Home Selling 101: Top Considerations Before Selling A House

Real estate isn’t just a matter of training how to “talk” to people and convincing them to buy your property. A huge part of it is ensuring you’re providing them with the kind of product that they’ll surely buy – not just because they want it, but because it’s the best option for them. Home Selling 101 is putting your home’s best foot forward. From the elements of the property itself to the updates to the presentation—making sure everything is in tip-top shape. Below are four keys to focus on that will make your house sell quickly for the highest possible price.

Photo of a home ready to sell
Home Selling 101 means presenting a property that looks great with little to any flaws that might put off prospective buyers.

1. Aesthetics Seal the Deal

What exactly does the house look like? A huge part of what seals the deal when it comes to house selling is its appearance, so it’s important to make sure your house for sale looks like something people will come home to.

  • What sort of theme or message are you going for? How do you want your clients to feel when they buy a house from you? Homes come in different shapes and sizes, and they come in different “moods” as well. A modern home can be a home office for the professional family, and it can be transformed into a natural haven for those who love nature. Try to identify what “mood” you want your house to present so you can have a design motif to follow. 
  • If you’re having a problem decorating your home, you can rely on moving companies NYC to move furniture and other accessories for you. This saves you the hassle of having to bring the furniture one by one and risking damage to the property – especially if you’re reusing furniture and accessories in your houses for sale. 
  • Staging is huge! Use your local real estate expert to help you stage the property so that it appeals to the largest number of potential buyers possible. This may mean moving or even removing furniture. Of course, painting is usually a good choice. Lastly, lighting is very important. Today’s buyers want “light and bright” so give it to them!

2. Repairs and Updates Can Improve Your Price

Photo of a wall being painted
Painting is a cost-effective way to update a space and improve a home’s value.

House selling has a lot to do with making the right investments and the right calls. And while spending money to renovate a house you’re going to sell can seem counterproductive, it can actually boost the chances of increasing the sale price.

  • Before deciding to put a property up for sale, take a tour and check what aspects of the house need immediate repairs. These include walls, ceilings, and flooring. Try to get an estimate of how much you’ll probably need to spend to get these fixed. 
  • If you have the budget, try to get these repaired. They don’t have to be the best of the best but they do need to be in proper working order.
  • Does your house have problems like termites or other damage? Call a pest professional to find out how much a termite inspection costs. The person following Home Selling 101 will correct these before listing. That’s one less roadblock to a quick sale.

3. Sometimes, It’s Location, Location, Location

Don’t forget to consider the location of the home you’re selling, as sometimes this is a huge factor and a potential deal-breaker for new and veteran homeowners. Great properties will almost always have a good to excellent location. Just what kind of location and neighborhood does your home have?

  • It helps to identify whether or not your house is in a neighborhood considered “ideal” and “safe” for homeowners. Selling a house in an exclusive subdivision or a place accessible to transportation and businesses will increase prices.
  • It’s also important to consider location, especially for long-distance moving companies. If a buyer will come from a faraway place or the next state, it’s important to ensure they can have a moving company to rely on. If you can ensure their house move can be more convenient if they buy your property, you might secure a sale. 

4. Documentation Matters

Another important aspect of successful Home Selling 101 is ensuring you secure proper documentation on the house you want to sell. Transferrable warranties are something that the new owners will value. Gather all your paperwork together so that you have it on hand before it might be needed.

  • Ensure that all papers on the house are up to date. This is especially if there are specific regulations and laws that can affect the state of things in your home.
  • Double-check papers with regard to your utility bills and other expenses such as arrears. Getting these fixed can ensure the new owners of the house on sale won’t encounter difficulties. 

Home Selling: Planning For Successful House Sales

Home Selling 101 means tackling all the important things. When it comes to a successful real estate transaction, it’s not just about a slick salesman. It is more about what you are offering. Nothing makes a home sale better than actually showing off a good home.

With the above considerations in mind, you’ll have a good set of things you may want to ensure you have before you proceed with your home sale. And if you don’t have these elements in check, you might want to revisit the drawing board and plan your house sale accordingly. 

Tre Pryor, Realtor

Tre Pryor is the leading real estate expert in the city of Louisville. He is a multi-million dollar producer and consistently ranks in the top 1% of Louisville Realtors for homes sold. Tre Pryor has the highest possible rating—5.0 stars on Google—by his clients and is routinely interviewed by the local NBC news. Tre Pryor is a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.