Having trouble selling your home? Look no further!
We sat down with Tara Fox, Associate Real Estate Broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty for her insider selling secrets.
Highly accomplished, Tara continues to raise the bar with her unparalleled service and sales achievements in the luxury real estate markets of Long Island’s North Shore.
Her incredible drive to create optimal outcomes for her clients is reflected in the many awards and recognitions she’s earned in her career; from Rookie of the Year to becoming a member of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty’s Gold Circle of Excellence within a few short years.
Tara is intimately tied to the region’s ever-evolving landscape of luxury real estate, and her distinctive services reflect the motivations and desires of consumers as they continue to change and develop.
Below are Tara’s top ten expert selling strategies. You don’t want to miss this!
Selling Secret #1: The First Impression Is The Only Impression
You only have one shot to make an everlasting impression. No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome, and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. Creating a warm and inviting entryway is essential for setting the tone for the rest of the home.
Selling Secret #2: Price Your Home Competitively
When the market favors sellers, it’s tempting to inflate your home’s listing price because it seems like the demand is there. However, you’re probably better off working with your real estate agent to set a fair price based on recent sales data of similar nearby homes. A strategic price will capture more interested buyers, who may naturally drive up the price by bidding against each other. Buyers who are searching online for a home within a certain budget might not even see your home if the listing price is too high, potentially driving down competition.
Selling Secret #3: Hire the Right Broker
A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong broker. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know what properties are going on the market, and be familiar with the competition in your neighborhood. Find a broker who embraces technology! Tech-savvy brokers have the tools to get your house sold.
Selling Secret #4: Half-empty Closets
Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.
Selling Secret #5: Light it up
Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer wants in their home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs, and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do to make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
Selling Secret #6: Conceal The Critters
You might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but that’s not the case. It’s important to remember not everybody is a dog or cat-lover. Buyers don’t want to walk into your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box, or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send your pets to a pet hotel or a caretaker for the day.
Selling Secret #7: Don’t Over-upgrade
Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Mammoth makeovers, not so much. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or go buy some inexpensive new ones. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout.
Selling Secret #8: Take The Home Out Of Your House
One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage for the time being. Put away family photos, memorabilia collections, and personal keepsakes. Consider showcasing your home as if it’s staged. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.
Selling Secret #9: The Kitchen Comes First
You’re not actually selling your house, you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It’s totally worth spending a few thousand dollars to replace countertops, since a buyer may knock $10,000 dollars off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style. If you have a little money to spend, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the entire kitchen.
Selling Secret #10: Always Be Ready To Show
Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the property and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling, and make sure no dust bunnies are in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but this is crucial to getting your house sold!
Photography by: Dillon Kyd, Olena Sergienko, Daniel Barnes, Aaron Huber, Jonathan Borba.
