How to Sell Before the Holidays
The holidays are right around the corner, and if you are currently trying to sell your home, you’ve got one thing on your mind: making sure that the transaction is completed before Santa Claus comes to town!
The last thing you want to spend the holidays on the phone with your realtor or poring over paperwork. And selling your house before the start of the New Year avoids unnecessary complications when it comes time to file your taxes.
But if you are like many homeowners looking to sell, your home has been on the market for many months. The real estate market is struggling—and for many, the only way to sell quickly seems to be by slashing your asking price.
If reducing the price you are looking for doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry—there are other approaches. Below are three suggestions to help you sell your home during the holidays, without reducing your asking price:
- Partner with an experienced agent. If you haven’t done so already, it’s important that you choose to work with an agent that has a track record of success. It’s always tempting to sell your home by yourself in order to avoid paying a commission, but in many cases the right agent will more than pay for him or herself by securing a higher selling price than you could have. Your agent has specialized knowledge of your local market as well the expertise needed to market your home effectively. If you don’t already have an agent, now is the time. They’ll help you sell your home quickly, and for more money than you would otherwise receive.
- Offer incentives. Sometimes, the prospect of additional value is all it takes to close the deal. This could mean covering some or all of your buyer’s closing costs, offering a seller-funded warranty, or anything else you and your agent can come up with. Adding value is a common strategy in the world of marketing, and it is a winning strategy while you are selling your home, as well.
- Utilize a home staging professional. At the end of the day, a buyer is going to choose your home in large part based on the appearance and the feel. It’s absolutely critical that you have your home looking its finest. This includes an emphasis on the “curbside appeal” of your home— ensuring that your property looks its best from the perspective of a drive-by prospect. It includes an emphasis on furniture layout, color selection, and on de-cluttering. And while investing in a home staging professional costs money, typically between 1-3% of your asking price, studies have shown that staging typically increases the sales price by 8-10%. You do the math! Contact us today if you’re ready to begin!
The real estate market may be slumping, but that doesn’t mean you have to slash your asking price if you want to sell before the holidays! To learn how to sell your house around the holidays, please feel free to contact me today.