Peggy Chirico ~ Hartford & Tolland County Real Estate Blog: How to Sell Your Home in Ten Days

How to Sell Your Home in Ten Days

This home had been listed for one week when we received two offers on it, one of which the sellers accepted.  I have also had listings that have sat on the market for much longer before they have sold.  What's the difference?

We have been in a tough real estate market: lots of inventory, high absorption rates, choosy buyers, job security woes.  But the upside is that there are great houses on the market, lots to choose from, and really great interest rates.

So was there anything different about this house that made it sell so fast? Yes!  The owners did everything they could to present their home in the best possible light.  Here are some suggestions if you want to sell your home fast:

1.  Do the upgrades now.   

The owners knew that they would eventually be moving so the began early to make all the improvements they felt they needed to do to sell their home.  All the mechanicals were replaced, central air was installed, the windows and roof were replaced, and the interior was changed to appeal to today's buyers.  They installed new hardwood floors, used designer paint colors, decluttered and depersonalized, and bought a few new pieces of furniture for that model-home look. 

You don't have to spend a lot of money to improve your home; there are several low-cost improvements that anyone can undertake.

2.  Be ready for every showing.

The owners established a routine of keeping the home clean and in show-ready condition.  Every showing was an A+ because they used a few quick tricks to keep their home in show-ready shape.  Granted, they do not have young children and that made it much easier, but they do have a dog that does a lot of shedding.  Everyone has challenges, and homeowners have to figure out how to manage those.  If you have small children, storage will be key so that you can quickly tidy up before showings.

3.  Make showings as easy as possible.

The homeowners made sure that they were reachable at all times.  They always had their cell phones on and let me know if they were going to be away at any time.  They cheerfully packed up the dog as quickly as possible if there was a last minute showing, and, as was mentioned above, they prepared the home every morning in case there might be a showing that day.  The agents who showed the house always mentioned how appreciative they were that showings were not a hassle.

4.  Price your home competitively.

This home had been on the market before at a much higher price, and it did not sell.  There were quite a few showings, all with positive feedback, but there were no offers because it was priced too high for the market.  This time around, however, the homeowners took a very realistic look at the market statistics and at their goals.  Their objective was to sell before a certain time and they agreed on a price that would accomplish that.  Many homeowners feel that they don't have to sell, and so they "take a stab at it" with a price that is too high.  Most of the time, they won't sell at that price and will set the right price when they decide that they do have to sell.  Taking a "see what happens" approach to selling a house will not produce the desired results.

If you are thinking of putting your home on the market and would like a quick sale, consider doing some of the things these homeowners did.  You too may be able to sell your home in 10 days.