Spring Selling Tips: Make showings more effective

Before potential buyers tour the home, a seller should take specific steps to help make a strong and positive impression. That will greatly improve the chances of getting a prompt purchase offer at a higher price. Here are some tips from experienced real estate professionals that can enhance success for sellers in any market – including a decidedly lopsided buyer’s market like the one we are experiencing in 2009.

· Pricing Preliminaries

Avoid the strategy of setting the original listing price too high and then gradually lowering it if the house doesn’t generate any immediate interest. Precious days and weeks will be lost as buyers look elsewhere, and during the especially favorable springtime real estate shopping season it is critical to avoid wasting time.

Plus, routinely dropping the price in small increments often sends a subtle message that the house may have issues like needed repairs or other problems that are being uncovered by buyers or inspectors. In other words, the reputation of the property may suffer – even if it is a mistaken impression based on erroneous conjecture. By then it may be too late to overcome the negative marketplace perception because buyers will have moved on to shop elsewhere.

A more efficient and positive strategy is to set the list price not more than 2-3 percent above the desired sales price. Then negotiate down to that level if necessary, without running the risk of missing prime opportunities to attract serious buyers.

· Curb Appeal

Don’t spend money unless it is sure to give a strong return on the dollar. Paint is relatively inexpensive, and a good paint job can dress up even a drab and outdated home. But if the painters are sloppy, even premium designer paint will detract from the way the home looks. Never make the mistake of paying for a bad paint job, because buyers will see it and suspect that it was only done to hurriedly cover up and disguise underlying blemishes. Neat and tidy paint application is the key to success, and the basis of a professional looking job is the meticulous prep work that goes into readying the surface before any paint is applied.

Rather than redo entire bathrooms and kitchens, consider just replacing focal items like faucets, toilets, or cabinetry doors and counter top surfaces (rather that replacing the entire cabinet or counter). Lighting can do wonders, and if the floors need a makeover then consider using less costly laminates that look great but cost thousands of dollars less than real hardwoods.

Clean the gutters, manicure the landscape, tidy up the entryway, and add fresh mulch and blooming flowers to dress up the entire exterior look of the property. Varnish the front door and make sure that the doorbell works. A defunct doorbell may be just a $10 problem to fix, but to a skeptical buyer it can inspire deeper fears of seriously expensive electrical wiring problems throughout the entire home.

· Showing Appointments

Regardless of how much money is spent on marketing a house, if the actual scheduled showings of the home do not go well then nothing will work out as planned. Consider each showing appointment to be as important as a job interview, and think of each room of the house as a job applicant. Set it up like a model home before each showing and then vacate the premises – along with any pets that could distract buyers or trigger their allergies.

Take the dog for a walk or schedule a trip to the store with the kids while the house is being shown. If showings are at times that are too inconvenient and leave too little time to prepare the house beforehand, then discuss a more workable schedule with the listing agent. Staging a house for model home type showings can require extra energy and effort, but if it results in a faster sale that can be well worth the trouble.

Houses should look clean and smell clean, too. Realtors often joke that the smell of cleaning products helps sell homes, but there is plenty of truth in that statement. Remove all visible clutter – even if that means just pushing it into drawers until the showing is finished – because the less clutter a home has the more spacious it looks. Empty closets of everything that can be stored elsewhere; pick up errant pieces of laundry, and make the beds – even if that just means pulling a bedspread across the bed to make it look outwardly tidy.

The nation’s real estate inventory for residential properties is backlogged more than it has been in decades, and that does present special challenges to sellers. But those who employ these kinds of smart strategies and proactive tactics to show and sell their homes have a tremendous advantage – and the added confidence that they are doing everything possible to ensure a faster sale at a higher price.

Trust the sale of your home to a professional committed to expert service to the GLBT community at www.GayRealEstate.com. Or call toll free at 1-888-420-MOVE (6683).