How to sell your home: Part 2

March 20, 2008 in real estate

Yesterday I went over the first of three critical elements if you want to generate a quick sale in today’s Astoria housing market. You see, contrary to the belief of some Sellers today you want your house “sold” not “for sale”. The second ingredient is product. Our local market on the Oregon Coast is very competitive, especially in Clatsop County. We were cruising along at 8-10 months of inventory, but in the last three months residential inventory has nearly doubled. How does that effect somebody with an Astoria home for sale? It means instead of 20 homes directly completing with yours in terms of price and location, you would now have 35. That’s right, a Buyer for your home would have 35 other homes that also meet their search criteria. What now? If you priced your home correctly, you’ll have a slight upper hand on the competition.

The next element you can control as a Seller is product, or your home. The basics are very important: clean, clean, and clean more. After your house is sparkling, you might want to consider using a home stager to help you arrange your furniture in the most appealing manner and eliminate clutter. Your Realtor can help you determine if staging is needed. Next you need to walk through the home with a very critical eye, just as a Buyer will. Any unfinished projects need to be buttoned up, maybe some rooms need fresh paint or a more neutral color. Once the inside is under control, it’s time to move to the outside. The first thing a buyer sees first hand is the view from the curb. Walk across the street and look at your home. Does the yard need some help? Maybe some fresh mulch or plant some flowers for color. Please make sure you pressure wash any of that coastal green slime that grows on everything during the winter months. Even small things like a fresh coat of paint on the trim can help. The idea is to maximize the appearance in any way possible. Every little detail needs to be addressed.

A Buyer today looking in Astoria has lots of options, many more than even one year ago. Remember, your Buyer is looking at your home and 3, 5, or maybe 10 others. When you directly compete with that many homes, the Buyer will be more critical to trim the list. You need to be on the short list, and the key is price and product. Stay tuned for the final installment.