Six Tips to Sell Your Home Before the End of the Year

The real estate market has been booming for at least two consecutive years. Now, it is beginning to slow down. The mortgage interest rate increased during most of 2022. This dampened homebuying enthusiasm for some. This reality, coupled with worries about a possible economic recession, and relatively high home prices, has slowed the sales activity.

What does this mean for those hoping to market a home in the next few months, but who can’t wait for spring sales? You will need to move quickly. You may need to adjust your expectations or approach to get to the closing table faster. Here are six simple steps to Sell Your Home Before the New Year.

1. Set a realistic price

First things first. Experts advise you to enter the housing market by setting a reasonable asking value. This will help to ensure that your price is a good one. You should price your house using comps and not emotions. It can be difficult for sellers to understand this part, as they want to “test” the market with a higher price and then drop it later.

You should let your agent guide you in this area. A good agent can do a comparable market analysis to help you price your house based on recent sales in your locality — not just your hopes and dreams.

Your agent is paid for their expertise and professional advice, so you should pay attention to what they say when they suggest an asking price based on extensive research.

2. First Look Feedback From Your Agent Is a Great Way to Get Started

If you want to sell your property by the end of the year, then you need to be prepared. It is important to make your home easy to sell.

You should also ask your agent to gather feedback from buyers who visit your property so that you know what they love and dislike about it.

Your agent can point out any defects that you may have overlooked or become accustomed to. For example, your teenager might have a wall of heavy metal posters or forgotten windows with cracked sealings. They may also remind you that many people prefer to park their cars in the garage rather than use it for storing boxes. Take the feedback from agents seriously and make any changes they suggest to avoid losing a sale because of a minor problem.

3. Declutter, Clean and Organize

You may be advised by your agent to remove family photos from your walls and clean out your closets immediately, but you must plan for a thorough cleaning regardless.

Do whatever you can within your budget to make sure your home makes a good first impression. Give your front door a new coat of paint. Trim back overgrown shrubs. Keep your lawn in top shape.

The interior of your home should be kept clean at all times, even if it is not on the market.

Keep your house clean by wiping down the counters, sweeping floors, and touching up bathrooms each day. No one wants to purchase a dirty home.

4. Hire a Professional Stager

You can hire a professional home stager if you are confident in your cleaning skills but still need some help with making your house more appealing visually. Home stagers can arrange furniture, art, and décor to give your home a modern feel and improve your chances of getting an offer quickly. This is especially important if your home feels outdated.

Does staging work? The majority of experts agree that staging works. A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors revealed that 82 percent of buyers’ agents stated that staging helped their clients imagine living in that home. A recent study by the National Association of Realtors found that 41 percent more buyers would tour a staged home online. Seller’s agents also said that they staged their client’s homes before placing them on the market.

5. Professional Photography and Video

Most home marketing takes place online. Whereas in the past, buyers would look through local newspapers for new listings, today most of it is done on the internet. Other ways include real estate websites, emails, or a combination.

Consider hiring a professional photographer and having your agent’s office produce a video marketing. Drone photography could also be a key factor in selling a large property with lots of land.

6. Get a Pre-sale Home Inspection

Take the time to ensure that your home is in good physical condition. It’s optional to pay for a house inspection upfront but is usually a good idea. If you know about problems, such as missing shingles or electrical issues on your roof, then you can take action before they become a larger problem.

Bottom Line

You could have a quick home sale in the future if take steps to avoid problems that can turn away potential buyers. It is important to keep your home clean and tidy, but also to identify any major problems or repairs that need to be done before anyone else.

You still have plenty of time before the end year to close the deal. It’s important to work with a real estate agent who is experienced, understands the local market, and can set a realistic selling price.

This post was written by a professional at Iron Key Realty. Iron Key Realty: Veteran-led real estate expertise unlocking your Triangle Region dreams. Veteran agents guide buyers & sellers in Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Raleigh, Fuquay-Varina & beyond. Iron Key Realty navigates real estate complexities with you, providing exceptional service, education, & realistic expectations. Unlock your real estate potential with Iron Key’s proven expertise.