Placing your home on the market can come with an onslaught of tasks, some more daunting than others. However, there are a handful of ways to get your home ready for listing that takes little time and effort. Doing research on both your local listing and buyers market will also help you to understand the landscape you are planning to enter. To make your life a little easier, Fulton Grace has compiled a small list of items to check on and potential precautions to take when considering listing your home.
- How much your home is worth.
Of course, your home is special, to you. However, you need to be realistic in your expectations of what will ensure your listing is on the market for as little of time as possible. Overpricing your home may result in a stagnant listing. Do research what similar listings have listed and sold for. It may be smart to also research what the local inventory is in your category. Even better, hiring a seasoned agent who specializes in your specific neighborhood can offer valuable insight into not only realistic staging costs but realistic pricing. This offers direct insight into where your home may stand with buyers currently on the market. With all items considered, it is certainly in your best interest to consult an agent for your neighborhood stats, which can be as precise as the last month!
- Reference check!
If you do decide to use an agent be sure to check out their references before you commit to that agent. This research can (and should) include but not be limited to: their agency reviews, their Redfin and Zillow reviews, any correlating social media accounts, and Yelp. Be sure to ask a few key questions before you decide to work with a realtor. Choosing the wrong person could end up costing money in the end – agents should be your greatest asset in this journey, feeling solidified in your choice is paramount.
- Come to terms with the not-so-great aspects of your home and disclose them upfront.
Having a home inspection before listing will alert you to any flaws within your home, especially those that require immediate attention prior to listing. Another key aspect of recognizing the flaws of your home is the ability to be transparent in your listing description and thus pricing.
- Show off, showcase, and accentuate your home – and keep it that way!
Put your best foot forward and tidy up your home. It may be hard for potential buyers to imagine spending potentially the biggest investment they’ve ever made in someone that looks less than spotless. Even better, consult your agent or an industry expert on how best to home stage your property to sell. Often times, your personal design preferences are not that of others and the distinction could be enough to distract the potential buyer from “seeing themselves” in the space and the potential it holds. Investing a little in the decor or staging of the space and a regular cleaning service today may be a homerun for your listing tomorrow.
- Smell test.
Odors are not delightful. Almost always any smell coming from a home is not a good thing. Living in your home, cooking your daily dinners, using the cleaning supplies you do, there is inevitably a slew of odors that are both natural and unnatural that your senses may have become numb to. Have someone that does not live in your home, a close friend, neighbor, or family member, do a smell test and let you know if anything offends or stands out as potentially distracting.
WHO IS FULTON GRACE?
We are one of Chicago’s leading providers of comprehensive real estate services. We are home to an ever-growing team of savvy & reputable local realtors, seasoned property managers, and customer-service oriented staff. Whether you’re looking to find a new home, sell your home, or have your property managed, let us be your trusted real estate advisors.