10 Steps to Sell Your Ann Arbor Home

Every home seller wants to know the secret to getting their home sold for the maximum amount of money. Really, there's no big secret; it's just a matter of following the 10 steps to selling below! You have a part and the Realtor has a part. Together we can make it happen!

10 Easy Steps to Selling Your Home in Ann Arbor

Step 1:

Hire an Expert Realtor

One of the most important things you can do when selling a home is to find the right Realtor. Not just someone who promises to list your home for a lot of money, but an agent who can deliver on that promise. Someone with years of experience in the area, someone who embraces the power of modern technology in the real estate market, and someone who just feels like a real, honest person you'd be comfortable working with.

Step 2:

Work the Curb Appeal

Make sure the first impression is a good one; buyers may not bother coming inside or even scheduling a showing if they don't like what they see from the street. Paint your front door, trim your hedges, plant some flowers, replace your mailbox and house numbers. It doesnt have to be complicated!

Step 3:

Declutter & Depersonalize

Too much clutter can make a home seem smaller and even dark or dirty. So throw it away, pack it up, and move it out. If you're not using it, get rid of it. Better yet, take it to the Salvation Army or Purple Heart. And while you're packing up the extras, you may also consider taking down some of your more personalized decor, like family photos or kids' artwork. Personal items can make it difficult for buyers to picture their lives in your home.

Step 4:

Deep Clean Everything

There's probably nothing more deterring to a buyer than a dirty house. You might not notice the pet smells or mind the stains on your carpet, but a buyer sure will! Take some time to give your home a good cleaning or even hire a professional to do it for you.

Step 5:

Finish Those Repair Projects

Have any home improvement projects that have been hanging over your head? Take care of them now; no buyer wants to invest in a home full of maintenance issues they'll have to take care of immediately after moving in. You may also consider making some minor, cost-effective improvements, like updating the hardware on your sinks, replacing old lightbulbs, or repainting dingy walls.

Step 6:

Have Your Home Professionally Staged

Want to WOW some buyers? It's all about staging. It may not seem like little things, like rearranging some furniture, removing some unused clothes from your closet, or repainting a wall, could matter much to your home value, but those little details can make a big difference to a prospective buyer. And an impressed buyer can mean the difference between selling your home... and not selling.

Step 7:

Price It Right (from the beginning)

The wrong price can hurt your chance not just for making a profit, but for selling your home at all! A home that's priced too high will be unappealing to buyers and will sit on the market, ignored. And if you drop the price to compensate, buyers might wonder, What's wrong with this home? Price your home too low and you're just losing out on hard-earned equity. Homes in Ann Arbor need to be priced carefully and competitively... from the beginning.

Step 8:

Use High-Quality Photos... Everywhere

You can never have too many good photos, especially considering how many home searches are online and long-distance. I can't tell you the number of times I get called from my search site, which is a direct feed from the MLS, with a buyer requesting more photos (not from my listings, but from other online listings). Virtual tours or videos are also great ways to showcase homes to potential buyers and entice them to see more.

Step 9:

Make Sure Your Realtor Has a HUGE Internet Presence

Want to get your home sold? It's got to be seen. Want to sell it for the maximum amount of money? It's got to be seen by a TON of buyers. And these days, the majority of home searches take place on the internet. That means that a successful real estate agent has got to have a huge internet presence, meaning a personal website, access to the local MLS, social media platforms, blogs like Active Rain, and more.

Step 10:

Be Ready to Show Anytime

If a buyer sees your home online and likes it, they'll likely want to schedule a showing before they decide whether they want to make an offer. Don't make this difficult for them by making your home unavailable. If a buyer wants to see your home, let them. Be prepared to leave, bringing kids and pets with you. And make sure your home is in tip-top shape; no dishes in the sink, no stains on the stove, no dirty laundry on the bedroom floor, no pet smells lingering in the air. Remember, you're trying to WOW a buyer!

Ready to Sell Your Ann Arbor Home?

Ready to get your Ann Arbor home sold for top dollar? Then it's time to contact the Missy Caulk Team. We're here to help you get the job done right, from pricing to closing, start to finish. Browse our resources to learn more about our team, or give us a call and let's get started right away!