Selling a house isn’t easy. In fact, it’s something that many families dread. Chances are that you’ve heard horror stories about houses that sat for years on the market without selling, gradually decreasing in price. If you’ve been thinking about selling your home and you want to ditch your house as quickly as possible, there are a few ways that you can help your house sell fast. There are some factors you can’t control, like location or noisy neighbors. Fortunately, there are seven important things you can do to give your house the best shot at selling.

1. Fix what’s broken

Buyers are always looking for the perfect move-in ready home, so fixing your home is key. If your house needs a lot of help, focus on the major problems in your home. Need a new roof? Buy one. A new owner will not want to put a new roof on the house unless you’re offering the home at a serious discount. Remember that most families want something they can move into right away without spending months working on. If there are problems with the home that you can easily fix, whether it be chipping paint or a broken fence post, try to fix them before you list your house. When defects are brought up in a buyer's building inspection, sellers are often left scrambling to obtain estimates and stressed to schedule and complete repairs prior to closing. It is better to consider making repairs and improvements prior to marketing a property.

2. Update your appliances

It’s important to remember that homebuyers have specific items they look for in a home. For many buyers great appliances are number one on their wish list for a home. That’s where you come in. While you probably can’t afford to update every one of your home’s appliances, take a hard look at what your current setup looks like. Is the stove outdated? Is the fridge about to die? Dropping a few hundred dollars on a new fridge,dishwasher or oven might not be the way you want to spend your money, but it could help you sell your house. If someone sees an old stove sitting in the middle of the kitchen that looks like it’s about to break, they may wonder what else is going to break if they buy the house. Prior to marketing a home, there is time to shop for and have new appliances installed.

3. Take breathtaking pictures

You probably know that you need to take pictures of your house. Pictures are one of the most important ways that you can draw in potential buyers. Basically, I consider this "curb appeal on the internet". It is my standard to hire a professional photographer to really showcase your home. If someone is looking for a new home, they’ll typically take a look at real estate websites before setting up showings or attending open houses. Because so many shoppers look online before they decide to explore a house in person, it’s important that your pictures look great. We will take pictures of both the home’s interior and exterior. Our intent is to highlight the best areas of your home and skip the ones that are less attractive to buyers. 

4. Ditch your clutter

Clearing out junk is easier said than done, but if you want to sell your house quickly, you need to ditch your clutter. Get rid of extra papers, magazines or memorabilia that is sitting around your house. Clean out beneath your beds. Get rid of that pile of clothes next to your dresser. When people walk through your house, they want to imagine what it will be like to live in the home. Even if you can’t get rid of all of your home’s clutter, try to at least minimize the amount of things you have on shelves and on counters to present a clean, neat appearance to buyers. I can consult on decluttering/staging as well as provide contacts for professional staging services.

5. Advertise, advertise, advertise

Focuse on internet marketing. Remember that buyers probably won’t drive by your house and see the “For Sale” sign in your yard. Rather, they’ll find your house online. My marketing includes showcasing your home on as many real estate websites as possible, sharing it on Facebook, advertising in local newspapers and trying to promote it as much as possible for the best results. 

6. Price fairly

You’ve spent years developing memories in your house, so it’s normal to want to attach a price tag to those. Unfortunately, the reality is that you can’t afford to ask too much for your house. Remember that buyers are looking for a good deal. They want to know that they’re getting their money’s worth when they buy a house. Take a look at what other houses are selling for in your area and price your home accordingly. It is my job to help you price your home properly to achieve the best results.

7. Don’t be choosy

One mistake that many sellers make is to turn down offers because they don’t like the family. Even if you don’t like the person that offers to buy your house, realize that you don’t have any control over what happens to your home once you sell it. If the buyer wants to tear down walls, paint everything green or add a bunch of garden gnomes to the yard, that’s their decision. For a quick sell, don’t be choosy about your offers. Sell your home to the first person who makes an offer that is reasonable and that you’re comfortable with.