This is a topic that I talk about on a regular basis with clients and with people who are considering selling their house. Price and presentation can either be the best thing home sellers have going for them when selling your house or it can be the worst. There is no in between!
First, let’s talk price. As homeowners, we get emotionally attached to our homes, all the hard work we have put into it and all the money we have spent. One big misconception with homeowners is that they feel like they should get back every dollar spent in updates and improvements. It just doesn’t work that way. Wish it did!! Adding space to a kitchen and updating it is one of the highest return on investments and it is usually about 85% of what you put into it. So, if you spent $10,000 then you can hope to get back $8,500. Next would be adding a master suite. So, when it comes time to sell, it is important that you partner with a Realtor to make sure the house is being marketed at the correct price to ensure a fast and profitable sale. Price it wrong, and it could sit for a long time! At the end of the day the value of your home will be determined by the market. It is important to base pricing off of comparable sales in your area.
The next item, presentation, is very important as well. Have you ever been to a real fancy restaurant and you get a huge plate, a little bit of food and a real big bill? But, when they bring that food out, it looks so visually appealing that you almost feel bad eating it. This is because the presentation of the food indicates superior quality and superior quality is something that we typically are willing to pay top dollar for. It is no different when selling a home.
The first step towards maximizing the presentation of a home, is completely removing the emotion from the equation. You have to look at the house just as a buyer would. Buyers don’t want to see pictures of you family, wedding pictures etc. They want to see space!!! Space that they can visualize their stuff in!!! That includes wall space. The second step would be removing 75% of your stuff out of your house, putting it in storage or your garage and arrange all your furniture so that each room/space serves a purpose and so that a buyer will know exactly what that spaces intended use is. The third and final thing is to neutralize the color of your paint and make sure it is clean and stays clean! Again, you want to portray a feeling of superior quality to get a superior price and dirty houses do not do that.
As a seller, if you can take these few steps regarding price and presentation, you will be putting yourself miles ahead of the competition in your area and will set your house apart!
As a Realtor, I can walk in a house and get a real quick idea of what needs to happen in a home to make maximize its marketability. If you have any questions or would like me to take a look at your house, please call me or email me anytime. I would love to hear from you.
