Celeste Dunn is one of the top realtors in San Diego, and she has helped many homeowners earn top-dollar when selling their homes. She has over 21 years of real estate experience, which has taught her a great deal about how to get a home ready to sell in this competitive market. Here are a few of her home selling tips that she’d like to share with potential sellers as they begin to think about putting their house on the market. These tips are simple and practical, and they have the potential to make your home stand out on the market among other homes for sale in Mission Hills.
Define a realistic timeline
Like Stephen Covey says in his world-renowned book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, it’s important to begin with the end in mind. When do you want to sell your home? This can’t happen overnight—it’ll likely take multiple months (if not longer) for your house to sell. If you start early and set a realistic goal, you’ll allow yourself more time to take care of all of the important details, and you’ll give yourself enough margin so that you don’t feel too stressed or overwhelmed as you move forward in the process. You can also use this timeline to figure out when you’ll implement each of the home selling tips from this list that you want to act on.
Schedule a home inspection
If there are major mechanical or structural issues with your home, you’ll want to know about them before you list your home. This gives you a chance to take the necessary steps to fix these problems so that they won’t show up on the buyer’s inspection later on. If the buyer’s inspection comes back clean, you’ll be one step closer to closing without hitting any speed bumps that may otherwise slow you down. Learn more here about what home inspectors look for, and why hiring one is a wise decision.
Make the right upgrades
All upgrades aren’t created equally. Some additions or projects can help your home sell for a better price, as long as they’re the right choices. Some investments won’t return the same amount of money that you spend to do them. One key factor to consider is what upgrades other homes for sale in Mission Hills already have and whether or not your home also features these amenities. This is where a local knowledgeable agent like Celeste Dunn can offer key insights.
Take professional pictures
First impressions—both good and bad—are hard to forget. For many potential buyers, the first impression they develop of your home comes from the pictures they see on the online listing. With this in mind, rather than snapping a few pictures with your phone, it’ll benefit you to work with a professional photographer who will help you show your home in the best possible light.
Develop your home’s online appeal
Professional photos are a major piece of your home’s online presence. However, it’s not the only thing that a potential buyer will consider when they look through your home’s online listing. Take time to write the best possible description of your home that highlights the best of its key spaces and features. Your realtor likely has experience in this area and may be willing to offer a hand.
Stage your home
After someone sees your home online, they may schedule an in-person showing. A properly staged home helps a buyer picture living in the space. There are a few easy ways that you can stage your home to catch a buyer’s eye. For starters, you should thoroughly clean and declutter your home before you start accepting showings. Once this is done, you can do small things to help the space appear more liveable. This may be as simple as setting the table with plates, cups, and silverware, or rolling up a few towels and placing them near the bathtub or shower in the master bathroom.
Set a realistic price
There are several relevant factors when pricing a home, and ignoring any of them can cause you to set a price that’s too high or low. For starters, look at the sales prices for other homes in your area over the past few months. Be strategic about when (or if) you reduce the price of your home. Buyers will know when the price is reduced, as well as how many times you’ve previously dropped your asking price. You don’t want them wondering if there’s something wrong with the home and if this is why it has remained on the market. You can eliminate many of these potential problems by pricing your house at the right amount from the beginning. Here’s a little more wisdom on how to accurately price your home.
Work with an experienced agent
As you can see, there are several nuances and intricacies when it comes to selling a home. Thankfully, this process isn’t something you have to do alone. An experienced agent can walk you through the entire process and make sure that you’re set up for success. One agent who consistently provides support and wisdom for those buying and selling homes in Mission Hills is Celeste Dunn. Her wealth of experience with buying and selling Mission Hills real estate is reflected in the wisdom of each home selling tip that you read above. She can tailor her knowledge and insight to your specific circumstances and is looking forward to hearing from you.
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock