For first-time sellers (and sometimes even for veterans), selling a home can be an overwhelming, emotionally draining undertaking. If, however, you avoid certain things, you’ll be far more likely to sell your house for the most money in Massachusetts. Skirt the five pitfalls described below, and you just might sell your house for the most money possible for your home and within a reasonable time.
1. Don’t Skimp on Photos
We now live in a visual age, and it’s no surprise that most homebuyers are now doing their shopping online. With the abundance of online listings, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Poor-quality photos can be a major turn-off for prospective buyers. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the photos of your home listing are of the highest quality in order to draw attention and generate interest.
There are several tips to ensure that your photos stand out from the rest and showcase your home in the best light possible. Firstly, make sure that your photos are clear and crisp. This means no blurry or pixelated images. Additionally, the photos should be taken in natural light and at the right angle to capture the size and layout of the room. It is also important to consider the composition of the photos. Make sure to capture both the full room and individual décor pieces in order to give potential buyers a better idea of the space.
Finally, make sure to highlight the unique selling points of your home. If your home has unique features such as exposed beams or a beautiful garden, make sure to showcase them in your photos. It is also a good idea to use lifestyle shots to give potential buyers a sense of how the space could be used.
2. Don’t Sell in Winter
It is often said that timing is everything when it comes to selling a home. And while the real estate market is constantly fluctuating, experts agree that winter and particularly the holiday season is an especially slow time for home sales.
For those considering listing their home during this time of year, it’s important to understand the potential drawbacks of doing so. First and foremost, there are likely to be fewer buyers actively searching for a home during the winter months. With the cold weather and holiday festivities often taking precedence, potential buyers may be less inclined to go out and view homes.
The reality is that fewer buyers equate to fewer offers and a longer timeline for selling a home. This is especially true during the holiday season when people are busy with social gatherings, travel, and shopping. As a result, listing a home during this time of year could mean it takes longer to find the right buyer and receive the desired price.
3. Don’t Get Emotionally Involved
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a home you’ve been living in for many years. After all, you’ve made countless memories within its walls, and you have an emotional attachment to the place. However, sometimes it’s necessary to give up and sell your home, and while it’s a difficult decision, it can be the best one for you in the long run.
Rather than viewing themselves as emotional homeowner, it’s important for homeowners to think of themselves as a business person, a home seller. This shift in perspective can help create distance between the seller and the home, allowing them to take a more rational, financial-oriented approach to the sale.
Also, try to think about things from the buyer’s perspective. They’re not just buying a piece of property with a structure on it, but a dream and a new life. You’re doing something good for them, which will reduce your own emotional attachment and help you sell your house for the most money in Massachusetts.
4. Don’t Fail to Use an Agent
Sure, real estate agents do take a small slice of the pie when it comes to selling your home, but there are good reasons why they’re worth the price. Trying to sell your home on your own is generally not a good idea, and in most cases, an agent can help you get a better price.
Agents understand all the legal intricacies and ramifications of the home-sale transaction. They also know how to deal with the mountain of paperwork involved and the problems that inevitably come up in the process. Further, agents are the ones who will spend their time dealing with potential buyers and the tiresome tire-kickers.
5. Don’t Ask an Unrealistic Price
When it comes to selling your house in Massachusetts, you certainly want to get the most money possible for your home. However, you also need to be realistic in order to get the best price. Overpricing your home can prevent it from selling and leave you worse off than if you had priced it competitively in the current market.
A comparable market analysis is key here to avoid egregious overpricing. You can even use your market analysis to underprice your home a bit to generate more interest and multiple offers, which can then (in theory) encourage the many interested buyers to bid up the price.
If you want to sell your house for the most money in Massachusetts, then don’t do the five things listed in this article. While that’s a good start, there’s still a lot more to it.