It takes work to prepare your home for success on the market......but putting in that work will yield greater rewards in the end!  These tips will be your guide to help you get the best return on your investment, your home.

 Get an Inspection

Although your property may look up to par, it is beneficial to be aware of any potential problem that could come up later in the process. Every time a buyer walks through the door, they will be looking for the slightest reason to lower the price. The best way to eliminate this issue is to get an inspection on the front end.  Home inspections usually range from $300 - $700,  but will save you thousands in the end.

Repair What You Can.                                                                                                         

After receiving your home inspection, it is time to tackle each problem one step at a time. Whether you revive your garden, replace an appliance or repair a broken screen... every improvement counts.  A new line of caulk in the shower and a fresh coat of grout on the tiles can make your bathroom look brand new. If you are ready to take on your next project, head over to your local hardware store for a great selection of tools, paint, grout and just about anything else you may need. Just remember, the old 3:1 ratio...you want to make sure that for every dollar you spend, you are getting at least a return of three dollars back in your pocket.

Get Estimates on What You Can’t Fix.

While making repairs to your Natick home, keep in mind that the money spent on small projects will give you a positive return. However, there may be a few issues that stretch outside your budget, or the return on your investment may not be worth the dollars spent. In this case it is better to negotiate with your potential buyer than to lay out the larger sums of money at this time.

Clean......and then clean again!

Imaging getting ready for a first date, trying on different outfits, and spending hours in front of the mirror. This is the same way you need to treat your home. Your potential buyer needs to fall in love at first site. It doesn't cost you any additional money, just your time...and it will pay off big. Your home needs a DEEP clean in every corner, nook and cranny.  Appliances, counters, bathroom sink, tub, toilet, closets...everything!  A home in pristine condition will ALWAYS garner a higher selling price point than one that is not. If you would rather call in a service to help you do a deep, thorough clean, check out the preferred link here.

Get Rid of the Clutter.

It may be hard to clean the house with a pile of boxes, toys, your collections, etc  taking up all the great space. In order to maximize your properties potential, you need to show off the beautiful square footage in every room. It starts with getting rid of the clutter, unused furniture and stacking up your moving boxes in the proper areas;  including the garage, basement or even a storage unit. Check out a list of our Recommended Moving and Storage Companies.

Painting.                                                                                                                                

Give your home a fresh look by changing the color scheme or redesigning altogether.  You won’t believe how far a can of paint can really go until you see it for yourself. Give every room a new facial by tearing down that old school wallpaper and rolling on a shiny new color. When a buyer sees the fresh look and modern colors, it is sure to leave a positive impact, mainly in the form of an offer and in dollars.  If you need some help with an interior design make over, we have some of the best designers at our fingertips!  Click on this link for their contact information.

Landscape.

Aside from checking every nook and cranny inside the home, a smart seller would spend a day working on the outside as well.  When a buyer pulls into the drive, the first thing they notice is the welcoming look of the front of the home.  Taking extra time to mow the lawn, trim the greenery, laying fresh mulch or planting colorful flowers appropriate for the season are cheap and easy ways to make your house stand out and greet your potential buyers with a warm and friendly welcome.  Being from Natick you can head on over to Windy-Lo Nursery and pick up anything you may need!

Bottom line...Don't leave money on the table.  A little preparation goes a long way. Do the little things that will pay back in a big way.....in the form of an offer that you will find most acceptable.

For more Home Selling Tips check out our website or give us a call!  We'll be happy to come to you and go through your home with you to make sure that every room is absolutely "SHOW TIME" ready, to bring you the best offer and timeliest sale available today.

"You want to list my Wellesley MA Home for what?!!"

 Have you ever heard that exclamation before?  I'm sure you have at some point, and unfortunately it does happen.  But why does it happen?  The answer is simple, but more difficult to accept.  This is why it is so important that you hire an experienced Wellesley real estate agent to advise & guide you in the selling of your Wellesley home.  When you list your  home For Sale, your agent will know the market conditions and how to correctly identify the "listing price" for your home.  He or she will not have the emotional attachment to your home that you do, and  and therefore will be able to be an unbiased judge of the homes value and worth in today's housing market.  While you may not like the price you are hearing, have faith in the person you chose to represent you & your home.  When you overprice your home it will be dangerous for several reasons, but the biggest (and simplest) is...IT WON'T SELL!

In addition to not selling when you've overpriced it, you've really stacked the deck against you from day one. Selling your home can be an emotional roller coaster.  What your home means to you and how you imagine it, needs to come to terms with the real world and the current real estate market.....and that is no more apparent than in pricing.   Everything you are doing at this point is looking at the home to "list" and sell.  That may seem apparent, but it's much harder than it looks. You must take the emotional strings out of the way. You may cherish the color, flooring, or some other "prized possession", but none of that matters, it's simply black and white.  You are looking at it objectively just to list and sell.                                                                                                                                                           

Just "because you paid a certain amount for your home", or because "it means so much to you", is a sure fire way to stall the successful sale of your property.  Buyers also aren't going to care if you "need to get a certain amount for your home in order to buy your new home".  All the new buyer cares about is paying a fair market value for your home and that there aren't any hidden surprises that are going to come up later in the home inspections. Nothing will blow up in your face quicker than an OVERPRICED PROPERTY!  

You are free to list your home for any price you choose. However, any exceptional real estate agent will tell you that overpricing a home can lead to serious problems. Some of these include:

1. *Scare off Buyers- You don't want to miss out on an ideal buyer by pricing yourself out of their category. Rely on the expertise of your Real Estate agent and their knowledge of the local market so that you can maximize your exposure on the market and with buyers while still getting the best price for your home.
2. * Too much Time on The Market- When a home is priced too high it ends up spending far too much time on the market.  If a buyer decides to put an offer in on the property that offer takes into consideration the amount of time the property has been sitting idle on the market.  Therefore it has a negative effect on the property.
3. * Home Price Appraisal Issues- If you have overpriced your home, and a buyer has agreed to pay the "overpriced" price, you still have to pass the Home Appraisal. If the Home Appraiser comes back with a Market Value that is noticeably lower than the price the buyer is offering, the bank is likely to deny the buyer a mortgage.  Leaving you looking for new buyers.

Best advice....Stay realistic on the home pricing.  Seek out a great real estate agent and listen to his or her advice for pricing your home.  Many good agents will advise you to list a little lower and encourage a bidding war, than to risk all of the problems that would come with listing too high.  Stay realistic with your pricing and you will achieve your ultimate goal of selling your home;  in the shortest amount of time AND with the best possible price.