Planning on selling your home? Not quite sure what to expect or where to start? The real estate housing market is full of uncertainty and in any given year the market can change drastically. The one constant is that price is the main motivator and when selling your home it is important to have your home stand out from the rest. In order to do that you need to have a well drawn up plan on how you are going to sell your home. Here are some tips to get you started:

Learn the Real Estate Market

You don’t have to know everything about the market but you should at least know what the market is doing in your area. Things to consider include:

• How many other homes are for sale in your area?


• What is the asking price of homes for sale?


• How much have homes sold for recently?


• What are the average days on the market?

Taking into account that the homes in the area are similar to yours the above information provides a great starting place for determining price and how long it may take to sell the home.

Prepare Your Home

Preparing the home for sale is critical when it comes to getting every dime you can at the sale. Things that a homeowner may consider insignificant may not be so to a potential homebuyer. A cluttered untidy home can end up costing the homeowner thousands on the sale because the buyer feels the home is not well maintained, even if that is not the case. Perception is very important when it comes to selling a home. Here are some tips to help prepare your home for sale:

• Mow and trim the lawn.


• Trim shrubs and bushes.


• Pick up garbage and debris that doesn’t belong in a yard. This includes car parts!


• Add some color to the front of your home by planting flowers.


• Clean the outside of your home and wash the windows.


• Clean all doorways and entryways.


• Start packing unnecessary items and put them in storage.


• Clean the carpets.


• Clean the inside of the home thoroughly, don’t forget the fridge and oven.


• Clean and organize closets and garage.


• If needed paint the inside of the home.

Tips on Marketing Your Home

Once your home is ready to go it is time to start marketing your home. Once the advertisements start it won’t take long until the phone starts ringing so be ready to show your home. Below are some quick and easy ways to start marketing your home:

• Advertise your home in the local newspaper.


• Put a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.


• Post flyers, advertising your home.


• Add your listing to real estate website listings.


• Get your home listed in the MLS.


• Tell your friends and family that you are selling your home.

Showing Your Home

First impressions count when showing your home. Homebuyers aren’t going to have the same attitude about your home as you do. They don’t have the memories you do and all they are going to be interested in is the condition of the home and price. Make your home feel cozy when showing to potential home buyers. Good ways to accomplish this is to:

• Make sure the temperature is comfortable.


• Open up the curtains and turn on the lights.


• In the winter, light the fireplace.


• Burn a nice smelling candle or bake some cookies and place them on the counter.


• If possible don’t be there when your home is being shown. If you have to then give the buyer space to look around.


• Remove pets from the property.

Selling your home will take some time and it will be a bit of an inconvenience every now and then. But if you priced your home correctly, cleaned it up, and marketed it well the offers will start to come. Following the tips provided will help you successfully sell your home at the best possible price.

View all Jason Deines's articles

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