By Jermias Maneiro
Dear JMan, I am thinking of waiting until Spring to list my house. Should I list now in the fall or wait? While Spring may bring more buyer activity it also brings more inventory. There are many sellers who are also waiting to put their properties on the market and have spent all winter improving the condition to make the properties as good as they can be. This makes listing in the Fall/Winter have many advantages. There are less homes on the market which means less competition plus a lower amount of new listings hitting the market. You could be the new “shiny” penny. The showing activity will be less but it’s quality vs. quantity here. A buyer that is out looking in Rochester’s winter weather is the epitome of a motivated buyer. The choice is yours but whatever you decide here are some tips of things to do before you sell, tips to make it more salable and tips to speed up your sale. Good luck.
5 Things To Do Before You Sell
• Get estimates from a reliable repairperson on items that need to be replaced soon, such as a roof or worn carpeting, for example. In this way, buyers will have a better sense of how much these needed repairs will affect their costs.
• Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property is not infested.
• Get a pre-sale home inspection so you’ll be able to make repairs before buyers become concerned and cancel a contract.
• Gather together warranties and guarantees on the furnace, appliances, and other items that will remain with the house.
• Fill out a disclosure form provided by your sales associate. Take the time to be sure that you don’t forget problems, however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.
10 Ways to Make Your House More Saleable
• Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.
• Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.
• Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.
• Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.
• Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.
• Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems, such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet, may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well maintained.
• Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.
• Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
• Clean your gutters.
• Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.
5 Ways to Speed Up Your Sale
• Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.
• Get your house market-ready for at least two weeks before you begin showing it.
• Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more often someone can see your home, the sooner you’ll find a BUYER.
• Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.
• Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, be prepared to lower your asking price OR improve your condition.