As a home seller, you want top dollar for your home. Afterall, the more money you make, the more you can invest into your next home. Here are the top 10 ways to maximize your home sale price with the help of a real estate agent in Richmond, CA.
Partner with the Right Realtor®
Many years ago my husband and I went on a dream vacation to Thailand. We were part of an amazing tour group and our guide was phenomenal. We stayed at the most beautiful hotels, ate at the best restaurants, visited hidden ruins and temples, and found adorable stores that offered the lowest prices. Conversely, when we went to Guatemala to visit my husband’s family, we didn’t have a guide or group. We trusted his cousin to show us the best local spots. Big mistake. We wasted hours in the hotel lobby waiting for him to show up, we wandered malls with mass produced, Chinese imports, and we missed out on seeing a lot of the attractions we had our hearts set on visiting. Here’s my point: the guide makes all the difference. In your real estate journey you want someone who knows the area, studies the market, and can tell you specifically what updates and quick fixes you need to make on your home to get top dollar. You need a real estate agent in Richmond who puts you first or you’ll end up with wasted money and disappointment. You don’t want this to happen on a vacation. Selling your home is much more important!
Curb Appeal
While most potential buyers search for homes online, you don’t want to lose a buyer before they even walk through your door. Before you put up that For Sale sign in your front yard you should cut the grass, pull the weeds, trim the bushes and possibly even paint the house (or at least the front door). The first three items on this list are free ways to improve your home. Fresh mulch and new plants can also be an inexpensive way to spruce up your yard (pun intended!). The goal is to draw buyers in and have them fall in love with your home before they even step inside.
Declutter
Here’s another free way to update your home. Buyers want to visualize their items in the home so give them space to dream. Take down the family photos and clear out the knick knacks and souvenirs. Create a blank slate to make your home feel clean, fresh, and inviting.
And Declutter Some More
We all need more room. So do your buyers. If your closets are jam packed and your cabinets spill contents out when the door is cracked open, this tells buyers that there isn’t enough storage space. Give your items room to breathe to give off that airy, move in ready appeal.
Scrub it Clean
No one likes a dirty home. Shampoo the carpet, scrub those baseboards, reglaze the bathtub (if needed), and a fresh coat of paint on the walls can do wonders. I don’t like my own family’s dirt and grossness. I certainly don’t want to move into a home with someone else’s.
Big Ticket Changes
Look at the homes that are for sale around you. Scope out the competition. What are they asking and how does your home compare? This is an important discussion to have with your real estate agent in Richmond. If you do that expensive kitchen remodel will it attract more buyers and get you more money in the end? Or will it just be a lot of hassle and expense in a sellers market? Weigh what needs to be done versus the return on investment. For example, if you have a pool with a crack in it, it may turn away buyers and could be worth fixing. However, if you need to sell quickly due to a life circumstance, taking a price break rather than remodeling might be a better option. Or you may love the greatest stove on the market with a matching giant refrigerator, but you might not get that money back in the sale.
Staging
As we mentioned before, buyers want to visualize how to use the rooms and how they would live in those spaces. However, staging with furniture and decor is quite expensive. If you are selling at a high price point, this could be a good investment. If you have a standard home, this is an option you can probably veto. With a great real estate agent in Richmond, you may have the potential to use a virtual staging tool for online photos. Let’s say that your house is empty because you already moved into your next home. A virtual stager can add couches, pictures to the walls, etc. to pictures of your empty home that are uploaded to Zillow or other real estate websites. This feature has a relatively minimal price tag and you get the benefits of staging!
Pricing
Pricing a home is a science: too high and you turn away buyers, too low and you might be missing out on cash for your next investment. In this current market, the target of right pricing seems to be moving constantly due to mortgage rates and the threat of inflation. A knowledgeable real estate agent in Richmond will price your home right to attract buyers and get you the best offer.
Analyzing Offers
Remember, there’s more to selling your home than just the price! Your awesome real estate agent in Richmond will help you sort through the offers and the highest offer isn’t always the best offer. You may have to weigh all cash offers, contingencies, loan approvals, and other factors to see which buyer is right for you.
Choose the Rick Fuller Team
Our team of Listing Specialists know the market, have a ton of experience, and work together to help you maximize your home sale price. If you’re looking for a real estate agent in Richmond, look no further. We’re excited to give you an experience you’d be excited to tell a friend about!
