EASY WEEKEND PROJECTS TO BOOST A HOUSE FOR SALES APPEAL
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” It’s a saying that job applicants (at least the successful ones) take to heart. It’s why a lot of serious primping goes on before a blind date. It’s why movie directors spend as much time as it takes to light and prepare the first shot that will introduce their lead actress. And if you’re going to have a house for sale in Las Vegas this summer, it’s why it’s worth it to take pains to make itsfirst impression as strong as possible. Making any Las Vegas house for sale’s debut a success doesn’t have to break your back or your bank account. Here are some simple, affordable projects that can be done in a single weekend: Update Exterior Lighting For prospective buyers whose first look at your house for sale comes in an evening drive-by, exterior lighting plays a leading role. If your lighting setup is more than ten years old, you may be able to do a quick transformation by replacing outdated fixtures with stylish new ones. If twilight showings are likely, consider adding a lighted path from driveway to door. Warm Up the Front Porch There’s an emotional component that goes into making a house for sale—one that’s truly “inviting.” Often, the key factor is whether prospective buyers can easily picture themselves and their family enjoying an afternoon or evening in the place. Think about whether investing in a few pieces of attractive, comfortable-looking outdoor furniture you could place on the front porch (or other outdoor space) could help buyers picture themselves enjoying a leisurely after-dinner conversation…and whether a comfy indoor/outdoor rug and some outdoor decorative pillows might complete the picture. Invest in Simple Landscaping Even just a few pots or planters will invariably work to cheer up an otherwise ‘just okay’ exterior. When a prospective Las Vegas buyer drives up to a house for sale, a few large pots along the driveway and/or porch—sometimes with the addition of a couple of inexpensive desert plants and flowers—can make a real difference. Fill them with easy-to-care-for annuals like latania. Don’t freely mix colors in any one box or pot: that can mute the cheerful effect that a solid mass of yellow, pink or red conveys. Trim Up! You don’t necessarily have to paint the whole exterior before you list your house for sale—but it is a good idea to spruce it up by painting (or replacing) the front door, shutters, and trim. It’s a quick, affordable way to give the entire house a facelift without spending tons on painters and paint! Mothball the Mailbox Potential buyers may be searching for the address, so a mailbox with old, peeling house numbers can sabotage an entire showing. A new mailbox with bright, shiny numbers will waylay that possibility. For brick mailboxes, just replace the old house numbers and flag. If you are thinking of listing your house for sale in Las Vegas, July is prime time to start the ball rolling. Call me today to discuss your pre-marketing plan—we’ll develop one that’s designed to fetch top dollar for your property!
SUMMERTIME LISTINGS AND SUMMERTIME SELLING MISTAKES
The Las Vegas listings aren’t dominated by any particular kind of seller—like local listings everywhere, all kinds of homeowners are represented. One attribute they generally have in common is the motivation to make their sale happen quickly. Sometimes that’s because they have settled on a new home purchase and want to avoid months of paying double duty on multiple residences. Sometimes a seller is relocating; sometimes there’s been a death or divorce. Regardless of the reason for entering their property in the Las Vegas listings, most sellers are strongly motivated to do what it takes to accomplish a sale. Even in what has proven to be a generally strong market, a quick sale can be harder to accomplish during the summer months when buyers have other priorities on their minds—like vacations or the impending start of school. It might seem to be a less than optimum environment to enter the Las Vegas listings, but the fact is, sales DO happen during the vacation months: and they can happen quickly—especially when the seller avoids some common missteps: Not Perfecting the Homes Appearance. Sometimes it’s actually fairly easy to make minor remodeling changes that will make a home appear nearly “like new”—in person and in the listings. Another commonly missed step is a one-time extremely detailed deep cleaning (professionally when necessary). A home purchase is an emotional investment as well as a rational one, with the ‘clean as a whistle’ dimension sure to add considerable appeal to prospective buyers. Not Taking Advantage of the Home Staging Industry Based on statistics, professional home stagers give homes a look that buyers prefer. Of course, the decision to stage depends on the home sellers’ budget—but some stagers work within all budgets, so a consultation may be worth considering in any case. Consider staging as interior design for the sales process. It’s also true that staged interiors also tend to display better in the listings. Being Present During the Buyer Visit No matter how sensible being there to answer any questions a potential buyer might have, remaining present during a showing is usually a misstep. Experts state that in practice, this tends to discourage substantive movement toward a sale. Ignoring Offers You may be on vacation and have trouble getting to a place where documents can be signed—but that’s not a reason why ignoring a low offer becomes a good idea. Yes, there are some offers that are just too low, but the way to respond is to counter the offer. By ignoring any legitimate offer, a Las Vegas home seller could be walking away from a buyer who has financing and may actually be willing to negotiate for a home (sometimes it’s the one they really have settled on). Sellers who benefit most from this kind of negotiation are likely to have done the work necessary to make their home sellable at top price. If you are looking to add your home to the Las Vegas listings this summer, contact me ASAP to discuss a marketing strategy that’s right for your property.
SELLING YOUR LAS VEGAS HOME WHEN OVERPRICINGS A GOOD IDEA
A crucial part of selling your Las Vegas home comes right at the outset—when you set your asking price. It boils down to a decision to go high (the I-love-this-place-and-gotta-have-it-no-matter-what price); or low, with a number that is just under neighborhood comparables (the I’d-better-snap-this-up-before-someone-else-does price). Success in selling your home quickly is commonly understood to correspond with the lower price strategy, it’s true. But are there ever reasons why you would want to set a price that’s significantly higher than your neighborhood usually commands? Is there EVER a right time? Although the common wisdom for selling your home is a pretty firm ‘NEVER!’—but there might be some possible exceptions. When might it be reasonable to ‘test the market’? Here are a few: No true comparables. If you have a Las Vegas home that’s verifiably one of a kind in the area, comparisons based on size, number of bedrooms and baths might be misleading. In such a case, it’s important that the differences be blatant—obvious to everyone—because banks and other lenders are likely to need considerable persuading, “Comps” are easy to justify, which is why they are the usual reference points that make loan officers comfortable. But keep in mind that it’s an absolute ‘must’ for selling your home with a higher-than-comparable listing price: it’s got to be a gem! Uniqueness. Selling your Las Vegas home at an elevated may be justified when it offers features that aren’t duplicated anywhere else in the area. This can be the case when the location is unique, as when the views from the living room are breathtaking, or a long driveway or dense plantings offer seclusion in an otherwise crowded neighborhood. To warrant the elevated price tag, those unique features should be easily describable in marketing materials. No need to sell. If demand for properties in your area is intense—but you have no urgent need for selling your home right now, you might decide to list at a price that would warrant a move for financial reasons. This is the weakest reason to price high: it usually ends in wasted effort without much to show for it. The list of reasons why overpricing is usually a terrible idea would include showings lost, appraisals that come in at lower than sale price, offers from prospective buyers discouraged, etc. The fact is, when it comes to selling your home, you’re probably looking for a speedy sale at a fair price. If you are going to be selling your own Las Vegas property this season, give me a call. We can go over how your property is likely to fare in today’s market—and draw up a selling plan that will meet your goals!
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