First Time Selling Your Home? Here's How To Do It (Part 2)

4. Prepare Your Home for Sale. This stage may be emotional for first-time home sellers. Take your time to bid your home goodbye. This will get you to stop thinking of your home as yours and start thinking of it as a product on display in the market. Being at peace with your decision to sell is key to a rewarding experience.

Here are a few things you can do to get your home ready:

• Make important repairs, but avoid unnecessary upgrades. Some sellers go into overhaul mode and think upgrading their home will make it sell high and fast. This can quickly add up. Besides, not all repairs or remodels will give you a return on your investment. The rule of thumb is this: only repair things that are structurally or mechanically defective.
  
  
• Declutter every room of your house. Expect buyers to inspect every nook and cranny of your home. Prepare by decluttering room by room. Start sorting out your things as early as now. Organize your stuff into different categories, such as Keep, Donate, Sell, and Throw or Recycle. Sorting things into what you plan to do with them will speed up the decluttering process. If you’re overwhelmed, ask your agent if they can get a professional to help with decluttering or storage.
  
  
• Deep clean your home. Scrub rooms from top to bottom, spray and wipe off counters with antimicrobial, multi-surface cleaners, and sweep or vacuum floors. Scrub down toilet bowls or tubs and wipe mirrors and windows with glass cleaners to make them shine. Deep cleaning your home will make it easier to do light cleaning prior to showings.
  
  
• Create a warm, inviting ambiance. Help buyers imagine living in your home. Create a warm, inviting space by making your home cozy through ambient lighting, furniture arrangement, and appropriate decors. This process, also known as home staging, can decrease the time that your home sits on the market.
  
  
• Work on your curb appeal. People move to New Jersey for many reasons, not the least of which is the outdoor space. Don’t neglect your curb when getting your home ready for sale. A well-kept outdoor space will boost the value of your property. Clean up debris, mow the lawn, and remove any weeds, and trim plants. You can also add some items to brighten up your curb, such as a pretty mailbox, 

5. Create a Marketing Plan. After cleaning and sprucing up your property, it’s time to show it to buyers. One of the greatest benefits of working with a real estate agent is their real estate marketing skills. They can help you promote your property online and offline.

Here are notable things to include in your marketing plan:

• Upload photos to Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Upload your property description and photos to MLS to formally activate your listing. Your MLS listing will be syndicated to top real estate websites instantly, capturing the attention of homebuyers online.
  
  
• Promote on social media. Social media is a powerful marketing tool. You can promote your home for sale and get it in front of people within your area. You can utilize the Check-In feature and add hashtags so your posts will come up when people visit your location or use your hashtags as search terms. For instance, if you use #Holmdel, people who search social media with this hashtag will see your home for sale in Holmdel.
  
  
• Make virtual tours and showings possible. Some people are still uncomfortable about going out and being around others. By using virtual tours and showings, you give them a chance to view your home for sale and expand your prospects. Check out how we do Virtual Showings and Open Houses here.
  
  
• Connect with buyer’s agents. Network with local buyer's agents. They can connect you with homebuyers who are interested in your neighborhood or price point.

6. Make a Smart Showing Schedule. Promoting your home online will pique the interest of buyers, but many would still prefer seeing your home in person before they commit.  This is where house showings come in. You don’t need to initiate or manage any communications with possible buyers. Instead, their agents will book a tour with your agent.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about showings:

• Organize your calendar. Plan to be away from home on specific evenings each week so that your agent can schedule tours properly.
  
  
• Inform your agent of schedule changes. Ring up or message your agent if you need to be away for the weekend for a work trip or your son’s baseball game. Make sure your agent knows of any schedule changes that will affect showings.
  
  
• Simplify schedule sharing. Create a Google calendar specifically for your showings and share it with your agent. Or you can go old school and write down your availability on a notepad and share it with your agent. 

Once your smart marketing plan is set into motion, interested buyers will come knocking at your door. Get ready for some attention and for offers to start rolling in. 

What do you do at this point? Read the third and final part of this blog series to find out!

Read The First Part of the Blog Series Here
Read The Last Part of the Blog Series Here