively look at it now so you can record any major issues. Do it yourself or hire a crew. Just remember that even professional maids may take a pass on a heavy-duty cleanup of a neglected house.

If it's been a decade since you washed the blinds, plan to clean them or remove them. Same for any drapes or curtains.  Expect to pull the stove out and clean behind it every couple of months until the house is sold. Come up with a plan to keep all the appliances sparkling.

You may be used to a particular smell, but for a fussy buyer, an unusual smell may signal the end of a potential sale! Look at the bathrooms and decide how to keep them spotless and glittering.  Make a strategy to be sure the floors are always clean – you never know when a potential buyer might want to see your house. If you have forgotten about those dirty windows, you can be sure a potential buyer won't!  If any of these things are dirty, buyers will question whether the house is well maintained.

TRICK: Once you have done the majority of the heavy cleaning, take note of how long the project took so you won’t be caught in a time crunch in the spring. Make a list with scheduled cleaning times and needed supplies so you will be ready for those buyers in the spring! This way you can always be ready for visits until the house is sold!

TREAT: If you can manage to get the majority of the work done this fall, your family and friends will enjoy an impeccably clean house over the holidays. And with the big projects done now, you will have less to do in the spring and may get by with a few light touch-ups when you will be at your busiest.

Fall is indeed the perfect time of year to get ready for your spring sale.

If you have come to the realization that it is time to move right now to have a better life, but your house isn’t ready for the traditional market, we can help. 

If you are juggling too many responsibilities to sell your house yourself this summer, then there are people who specialize in the sale of properties "as is" - usually within a week to resolve the situation quickly. We have a team of professionals able to assist you immediately.

Contact us for details.

So thanks for reading my post. I'm so glad you're here! If you have a question you would like answered, just let me know! 

And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can 

Turn Your House To $OLD!

Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.

Linda  623-335-2662

Write to Turn My House To Sold

Turn My House To Sold on Facebook

More Info

_____________

Article Sources:

Lynda Bathory

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Fall in love with my house!

5 Ways to Sabotage Your House Sale

It’s a seller’s market – meaning there are less houses available for sale than there are buyers looking to buy. If your house sits idle in a seller’s market, it’s time to take a hard look at the reason – or reasons – why.

Realizing you may have a problem is the first step toward resolving it. There could be many reasons your house isn’t selling.

What are the Top 5 Ways to Sabotage Your House Sale? 

The answers may surprise you!

Over Confidence

In a seller’s market, a seller may feel confident that a higher asking price will be accepted by the market because there is high demand, yet low supply.

A seller can usually expect to get more money for their house. This should not be the time to “test the waters” or to see what the market will bear. If a seller lists home at a price that is above market value, they may discourage prospective buyers from even visiting and that can be a huge mistake!

The best way to make sure a house will sell is to analyze the neighboring market comparables and determine a fair price.

Age of Amenities

Most owners hate to pay for home improvements - especially for someone else! However, in many markets it is a necessary step in order to sell for full asking price. It is important here to consider the neighborhood market. The seller’s property should have amenities comparable to other properties for sale in a similar price range. 

If all the neighboring houses have upgraded kitchens and baths and fashionable new appliances but the subject property does not, these properties may not even be considered as comparables by today’s standards. In some areas this can even extend to the type of air conditioning, garage doors and landscaping. 

The seller will need to adjust their price downward or undergo the renovations or changes to get full price.

Title Issues

Nothing will blow apart a house sale as quickly as a problem with title. This can give the average buyer good reason to back out of a sale. Most buyers are buying because they need to move in the near future and resolving these issues may take much more time than is expected for standard escrow. 

Problems with title occur for various reasons:

• Errors in public records such as clerical errors or filing errors that affect the deed or survey of the property
• Unknown liens on the property for unpaid debts against the current or previous owner
• Illegal or forged deeds made by an undocumented immigrant, a minor, a person of unsound mind, or one who is reported single but in actuality married
• Undiscovered wills, missing heirs or contested ownership
• Unknown easements or survey issues

These are just a few examples of possible title issues. The best way to ensure that a potential sale will go through escrow efficiently is to verify title before putting the property up for sale.

Bad Photos

Some people underestimate the importance of photos when selling their house. These days most buyers will make their determination to visit based on the photos they see with the online listing.

If there are few or bad photos buyers often assume the worst. The impression is that the seller may be hiding something if there are few photos. If the house looks messy or the furniture appears to be dated or worn, buyers will assume the same is true for the house and that it will need a lot of work.

It is important to have the house professionally staged and photographed.

Odor

There’s an old saying in real estate: “If I can smell it, I can’t sell it,” Many buyers will be put off by an offensive odor. This includes dampness, mildew, old carpeting and cigarette smoke as well as more transient smells like cooking or perfumes.

If you’re immune to the smell of your home, get a friend’s honest opinion and take the appropriate action to have the odors properly neutralized through cleaning and purging. 

Get carpets, drapes and upholstery professionally cleaned. Keep linens freshly laundered and do not let laundry accumulate. Be conscious of cooking smells before visits or open houses. Avoid any heavy artificial smells like perfumes colognes or air fresheners before visits. It is often recommended to bake cookies or a pie to give an appealing aroma for visits.

These are the top five reasons houses do not sell as quickly as expected. There may be others, but only the seller will be able to determine their particular issues. It is important to take an objective look at the situation. A buyer is not buying your experience or memories of the property. To them it is a purchase of a building that they intend to turn into a home.

If any of these situations is something you are dealing with, we can help.

If you have come to the realization that it is time to move right now to have a better life, but your house isn’t ready for the traditional market, we can help. 

If you are juggling too many responsibilities to sell your house yourself this summer, then there are people who specialize in the sale of properties "as is" - usually within a week to resolve the situation quickly. We have a team of professionals able to assist you immediately.

Contact us for details.

So thanks for reading my post. I'm so glad you're here! If you have a question you would like answered, just let me know! 

And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can 

Turn Your House To $OLD!

Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.

Linda  623-335-2662

Write to Turn My House To Sold

Turn My House To Sold on Facebook

More Info

_____________

Article Sources:

Lynda Bathory

Why Can’t I Sell My House?

Apples and Oranges: How To Price A House

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Top 5 Reasons You Need To Sell Your House

Everyone knows that in our modern age, sometimes the family home can become more of a burden than a sanctuary.

It used to be that families would stay in their house for generations. Now, with a national – or even global – economy, that is less often the case. People have become more mobile – especially when drawn to new and better opportunities. Changes to the modern family structure may mean divorce or living apart for professional reasons. Kids are more likely to leave home to find the best education, and not settle for a local one.

So how do you know when it’s the right time to let go of your house?

Top 5 Reasons You Need To Sell Your House

1 Under-used or Empty House

Lately you’re feeling uncomfortable moving through vacant rooms and living in silence. This is a natural progression for most families. Once children have grown and moved out, you may find yourself in a house with several extra bedrooms. It can also happen when you part with your spouse. If you are recently divorced, or your beloved has passed on, it may not take long to realize that maintaining a house on your own can be incredibly demanding.

In addition, there may be features you don’t use. 

Did the kids love to swim, but you have never even stepped into the pool? Do you have a den, family room, bonus room, and billiard room… all to yourself?

It may no longer makes sense to have all this extra space. Utility bills, taxes and other maintenance fees may be keeping you from enjoying your life. 

While it can be difficult to leave the family home, celebrate your time there. Have a party, take some great photos with your family and friends  - and move on to something more suitable.

2 Your House Doesn’t Suit Your New Lifestyle

It was perfect when you bought it, but now there just doesn’t seem to be enough room. Your family grew, you needed to set up a home office for your new business or you have a new hobby that needs more space.

These can all be good reasons why the house you once loved is holding back your growth. 

Something bigger would alleviate the cramped quarters and stress.

Another reason could be a job change. You once lived minutes from your employer, but now find yourself traveling hours to your new job. You could be losing a lot of precious time with your family. A house closer to your work could add as much as a day every week to the time you could spend with your family!

3 There Goes The Neighborhood

It was a pretty and peaceful residential area when you moved in, but over the years the neighborhood has changed. 

Whether is a new highway passing behind your house that is ruining your peace, growing industry that has killed the charm of the area, you find it's just uncomfortable. 

Did your neighborhood transform into something full of absentee owners and uncaring tenants, or has the crime rate increased to the point where you don’t feel your family is safe?

Sometimes when neighborhoods transform in undesirable ways, it's not a good idea to stick around and hope the neighborhood will turn around. It may be better to get out, take the money and run!

4 Remodeling Won’t Work

Sometimes all you need is a new kitchen or bath to fix things. Other times that won’t fix the problem. This is especially true when the house needs a new roof, new floors, foundation repair and renovations to modernize the interior. If your home is already similar in style and condition of some of the priciest homes in the neighborhood, remodeling Won’t get you more money when you sell.

The same is true for a rental property. There is only a certain level of upgrade that you can do for a particular clientele or area. If your property is in an area where tenants routinely trashing the place before leaving, putting in granite counters probably will not attract better, respectful residents.

5 You Can Sell And Not Lose Money

There was a time when most properties sold and made money. Since the housing melt-down in 2007 when a lot of people suddenly owed more than the house was worth, it was no longer a sure thing.

If your property value has increased to the point where you won’t lose money, it might be time to get out. 

Depending on the latest value of the house and the amount of equity, it might be possible to use a realtor. If there is no equity, a seller could sell  as a For Sale By Owner.

If you still are in a position of negative equity, it is possible to arrive at a mutually advantageous arrangement by agreeing to terms. This option is possible even if you don’t have the funds to update and prepare your house for the open market.

If any of these situations is something you are dealing with, we can help.

If you have come to the realization that it is time to move right now to have a better life, but your house isn’t ready for the traditional market, we can help. 

If you are juggling too many responsibilities to sell your house yourself this summer, then there are people who specialize in the sale of properties "as is" - usually within a week to resolve the situation quickly. We have a team of professionals able to assist you immediately.

Contact us for details.

So thanks for reading my post. I'm so glad you're here! If you have a question you would like answered, just let me know! 

And I really look forward to getting into more great stuff in future posts -- so that you can 

Turn Your House To $OLD!

Feel free to ask me any questions through the contact info below. I would be very happy to help.

Linda  623-335-2662

Write to Turn My House To Sold

Turn My House To Sold on Facebook

More Info

_____________

Article Sources:

Lynda Bathory