Mention Marilyn Monroe. Everyone knows something. Everyone remembers her even if they weren’t alive at the time. Think for a second; what’s memorable about your home? What would make a buyer rush into making an offer on your home?
Everyday more homes hit the MLS. Each carries with it an excitement… One seller sees bigger and better things… Another sees a burden about to be lifted… An agent sees a commission…
But, then you also see reality. Currently there are 452 homes for sale in the Wisconsin Rapids area. Ouch! As we transition from summer into fall and winter, it becomes even more important to get your home ready for its next owner. Will buyers remember your home like we remember Marilyn Monroe?
What should you do to make your home memorable so it sells as quickly as possible? Here are some important pieces of advice when it comes to selling your Wisconsin Rapids area home:
Price it right. If you’d poll all Wisconsin Rapids real estate agents, ‘pricing your home correctly’ is the most important strategy to use in this saturated market. Unfortunately, this becomes difficult for many reasons. Do you already have an idea for a price of your home? Be honest… 
How did you come up with it? Remaining mortgage + equity loan + amount needed for down payment on your next home? Am I close? What if your agent gives you a price lower than what you’re thinking? What if it’s a lot lower?
Do you trust your real estate agent? It’s important for you to rely on the expertise of your real estate agent and property appraiser. Both will provide proof and examples of what they believe your home is worth. With 452 homes for sale, will you be able to find a buyer quickly if your home is overpriced? Or at all?
Remove clutter. Having to much stuff is distracting when a buyer tours your home. Your home and everything in it will look smaller. All of a sudden there isn’t enough counter space or storage. Your rooms are small and feel cramped. Nothing good will come from displaying to much stuff. Visualize a department store display. How many manikins do you see? Ten? One? Less is more… Rent a storage unit in which to keep all your nonessentials until your home sells.
Create your own little Switzerland. That’s right-neutrality. Pretend you’re a politician. Will you win your election by appealing to a small percentage or the masses? While you don’t have to paint everything light brown, it is worth toning down any unusual color choices. If it could possibly turn a buyer off, it’s best to remove or change it. You want a buyer to remember all the great things about your home, not the pink bedroom or toy doll collection.
Have your own Kim Woodburn or Aggie MacKenzie walk through your home. These are the two ladies from the BBC show “How Clean Is Your House?”. Have a brutally honest friend walk through your home to point out any potential turn offs for buyers. A new set of eyes may spot things you no longer see.
It’s in the details. Repaint, replace fixtures, clean, plant flowers, tidy up drawers, clean your garage. In short, do whatever you can so your home’s best foot is forward for a potential buyer. With a glut of inventory, buyers are choosy.
Continuesly think! Help out your agent. Is there another house in your neighborhood on the market? Ask your agent how the price and condition compare to yours. Received a low-ball offer? Don’t reject it; relook at comps. Be able to justify your price. A lot of traffic through your house but no offers? Make sure your agent is getting feedback, which can help you rethink your plan.
If you work hard getting your home ready for sale, if you view your home through a buyer’s eyes and if you trust and work with your agent, you’re better able to place yourself at the top of the 452 homes for sale.
If you’d like more information on getting your home ready to sell or would like to know what your home is worth in today’s market email, me at holberga [at] firstweber [dot] com. Like what you’ve read? Why not subscribe and have every article delivered right to your inbox?
Photo Credit: Designed By Me
PHONE: (715) 572-8372
My name is Adam Holberg and I’m a Realtor with First Weber of Wisconsin Rapids. This website is designed to inform and help bring conversation to a topic I love, real estate.