Are you planning to sell your home sometime soon? If you are getting ready to put your home on the market, you want to be certain to get as much for your home as possible. Fortunately, there are several simple steps that you can take to make this happen. Here are five ways to sell your home for top dollar.

Tip #1: Improve Its Condition

First of all, make a good first impression on buyers by making it look great from the curb. Paint is cheap, compared to most home improvements. So, I always recommend exterior trim paint or even painting the whole house. Certainly get the exterior doors painted, including the garage door. Then, plant flosers and trim bushes and trees. Make the yard look clean and healthy.

Tip #2: Get Proper Exposure

To get that top price you need to attract many offers. To attract many offers you need to contact many buyers. To do that you must use every form and method of communicating to the buyer market. That means local stuff and global stuff. These days, your buyers may be searching from another city or even another country.

Tip #3: Time it Right!

Sell in a seller’s market - duh! That’s not going to happen any time soon. But, you can maximize your position by selling in the busy real estate season…Spring through early Fall. There are more buyers in the market during those months. Also, improve your position by selling during times of lowest interest rates and terms. When the lending conditions improve the number of qualified buyers in your price range increases. The more of them, the merrier for you!

Tip #4: Don’t Delay, Sell Today

Price and market the home to sell quickly. It’s the only smart strategy in a declining market. In fact, agents and buyers view homes that linger on the market longer than average as “stale”. That is, they immediately wonder why others have not purchased the home and they often do not even tour. If you do “miss the mark” on price or advertising, and the home remains on the market longer than average, you may want to take it off the market for a time and start over with a fresh price and marketing effort.

Tip #5: Price it Right

Don’t price the home too high. The home price is determined by what a well-informed qualified buyer will pay for your home - not what you think it’s worth. Be sober, calculating and realistic. Pricing too high is harmless enough in a rising market. But, in a declining market it is foolhardy. Your pricing goal is to get the maximum total views online and live tours in the initial weeks on the market. Too high a price will spell death to that goal. Want proof? Check local listings for all the homes that have lowered list price or dropped off the market unsold in the last 90 days.

Getting the top dollar on your home sale is within reach. It’s not a secret formula and it’s certainly not just luck. These Five Steps will help you succeed.

About the Author: John Allen represents buyers and sellers of fine Sarasota real estate, including condos. Also, special thanks to the team at Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate.

categories: Yorba Linda Real Estate,home improvement,mortgage lending,home sales,housing,Sarasota real estate,financing,home loans