Nashville Tennessee Living

8 Things you can Do to get your house sold! 

1. Curb Appeal - Start with the outside. Curb appeal can get you showings you might not have gotten. It can also cost you showings if the Buyer decides not to go in when they pull up to the front of the house. The front of the house must be inviting. The landscaping trimmed and free of weeds. The front door must be clean and crisp, or freshly painted.

2. DeClutter - This is the time to get rid of stuff. This is one  of the most important things you can do to get your house ready. Most people have too many pictures, vases, knickknacks and "things" throughout the house covering all of their surfaces.

3. Depersonalize - We know you love having the family history hanging on the wall. The large displays of family pictures, trophies or "collections" of things need to be packed up. You can put them out in your next home. This is a time to let the Buyers feel that this could be their home.

4. Clean, clean, clean! You can never clean too much. Start with the duster and walk through each room looking at the ceiling and corners for cobwebs. Next clean all the ceiling lights, including the bulbs. When the lights sparkle in a room, it gives the Buyers the feeling of a well kept house. Make sure the bathrooms are clean and free of mold on the grout and caulking.

5. Kitchen - This is one of the most important rooms. Remove anything from the counter-tops that can be stored away for easy access. If you don't use the item regularly pack it away. The kitchen needs to show plenty of clear counter-top space.

6. Update - Some easy inexpensive updates are changing the pull knobs in the kitchen and baths and updating the light fixtures. Many people are able to physically do it themselves which makes it truly affordable and can really change the look of a room.

7. Clean out/Organize Closets - Limited closet space is always a problem to prospective Buyers. If the clothes are smashed together it gives the appearance of "not enough closet". Remove clothing that isn't being worn or is out of season. By showing the closets lightly filled with empty space it tells a Buyer that there is plenty of room for their "stuff".

8. Lighten things up - Remove heavy or dark drapery. Add lighting if the room is naturally dark. Remove heavy rugs and furniture to give the rooms a light and airy feel. If there is a nice view, make sure that window is clean and there is nothing obstructing the view.

Selling your Home in Nashville TN - Are you Serious or Just Wasting Everyone's Time?

Recently I have begun to show a lot of houses. Buyers are trying to take advantage of the Tax Credit Incentive and are actively looking at houses.

Not a day goes by that I don't get responses from our request to show that "today isn't a good day for the Seller. Can you come tomorrow?" Or "The Seller has a dog and can't get over there to get it." Or "The Seller said you can come after 5 or one day next week" My favorite was a SECOND Showing on a property that had been on the market for over 400 days and we couldn't get in on Sunday afternoon because that was when their child took her nap.

The Nashville TN Real Estate market has not changed and become a Sellers Market. It's still a Buyers Market.

Some of these responses are for Saturday showings. Often they come when we're calling the day before. Really, in today's market can you afford to skip showings?

Sellers listen up here. Realtors work by appointment. If Susie Realtor has an appointment with Buyer Z for Saturday, that's the day they need to see your house. Sunday she's either with a different Buyer - with a different house criteria requirement - OR she's taking the day off to be with her own family.

If Buyer Z doesn't see your house and likes one of the homes he DOES get to see, you may have lost a sale! Do you WANT to move?

Realtors, have you explained these things to your Sellers? Do you review your showing information to see how often they turn down appointments?

Saturday and Sunday are the biggest showing days of the week. If you're leaving home, leave the house ready to show. When you leave for work everyday, leave the house ready to show. Don't ask the Buyers' agent to come some other day. It doesn't work that way. If you don't want showings, save everyone's time and just take your house off the market.

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Connie Harveyis a local agent with Prudential Woodmont Realty, serving home buyers and sellers in Nashville, TN, Brentwood TN, and Franklin TN. Let her help you realize your Real Estate goals.

Connie can be reached at 615-661-7800 x 1300 or at HarveyC@realtracs.

Follow her Blog: Nashville Tennessee Living

The 5 Most Important things that Sell your home, Part 1

1. Location - We've all heard that when it comes to Real Estate it's Location, Location, Location. That is very true. The problem is, we're here to talk about Selling Your Home. You already own it. We can't change the location. What we can do is focus on the other 4 items. They NOW become even more important.

2. Price -Start here. First do a Market Analysis of your neighborhood. What have houses in your neighborhood been selling for? How long has it been taking them to sell? How many homes are currently on the market in your neighborhood? How do you compare to them?

It's also important to see what your competition is in the surrounding neighborhoods. Depending on where your home is located, this can be a very easy process or it may need some in depth studying on the part of your Realtor.

When setting a price, it's important to remember that not only do you come to terms on a price with the Buyer, the home must also appraise for the sales price. If priced too high, you may not get any showings, causing you to be on the market longer than necessary. Price is where you compensate for any of the other variables that might make your property less desirable than another.

Pricing your home correctly in the beginning, usually results in you receiving the highest and best possible price in the end.

3. Terms - This covers several different things.

First is the availability of your home. Is it ready to show at a moments notice? Or do you require 24 hours notice AND want your agent to be present.

Next, what terms will you accept when you get to the contract stage? Can you be out in 30 days? Or do you need to find a home to buy before you can agree to a close date? Will you accept an FHA or VA contract? You have a lot of control here, but you can also hinder a sale by not being open for what the Buyers' may or may not need.

4. Marketing - This is where your Realtor needs to shine. Your home should be ALL over the Internet. 87% of all Buyers first see your home on some Internet site before coming to see it. You need multiple pictures that show the features of your property.

There are many different programs available to highlight the inside of your house. Every property is different and needs to be presented in such a way that it shows that which will create a need to see the property in person.

A good marketing plan will be customized to include a variety of ways to expose your home. It may include Open Houses, Realtor tours or lunches, print advertising in local papers or magazines and often a postcard campaign to surrounding properties.

5. Condition - This is the last item for a reason. When all of the above Items are done well the condition will determine if a buyer will purchase your property or not. Todays Buyer wants to move into a home with little or no fuss. There is an abundance of properties to choose from and it's very easy for them to move on to the next place. Condition is so important that it will be the Feature of Part 2.

A good Realtor will know how to navigate all of these issues. It's important that you Hire A REALTOR. Interview several. It won't hurt. Then you can compare marketing plans and their philosophy on how to sell your home. Hire a Realtor. You wouldn't want the plumber doing your Oral Surgery would you?

Search for Homes in Nashville TN

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Connie Harveyis a local agent with Prudential Woodmont Realty, serving home buyers and sellers in Nashville, TN, Brentwood TN, and Franklin TN. Let her help you realize your Real Estate goals.

Connie can be reached at 615-661-7800 x 1300 or at HarveyC@realtracs.

Follow her Blog: Nashville Tennessee Living