Selling a home is a stressful event, especially when a real
estate boom goes bust. Here are ten tips to help you take
the stress out of selling your home in a tough market.
1. Do your Realtor homework. In a lousy real estate market,
you want the best help you can get to sell your home.
Prepare a list of questions, and take your time
interviewing a Realtor (or real estate professional).
Comparison shop. No one's rushing to buy homes this year,
so don't be in a rush to choose a Realtor.
2. Get ready. Many Realtors agree it takes 30 days to ready
a house before the "For Sale" signs goes up, because those
first impressions often will prove the most important
factor in whether a "looker" eventually becomes a "buyer."
Make the investment in external repairs that can mean the
difference between a quick "No" and extra time spent
examining your house. This is the time to paint, patch and
repair what buyers will see first. Buyers are more
forgiving in a strong real estate market, not in a weak
market.
3. Consult the owners of homes that successfully sell. What
buyers consider valuable can vary from region to region.
Ask those in your community with a newly placed "sold" sign
for pointers on how to prepare your house for sale. What
did they notice that most "lookers" paid attention to, or
commented on, when exploring their house? Ask for advice on
whether new carpet seemed more important than a fresh coat
of paint on the walls. Ask several owners of recently sold
homes, and take lots of notes. These can serve as your
guide to using your time wisely to prepare your home for
sale.
4. Actively engage your family. Let them know that there
will be "company," and to assist you with their unique
skills. Let the list-maker in your family make repair and
"sprucing up" lists, and keep lists of Open House dates and
other important information. Share the work of selling a
home, and every family member will have a personal stake in
your success. Delegating the work that goes into selling a
home also will dramatically reduce your stress.
5. Be flexible with personal plans. From the time the "For
Sale" sign goes up, plan in advance to be flexible about
activities that won't distract from your major goal. Don't
plan messy parties or major functions during this period,
because you want your home to be tidy at all times. Arrange
family gatherings elsewhere. When homes aren't selling,
avoid every misstep.
6. De-clutter. A cluttered house looks smaller. Rent a
temporary space at a local storage facility and fill it
with seasonal items extra clothes and even extra furniture.
A de-cluttered house also will reduce your stress levels by
simplifying the sprucing-up process. Place personal items
out of sight. If you're overworked and time-starved, place
an ad on Craigslist.org and hire a college student or
affordable cleaning service to help you. If you can't
afford that, consider downsizing your possessions. Are they
really worth cleaning, storing and stepping over year after
year?
7. Disappear your pets. (temporarily, of course) Not
everyone likes dogs; not everyone likes cats. Arrange for a
day away in a boarding facility or away from home with a
member of your family on Open House days. In a bad real
estate market, don't give potential buyers an excuse to
walk away.
8. Stage your house. There are professional staging
services, but if you can't afford it, you can also "stage"
your house to make it the most attractive. Exchange harsh
lighting for soft lighting. Veteran real estate
professionals swear by the smell of freshly baked cookies.
Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before you vacuum. Buy
a bouquet of fresh flowers such as inexpensive daisies to
brighten up your room.
9. Be honest. No house is perfect. Be honest about
shortcomings. The buyer will trust your honesty and be more
inclined to trust a decision to make a purchase. It's a
buyer's market, so become a trustworthy seller.
10. Be realistic. The higher the price, the longer it will
take to sell your home, especially in a lousy real estate
market with high foreclosure rates that are pushing home
prices down. Have a frank discussion with your agent about
what amount you will accept below the asking price, or how
long it will take to find a buyer who will meet your price.
Engage a practical friend or family member in this
discussion.
Selling your home during a tough real estate market isn't
impossible. It simply requires pulling out all the stops
and being fully informed.
----------------------------------------------------
Ruth Klein, America's De-Stress Diva™, is owner of
the award-winning firm The Marketing/Time Source. With a
master's degree in clinical psychology, Klein, is the
author of the best-selling Time Management Secrets for
Working Women and five other books on business and
lifestyle topics. Sign up to receive Ruth's 7 Part
Mini-Course on Branding and Productivity.
http://tinyurl.com/25tqo5
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