Virginia Homes, Farms, and Land

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1200 Willow Ridge Road-small-009-living room

Lovely Home Prepared to Sell

Here are some tips for getting your home ready to sell from my friend Leonard Winslow of Movement Mortgage.

Prepping Your Home for a Successful Sale November 2013
It may be a seller’s market again, but you still want to move your home quickly and get the best price for your property. Here are some tips that will make selling your home faster, less stressful, and more profitable.1. Choose the right real estate agent. It’s important to hire a professional that knows just how to showcase your home to its best advantage. Get referrals from friends and family, and set up interviews with agents you think you can work best with. Be sure to ask about MLS listings, setting up mobile advertising, and open houses. You’ll be working closely with the agent and relying on them to help you set pricing and draw up your contract; don’t just take the first person that comes along.

The right agent will even be able to assist you with the other tips on this list. Remember, real estate agents are experts at buying and selling homes, and they are on your side: They want you to sell your home quickly and for a great price, because, after all, that is their business.

2. Create an amazing first impression. This means cleaning, clearing, and de-cluttering. Your home needs to be almost a blank canvas upon which the buyers can project themselves and their possessions. Strive to make your home look as much like a model home as you can. From the driveway to the basement, your property needs to be neat and tidy, personal items should be stowed away, rooms should be bright and cheerful, and you should do all you can to make each space look large and inviting.

3. Make some minor tweaks. If your home needs a little help to look its best, select quick and inexpensive updates that will give you the most bang for your buck. A coat of neutral paint, professionally cleaned carpets, and a new dishwasher or even new drawer pulls can make a huge difference to a buyer on the fence.

4. Get a home inspection. This one is a bit unusual, but it could save you some heartache in the end. Your buyers will almost certainly insist on an inspection, so instead of getting blindsided by dry rot in support-bearing beams or electricity that’s not up to code, you can know what’s coming, choose what you wish to address, and price accordingly.

While many factors are on the side of the seller in today’s market — including low inventories in many desirable neighborhoods and slowly rising mortgage interest rates — it’s still in your best interest to put some effort into getting your home into the best shape for showings that you possibly can.

LEONARDWINSLOW
direct: (434) 760-2580 2271 Seminole Trail
NMLS: 265272 Charlottesville, VA 22903
leonard.winslow@movementmortgage.com