Get the Best House Sell Price
Everyone wants to get the best price possible when selling their home. A combination of
planning, preparation and strategic negotiation can get you the price you want for your
property. Read the suggestions below that will help you get the best house sell
prices.
Planning
Your first step toward getting a good price for your house is to plan in advance. If you have
the luxury of time, you should wait until the prime buying season in your area before putting
your house on the market. Depending on the area, that may be in late April through August, or
toward the end of the year.
Do a little research for your particular market. Know the highest and average prices for
which homes have sold in your neighborhood. By pricing your home within 10-15% of the
average market price, you'll be putting yourself in the right place to negotiate.
Research your ability to offer funding options and incentives to buyers. If you have a healthy
amount of equity in your house, you may be able to offer such incentives as owner financing of
down payment, or assuming all closing costs, both of which are powerful incentives for young
home buyers.
Preparation
Your next step is to get your house ready to go on the market. Examine your property with a critical
eye and plan repairs and fix-ups. Make any needed repairs, particularly ones that affect the
appearance of the house. Fix leaky faucets, make sure that every light switch works, mow the
lawn and touch up the trim.
You should concentrate on the outside because the first impression that your house makes on
buyers is often the one that will remain with them. Try adding flowers to walkways or in
hanging baskets on porches, paint the railings and porch trim and trim the bushes neatly.
Inside your home, you should depersonalize and de-clutter. When buyers look at your house,
you want them to see themselves in it, not you. The less clutter and personal effects that
are in evidence, the easier it is for their imagination to fill in the details with their
own belongings.
In addition, you should make every effort to make the showings comfortable. While you
should never show your house alone for safety reasons, it's a good idea to get children
and pets out from underfoot while you show the property.
Negotiation
Negotiation is an important aspect of selling a home. When setting your price, try to
include some wiggle room in your asking price to allow room for negotiation. In addition,
by asking questions and getting to know the buyers, you can arrange incentives that will
appeal to them. Post your questions in a friendly, non-threatening way. In other words,
appear interested in selling but not eager.
It's also smart to divorce yourself emotionally from the sale. Remain calm and friendly,
and be prepared to offer options and incentives to buy.
Another great negotiation tactic is to be prepared with non-cash alternatives to lowering
the price. Offer to include fixtures like custom window blinds or tools, or backyard fittings.
Finally, use the monthly mortgage as a reference point when closing the sale rather than
the selling price. You'd be surprised how little effect several thousand dollars can have
on the monthly mortgage.
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