Tips for Selling Your Home This Fall
Aug 22, 2007
Author: Family realty LLC

With fall getting ready to mark its entrance, kids back in school, and the holidays just around the corner, home sales tend to slow down around this time of the year. If you’re selling, it means you need to take extra measures to make sure your house stands out above the others on the market in your neighborhood.

One of the first things you should do is examine, and, if needed, repair any major structural systems. If you’re unaware of any, you may want to have a home inspection done (remember our Sellers Home Inspection article a few weeks back?) by a professional home inspector. Chances are, a potential buyer will hire an inspector to examine the house, so you might as well save yourself from any suprises down the road.

And, when it comes to looks, if you’re selling in the fall, there are many things to consider, including:

● Curb appeal. Fall can make or break you when it comes to curb appeal and the all important “first impression.” Leaves turning shades of crimson and gold can add extra appeal to the total look of your homes interior. On the other hand, leaves strewn about your front yard can decrease your homes visual appeal during that first impression.

● Entering the house. Your front door should be in good condition – and don’t be afraid to celebrate the season! Add a wreath, or a few pumpkins around the entrance to welcome visitors. Usually when the real estate professional is busy retrieving the key from the lockbox, the potential buyers are standing by with nothing else to look at but the front door. Does it need painting? Also, new hardware will make it stand out.

● Scents of the season. If you’re a smoker or have pets, make sure the nose doesn’t know. Eliminate all offensive odors. If you’re holding an open house, or know you’ll have a prospect on a particular day, bake an apple pie, or pop some cinnamon rolls in the oven. If there isn’t time for that, a simple candle of such scents will suffice.

● Letting the light in. A dark house is a big turn off. Open up the blinds, let the light in and turn on the lights during the day.

● Your asking price. Don’t insist on setting the price too high, especially if you’re on a timeline. A house priced appropriately will be taken more seriously and will ultimately sell more quickly that one that’s overpriced. Many Realtors® will begin by conducting a comparative market analysis of your house and give you an estimate of the fair market value of your home, which is a range that will fluctuate depending on the housing market in your area and how similar homes in your neighborhood are selling for.

Your Realtor® will also be able to discuss any additional recommendations and begin the final phases of preparation before your house goes on the market.