Dear Olivia,
We want to put our home on the market soon. But we’re concerned it will get lost in the crowd. What can we do to make it stand out from the rest?
Sincerely,
Moving On
This is a great question! And it’s one that all sellers should ask themselves.
Ask most sellers, and they’ll tell you that they want their home to sell as quickly as possible. Based on your question, I can assume the same is true for you.
Fortunately, there are many things that you and your Realtor can do to help differentiate your home from similar homes on the market. Let’s go over a few of them.
Freshen Things Up
I talk about this a lot, but there’s a reason for it – it’s such an effective way to make your home more attractive to buyers!
A little elbow grease goes a long way, and since it’s essentially free, it’s also one of the most budget-friendly things you can do to help separate your home from others on the market.
Give the kitchen and bathrooms particular attention. They should be absolutely spotless not only for showings but also when photos are taken of your home.
Address the front door area as well. Wash the windows, wipe down the door, get the cobwebs out of the corners, and generally make the entry into your home as inviting as possible.
If you have the money, a fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your home as well!
Emphasize Space
Photo by Mark McCammon from Pexels
It’s easy to collect things over the years, and the more things we collect, the more cluttered our homes become.
Clutter is your enemy if you’re selling your home. It makes your home feel smaller than it is. Be it too much furniture in the living room or a closet that’s bursting at the seams, when buyers see clutter, it’s an instant turn-off.
So, you can help buyers remember your home as being a good option by emphasizing the space it offers. Edit the furniture pieces you have in each room. Make sure they’re sized appropriately and that there is enough room to maneuver around them.
In the kitchen, clean and organize the cupboards and drawers. Take everything off the counters too – you want to show people how much counter space there is, and that’s hard to do if every small appliance you own is sitting out!
Clean and organize your closets as well. Potential buyers will look in the closets, so you want them to see a closet that’s about half full – it’ll give the impression that there is more than enough storage in your home!
Price Your Home Right
One of the most critical components of setting your home apart from the crowd is to price it right.
You want a price that will maximize your return, but you also want it to be a realistic price and one that makes buyers think, “Wow, that’s a great deal!”
This doesn’t mean you have to price it below market value. But in many situations, what we feel our home is worth might not be supported by what the market tells us it’s worth. So, be open to what your Realtor has to say about the price point, and trust that they understand the best price to get your home sold as quickly as possible.
You Need the Right Realtor, Too
Lastly, who you hire as your Realtor matters! Some Realtors embrace marketing more than others. Likewise, some Realtors are more technologically-savvy than others. These things can make a huge difference in how your home is promoted and how many people see it.
For example, at Wind River Realty, we utilize modern technologies like virtual tours, narrated YouTube videos, Amazon Alexa audio tours, and private FaceTime tours to show our properties to potential buyers near and far.
Additionally, we used our social media presence to target our marketing to certain areas and demographics to ensure that the right people see that your home is for sale.
Marketing isn’t all about statistics and target markets, though. It requires a lot of work. So be sure you select a Realtor that will work hard for you – it’s often the X-factor that helps your home stand out from the crowd!