3 Bedroom Staging Tips That Will Get Potential Buyers Excited About Your Home

3 Bedroom Staging Tips That Will Get Potential Buyers Excited About Your HomeArranging an open house is one of the most important parts of selling your home, but there can be a lot of tricks involved in staging it so you’ll get the right offers. While the kitchen and the living room may be a bit more straightforward, here are some tips for staging your bedroom that will be sure to get buyers interested in making an offer on your home.

Brighten The Bedding

It’s one thing to have makeshift bedding when you only have your family to impress, but when it comes to having an open house, you’ll need to be prepared to make a statement. Instead of a mish-mash of colors and styles, ensure that you have one style and one look you’re going for, and ensure that it’s not cluttered with too many pillows and colors. You’ll also want to make sure the colors you choose match the rest of the décor in your room so the viewer isn’t distracted by the sight.

Minimize The Clutter

Few things will swallow the space in your bedroom like a lot of clutter, so it’s important to clear out any extras from your room before you have any viewers. While it’s a given that you’ll want to get rid of extra papers and anything additional that’s obstructing the eye, it’s also important to clear out any oversized pieces of furniture. It’s possible that you have a chaise lounge you’re in love with, but if it swallows the room, you may want to re-consider it when staging time comes.

Don’t Forget About The Walls

There are few things that will illuminate a room like a good piece of art, so ensure that your favorite space isn’t entirely empty when it comes the time to stage your home. While you won’t want to have something that’s too dramatic or colorful, ensure that it’s something that matches the color and style of your room and will help to illuminate the elements that make it ideal. It’s also important to choose the right size of print so that it doesn’t completely overwhelm your space.

There are a lot of small details that go into staging a home properly, but you can be sure to show your bedroom effectively by keeping it clutter free and making it match.

Yes, It’s True! Why Replacing Your Front Door Can Help to Sell Your Home Faster

Yes, It's True! Why Replacing Your Front Door Can Help to Sell Your Home FasterThere are plenty of things that you’ll need to shape up when you embark on selling your home, whether it’s painting the house or the minor fix-ups, but it’s easy to forget about some items that will be readily apparent to homebuyers. If you’re preparing to put your home on the market and are wondering what you shouldn’t miss, here are a few reasons why replacing your front door should be at the top of the list.

It’s The First Thing Buyers Will Notice

While the yard and the exterior of your home may be the most noticeable things to a potential homebuyer when they visit your home, the door will be one of the most imposing things they come across. Because this will be the access point for your home, the quality and stability of your door will create the first impression, good or bad. If you happen to have a flimsy or poorly designed door that is aging, it may be time to invest in something more substantial that will create a positive impression.

A Sense Of Safety

An aesthetically appealing door may be pretty important when it comes to making an instant impression, but a solid door will be key in providing potential buyers with an idea of safety and stability. One of the most important things for homebuyers when it comes to purchasing a home is the sense of security it provides, and a sturdy door will go a long way towards making your community and the potential new dwelling feel like a welcome abode.

Increases Your Home’s Value

There are plenty of small renovations you can take on that will bump up the value of your home, but replacing an unsound door is important because most homeowners won’t to make this upgrade right away. While it may seem like buying a door will be a significant splurge, there are actually many great options for a relatively economical price. It’s just important to find something that won’t break the bank and will fit in with your renovation budget.

When it comes times to sell your home, there are many renovations that can instantly bump up its value. However, many people forget that the door provides one of the first impressions and a sense of security and comfort.

5 Tips for Crafting a Counter-offer That Doesn’t Scare Away a Potential Home Buyer

5 Tips for Crafting a Counter-offer That Doesn't Scare Away a Potential Home BuyerIf you’ve recently put your home up for sale, one of the most exciting parts of the selling process is getting an offer. However, all is not said and done once you’ve received an offer, as you’ll probably want to negotiate a better price. If you’re wondering how you can counter without losing a potential buyer, here are some tips when the time comes to negotiate.

Lower Your Price (A Little)

As a seller, it’s important to believe in the price you’ve put your home on the market for, but lowering your asking price after getting an offer will tell the potential buyer that you’re flexible. While you may not want to compromise too much, you’ll have to move a bit to keep them interested.

Pay For Closing Costs

There are so many costs involved in home ownership that many people are tired of all the associated fees of buying a home by the time it comes to closing. Instead of budging on your price, offering to pay for the closing costs can serve as a significant financial benefit for many buyers.

Hold Off On Offers

It can be a risky strategy, but choosing a specific day to consider offers can create a healthy competition for your home, and may stimulate interest without losing potential buyers. While you’ll want to be careful how you navigate this, it can work out well when it comes to bumping up the offers.

Provide An Expiration Date

Most counter-offers come with a timeframe that will allow those interested to accept the deal; however, consider adjusting this period to a timeframe that will work better for you. While you shouldn’t wait too long, a period of more than one day will tell the potential buyer that you want your home to be the right choice for them.

Be Reliable And Responsive

For an interested homebuyer, there’s nothing worse than having a home-seller that is not responsive to their offer. Instead of sitting on an offer too long, ensure you’re letting interested parties know that you’re considering their offer and will get back to them as soon as you’ve made a decision.

The art of negotiating can be complicated when it comes to selling your home, but by being responsive and showing flexibility, you may be able to get the offer you’re looking for.

Selling Your Home? Understanding Why a Buyer Might Withdraw — and How to Win Them Back

Selling Your Home? Understanding Why a Buyer Might Withdraw -- and How to Win Them BackIt may seem like the hard part is over once you’ve received a few offers on your home and are preparing for the negotiation process. Unfortunately, anything can happen until the papers and signed and this means that potential homebuyers can back out. If you’re dealing with a wavering bidder and are wondering how you can win them back, here are some reasons they might withdraw and how you may be able to win them over.

The Price Is Too High

It’s possible that when it comes to negotiating, many interested parties will offer to put down a little more than they otherwise would have; however, when it comes to sealing the deal, they may realize the price is a little higher than what they wanted to spend. Instead of letting the negotiations fall through, consider lowering your price slightly to give the potential homebuyer a hook. You don’t have to lower your price by a significant margin, but it will let them know that you’re still interested in selling to them.

An Unresponsive Negotiation

The power may be in your hands when someone is interested in your home, but it’s still very important to stay responsive so that you can ensure a potential homebuyer won’t lose interest. If you may have rubbed someone the wrong way with a slow response time, ensure that you reach out and keep them aware of the process and your timeline. It may seem like a small gesture, but it means a lot to someone who is interested in your home and may be working under a time crunch.

Still Not Convinced?

There are a variety of reasons that a homebuyer may withdraw from negotiations, whether it’s the neighborhood or too much home or they’ve found a better deal. But, if you’re really interested in the offer you’ve received, you may want to consider offering a little extra in order to win them back. Whether you decide to pay their closing costs or provide a closer move-in date, there are plenty of little things you can do that will make them re-consider their options.

There are many reasons that a buyer might withdraw their offer on your home, but by being communicative and offering some extras you may be able to re-negotiate a deal.

Selling Your Home? 3 Ways You Can Use Your Social Network to Speed up Your Sale

Selling Your Home? 3 Ways You Can Use Your Social Network to Speed up Your Sale There are many traditional ways to sell your home, from the MLS listings to a sign in the front yard. However, the ease of the Internet and the utility of social media can make it easier than ever to find the right buyer. If you’re getting prepared to put your home on the market and are trying to determine a strategy, here are some ways you can use social media to improve your selling odds.

Tweet Out The Details

Twitter accounts may more frequently be linked with a person, but because of the short burst of information involved in a tweet, it’s actually a great way to market your home. Whether you want to shout out a particular detail that’s worthy of recognition or make a more general statement about what it offers to potential homebuyers, this can be a clever means of getting the attention of interested parties. It’s just important to make sure you don’t overdo it, so stick with a few tweets per day.

Create Your Own Website

Most homes will have a page on their real estate agent’s website, but having your own website for your home can be an easy means of drawing people in to its best features. While it doesn’t have to cost money or be too fancy to attract the right people, you’ll want to make sure that you have professional photos and pertinent information so the right buyers will be able to determine if it’s a good option for them.

Post On Facebook

According to Postling, up to 80% of real estate agents use Facebook to market their properties online, and this means that Facebook can be an ideal site for you to find an audience. It might seem surprising, but many people search for homes for sale on Facebook, so having a page set up that provides the right details and has some striking images may just snag you the homebuyer you’re looking for. It’s also a great way to leverage your group of friends and reach even more potential buyers.

It’s beneficial to utilize more traditional methods when it comes to selling your home, but there are plenty of ways that you can use social media to enhance your home’s profile and find unexpected leads.

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Selling Your First Home

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Selling Your First HomeIt’s often so exciting to think of buying a new home that homeowners forget about the sale, but there are a lot of details involved in putting a home on the market. Whether you’re just considering selling or are readying to put your home up, here are some things you might not know about the process.

Marketing Strategy Is Important

The days of putting a sign on the front yard and waiting for buyers are gone, so it’s important to have a strategy that will successfully highlight your house. Whether you decide to make a website, use social media or invest in a professional photographer, ensure you’re prepared to put your home out there.

The Right Price Is Everything

You have the ability to change your asking price at any time, but it’s best to hit the market with a price that is both reasonable and competitive. This will not only prevent your home from lingering on the market, it will make it more likely you’ll get the offer you’re looking for.

Fixing It Up Is Important

You might want to avoid minor fix-ups before selling your home, but maintenance issues can impact the offers you’ll receive. Instead of leaving these for the next homeowner, put time aside to do paint touch-ups, repair doors or insulate the windows so the small things don’t affect your offer.

Prepare To Pack

It’s great to receive an offer on your home, but packing up can be one of the most stressful aspects of moving. Instead of leaving this to the last minute, do some preliminary ‘spring cleaning’ to discard the stuff you won’t use and pack up the stuff you won’t soon need. This will make moving out a little smoother.

Be Ready For An Open House

It can be a pain to stage your home and leave on short notice to accommodate an interested homebuyer, but a good open house is one of your best bets for selling your home. This means your house should be clean and clutter free all the time so only a few last-minute fix-ups will be required.

There are a lot of things involved in selling your first home, but by completing the little fix ups and choosing the right price, you’ll be well on your way to an interested buyer.

Struggling to Sell Your House in the Winter? Try These Innovative Home Staging Tips

Struggling to Sell Your House in the Winter? Try These Innovative Home Staging TipsWith all of the busyness of the winter months and most people settling in for the season, it can be hard to achieve a successful home sale at the end of the year. Fortunately, if you simply can’t wait to put your home on the market, here are some staging tips that will engage potential buyers so you won’t have to wait much longer for an offer.

Add Accents To Your Neutrals

It’s often the case that a home with neutral colors will show better because potential buyers can envision themselves in it, but there are ways to dress up neutral tones that will add spark. Instead of leaving your place too ho-hum, try punching up the color palette with a few bright pieces that will catch the eye. Whether you add a throw, some pillows, a vase or a vivid painting, this can be a simple way to create a lasting impression.

Let The Light In

The winter months can be a more difficult time to let natural light in, but few things will have a more positive impact on how your home shows than the lighting. A warm, homey space that is lit in a way that maximizes your home’s best features will be sure to make potential home buyers interested. In addition, good lighting will work to minimize any flaws that might be more visible in a less flattering light.

Don’t Forget About The Senses

It’s easy to get so involved in cleaning and de-cluttering your home that you forget about creating ambiance, but engaging the senses can have a very positive impact on potential home buyers. Instead of leaving this aspect to chance, you may want to bake something to create a pleasant scent or play music so that people viewing your home will stick around a little longer. Potential home buyers may not be aware of it, but engaging the senses can have an unconscious effect on the impression your home leaves.

The winter months are not always the best time to put your home on the market, but it may just mean that you’ll need to put in a little more effort to make the sale. By engaging the senses and adding color to a neutral palette, you may just snag an ideal offer.

Trying to Decide Whether or Not to Sell Your Home? Here Are 5 Key Questions to Ask Yourself

Trying to Decide Whether or Not to Sell Your Home? Here Are 5 Key Questions to Ask YourselfSelling a home, especially one with sentimental value, is never an easy decision to make. There are many factors that go into determining if the home is ready to be listed and if the seller is actually ready to part with it.

Answering some simple questions can go a long way to help an owner decide whether or not it’s time to try and sell.

How Much Work Does The Home Require?

Some houses and condos are ready to hit the market immediately, but others have serious problems that would need to be disclosed to interested parties. It may not be wise to try and sell until all major issues are repaired.

What Is The Market Like In The Area?

Have similar homes in the neighborhood been selling quickly for a lot of money or have they been sitting on the market for years with no buyers? Any seller should look into the current market trends in their community to determine how much they would be able to sell for so they don’t lose money on the transaction.

When Is The Best Time To Sell?

Every city is different and the time of year can have a major impact on the market. A local real estate agent will have a strong comprehension of the best time of year to list the home, which could provide some valuable time to get it ready.

Will You Be Happier In A New Home?

Sometimes deciding to sell a home can become so overwhelming that people forget to ask themselves whether or not they will be happier in a new home. If the answer is a resounding ‘yes’ then there should be no question about selling.

Should A Real Estate Agent Be Involved?

It may seem easier for sellers to eschew the services of an agent to save a little money, but the nightmare that can follow without the assistance of somebody who has the time and experience to show and promote the home may not be worth it. Talk to local real estate professionals to see if there are any that feel like a good fit.

If you have been debating selling your home but still aren’t sure whether or not it’s the right time, speak with your trusted mortgage professional.

4 Terrible Mistakes Made by First-time Home Sellers

4 Terrible Mistakes Made by First-time Home SellersThere are a lot of different factors that go into selling a home for the first time that can make it a stressful process, but there are a few things home sellers should avoid for a successful sale. If you’re going to be putting your home on the market in the near future and are hoping for quick success, here are some common mistakes you’ll want to be sure to bypass.

Pricing Your Home Too High

It’s entirely likely that there’s an amount you have in mind when it comes to selling your home, but it’s important that your asking price is in line with the market conditions and what’s being offered. Instead of winging it, check the local neighborhood listings and see what similar homes are selling for so yours won’t be left to linger on the market.

Forgetting The Small Repairs

After you’ve put your home up for sale and have arranged an open house, one of the first things people will notice is the small repairs; like paint chips or loose doorknobs; that haven’t yet been fixed. Instead of letting this negatively impact the offers you’ll receive, complete the little fix-ups before you schedule your open house so potential homebuyers are not turned off.

Missing On Marketing

There are so many avenues for selling a home these days that it can be hard to know which way to go. However, it’s best to consider all of your options and utilize social media to widen the audience you’ll attract. Keep in mind that if you’re investing in a website or brochures, it’s important to hire a good photographer to show your home in its best light.

Selling It On Your Own

Hitting the market on your own can be rife with a lot of questions, so as a first-time seller you may want to consider the services of a real estate agent. It’s just important to ensure that the person you choose is qualified and has experience in your community so they can steer you in the right direction and offer up helpful advice when it’s required.

Selling a home for the first time can be a stressful thing to take on, but by utilizing the right agent and having reasonable expectations, it may be off the market before you know it.

Selling Social: How to Leverage Your Social Network to Sell Your Home Faster

Selling Social: How to Leverage Your Social Network to Sell Your Home FasterThere were days when the marketing of a home involved plunking a sign into the front yard, but with the power of the Internet, there are many mediums through which home sellers can find potential buyers. If you’re currently looking at ways to use the power of social media in order to get your ideal purchase price, here are some things you can do to best harness its capabilities.

Make A Facebook Page

According to the social market service provider, Postling, approximately 80% of real estate agents are now using Facebook in order to market and sell their properties. This means that Facebook is not only a great tool for agents, it can be an ideal means of marketing for you. By creating a Facebook page for your home that is professional looking and informative, you may be able to tap into a unique base of people without having to do a lot of legwork.

A Picture Says A Thousand Words

Open Houses can have a huge impact on finding the right buyer for your home, but a good picture can also be a great way of drawing in interested parties. Instead of creating a video or a website, you may want to try making a Pinterest account that highlights the rooms of your house and any special details that may work to entice homebuyers. It’s just important to make sure your pictures show your house in its best light so you can get people through the door.

Create A Twitter Account

It may seem a bit strange to create a Twitter account for your home, but it can actually be a fun and simple way to attract a broad mix of people and show what your home has to offer. Because a Tweet must engage people in 140 characters or less, it can be a great opportunity to articulate the benefits of your home in a concise, clear way. In addition, it’s an easy and affordable means of getting your home out there without having to invest money or time into marketing materials and a website.

From marketing material to a savvy real estate agent, there are a variety of ways to sell a home. However, with the power of social media, many home sellers have the opportunity to do the legwork without putting in a great deal of effort.