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7 New Year's Pledges for Home Sellers

RE/MAX Housing Blog

7 New Year's Pledges for Home Sellers

If you're thinking about selling your home in 2015, here are some resolutions that could help boost your chances of a quick sale.

Repeat to yourself: "I pledge to…"

1. "Avoid drastic design changes" – Unless you plan to turn your bold color palette into a more neutral one, then it's best not to try and anticipate what buyers want in design and décor. The best approach to freshening up your home for sale is to simplify and depersonalize the look and feel so that potential buyers can picture building their own lives there. If you think repainting a bright purple wall, replacing an old toilet or buffing and restaining kitchen cabinets would help the home sell, by all means make these types of updates. Just be sure to keep your personal preferences in check. Your real estate agent can help you prioritize and remain objective. 

2. "Stop neglecting the drippy faucet" – This applies to any repairs you might view as minor but actually could be a symptom of a larger system problem. Addressing things like plumbing leaks, poor ventilation and cracks in walls helps everyone avoid surprises from the inspection report and avoid the delay or even cancellation of a sale. When you have the information, you can either make the fixes or work with your agent to adjust pricing during negotiations with the buyer.

3. "Price my home reasonably" – It's understandable to think your home is the best on the block and worth more than all the others – especially if you've invested in key upgrades and remodels. And, frankly, you might be right. But the only way to truly know is to consider recent sales of comparable homes in your area. Your real estate agent can provide you with the latest information and help you list at a competitive price that's appropriate for your area and the local real estate climate.

4. "Make my home inviting" – This starts with creating curb appeal. The condition of your home's exterior is a big part of getting buyers in the door. Maintaining the yard, sweeping the porch and driveway, replacing the tattered welcome mat, replacing missing house numbers, and removing clutter all are things that can help improve curb appeal.

5. "Thin out the clutter" – The best time for making tough decisions about what stays and what goes is BEFORE you put your home on the market. By the time the for-sale sign goes up, the home should be clutter free. You can either toss things you don't want, sell these items, or move the more personal ones to storage. The types of items to remove include your prized knick-knack collection, clothes overflowing from the closets, and family photos. You want all closets and cupboards to appear as spacious as possible. When they're jam-packed, it gives the impression that storage is limited even if that's not the case.

6. "Clean like I've never cleaned before" – Think about under, behind, around and between. It's easy to focus on cleaning the major surfaces, high-traffic areas, and areas that are visible. But what about the dust on top of the refrigerator? How about the slats in the window blinds? Have you cleaned the cabinets under the kitchen or bathroom sink recently? Did you notice the cobwebs behind the guest-room door? Look high and low for the dirt.

7. "Nail down my next step" – Don't let your new plans and new place get lost in the shuffle of selling your old place. Determine where you'll go next before your home goes up for sale. Are you prepared to move if your home sells quickly? Although it might not be typical, a quick sale is certainly possible. On the other hand, are you prepared if your home doesn't sell quite so quickly? Be sure to talk with your real estate agent about your relocation needs and timeline.

Find a local RE/MAX agent who can tell you all about his or her own resolutions for helping you meet your real estate goals.

Consider Cost not just price

When Character is More Valuable than Competence

Today we are pleased to have Nikki Buckelew back as our guest blogger. Nikki is considered a leading authority on seniors real estate and housing. Enjoy! - The KCM Crew

It was her 80th birthday and as Sue's family gathered around in celebration, she announced a major decision. After years of toying with the idea, she had come to the conclusion that now - yes, now - was the proper time for her to move into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC).

Although they were a bit surprised, Sue's two adult children (both seniors themselves) nodded to each other and expressed relief that their mother would have access to the support and care she needed. Both admitted to a bit of worry about her living alone since their dad died, especially as they both traveled extensively and were not available to see her or care for her on a regular basis.

But, of course, they all realized that such a move would require a massive commitment of time and energy, with the first necessary step being to find a good real estate agent to help sell the longtime family home.

Sue mentioned that she was acquainted with an agent she had met at church and who regularly sent her mailings. The agent seemed quite nice and professional, had won numerous awards, was active in the community, and owned a variety of impressive-looking credentials. You know, she had a whole bunch of letters and acronyms at the end of her name.

Sue and her children arranged for a meeting with the agent, and while she was clearly competent and well-educated in her field, Sue just couldn't get past a nagging feeling that something was amiss. The agent was nice enough, but throughout Sue's entire life, she had tended to gravitate toward doing business only with those to whom she felt some sort of connection. Perhaps it was something she had learned from her father, a man who valued relationships in business dealings as much or more than mere competence. Not only did she want help, but she also wanted to feel a special sort of bond and trust.

The practice had served her well throughout life and now - with such an important transaction - she wasn't about to change her approach.

Sue scanned the yellow pages, spoke on the phone with a few agents, and even met with another over coffee, but still she couldn't find the sensation of trust and comfort she desired. She even did a couple of quick internet searches leaving her feeling confused and frustrated. It occurred to Sue's daughter that perhaps the CCRC that was to be Sue's new home would be able to provide a recommendation for a good agent. Indeed, they did, and that's when she met Joe.

Joe was different

He arrived at her home and immediately the two hit it off. Sue hired Joe to list and sell her house and as he began to take his leave, Sue touched him gently on the arm and said "Thank you, Joe. You are different than other agents I've met with," she smiled. "I don't know exactly what it is, but I feel I can truly trust you to help me make this move."

Sue's home sold quickly, and with Joe's help, she arranged for an estate liquidator to sell the belongings she no longer needed. He also arranged for a moving company to pack and transport what was needed to Sue's new apartment at the retirement community, and made sure she was content in her new home.

A few days later, Sue's children visited their mother, breathed a sigh of relief that everything seemed under control, that a large project was complete and that - most importantly - Mom was happy, healthy,  and safe. Her daughter (who admittedly had been a bit annoyed at Sue's "pickiness" in choosing an agent) smiled and remarked that Sue had made a fine decision in choosing Joe to spearhead the sale and move. "But Mom," Sue's son asked. "How did you make your decision? Why did you choose him?"

Sue dug into her purse and drew out the list of notes she had made while interviewing Joe:



As her daughters looked at the list, Sue remarked "I felt 'OK' with the other agents. They were undoubtedly good at their jobs. But I wanted someone who was good for ME too."
And thus ends the happy story of Sue, a senior whose outlook on doing business mirrors that of most of her generation, nearly all of whom value a firm handshake and "good vibes" as much as they do hard numbers and competency.

Bottom Line

As real estate professionals serving seniors, it's important that we understand that what makes for a great partnership, truly is in the eyes of our clients.

Lisa Bear - Selling homes in Waukesha County RE/MAX