Have you ever heard the phrase, timing is everything?  Well, I don't know if this necessarily applies in this situation or not;Mark let's see.  Traditionally, the real estate "season" really heats up in the springtime with families wanting to prepare, sell, and be moved into their new home by the time the new school year begins.  Then, after say, August, a new season begins where the sale of a home doesn't necessarily hinge upon a school change, or issue with children. 

You might think that if you put your house on the market now, it will just sit there, with approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays looming in the near future; thereby waiting until spring.  This type of thinking might backfire on you and here's why.  Consider this; if you wait and put your house on the market in the spring time, you will be competing with approximately 35% more homes on the market during this time.  Not only will your house be on the market but a larger percentage of home seller's who need to make the move and get settled before the following school year.

Odds are in your favor that if you put your home on the market now, you will be competing against a smaller pool of homes, and your home is likely to stand out.  Marketing your home this time of year is simple.  Your house needs to stand above and beyond the rest of the competition.  What does this mean?  Note the following list to make sure your home is the cream at the top of the latte and not the dregs at the bottom.

  1. First things first, how is your curb appeal?  When a prospective buyer pulls up to your house, do they raise their eyebrows in anticipation of seeing the inside, or do they roll their eyes and say to themselves, "We'll be in and out of this one in minutes."
  2. Spend some money and buy some shrubs or flowers and place them in and around the front of your property.  One hundred dollars in plants and flowers can literally save you thousands if your house sells quicker than later.
  3. How does your lawn look?  Has the Dandelion Wine Company given you a call to harvest your "field" yet, or is your yard weed free and therefore problem free for the future owners.
  4. How does your front door look to the outside world?  Yes, your front door!  If it's old, weathered, chipped, and beaten, you might want to refinish, repaint, or replace.  Remember, the front door is the "window" to the inside of your home.  You want to make a good first impression.
  5. What do you think is one of the first things a perspective buyer does upon entering your home for the first time.  If you guessed looking around, you are wrong.  They smell!  Yes the olfactory senses are tuned and ready to detect any bad smells that warn of impending doom.  Are you a smoker, have mold or mildew, cat urine, cook with curry, have boy's closets that smell like the football team?  Get rid of those pesky odors.  Try not to mask them with scents everywhere that overload your guests.  Just remove the problem, freshen the air, and let your prospective buyers see this beautiful home, instead of smelling your stinky home.  I use an air purifier that permanently removes odors in the home, as long as the problem or source of the odor is removed. 
  6. De-personalize your home and remove all family photos on the wall and on tables.  When a prospective buyer tours your home, they want to envision your home as if it is their own.  Removing personal items and storing them away is a small inconvenience for your, but a major plus for your buyers.
  7. Do you know what a "Texas Basement" is?  If you're in Texas, you had better know what this means.  A "Texas Basement" is the garage of your home, which is used for storage, while the two cars are parked out in the driveway.  You see, in Texas, there are no basements, so where are families going to put all their stuff?  You got it, in the garage.  My point is, remove all clutter from your home.  If your kitchen counters have lots of room, make them appear this way, by removing appliances that aren't used daily, and other items so the appearance is spacious rather than overflowing.
  8. This is a message for the cleanliness challenged.  Please clean your house and make it look as good as new, especially the windows and carpets.  Are carpets stained, dirty, and smelly?  Are your windows stained with your children's grubby hands?  Give the impression that your house is well cared for and your pride and joy.  Otherwise, your prospective buyers will find their pride and joy down the street with a cleaner replica of your house.

These are some tips that will help you prepare your house for sale during this time of year.  Remember, the market really is no different than it is in the spring time, other than a flood of more homes to compete against.  Make your home stand out and rise to the top, and you'll be on your way to your next "home of dreams."

For these tips and others on staging your home in Cedar Rapids, please call me, Christopher Smith, for an appointment at 319-329-5988 or visit my number one ranked website in the state of Iowa at www.ChristopherSmithRealtor.com.  By the way, I'm not number one for my pride.  Anyone who knows me knows this.  I'm number one for you!  Happy selling!