Preparing Your Home For The HOT Pittsburgh Real Estate Market
We have been experiencing a HOT Pittsburgh real estate market. Even in a hot real estate market, it is essential that you properly prepare your home before the first potential buyer visits.
Will Rogers is quoted as saying, “You never get a 2nd chance to make a good first impression.” And I have found that to be the case when you are selling a home. A buyer won’t come back for a 2nd look if they have an unfavorable first impression.
Here are some tips to help you prepare to sell your home:
It is imperative that your home be spic and span when you put it on the market. Get out the toothbrushes and q-tips and clean every crevice as you have never cleaned before! This is also an excellent opportunity to declutter each room as you clean. You will have to pack eventually, so why not get as much done as you can before putting the house on the market? We understand you have to live in your home, but the more you do now, the quicker your home will sell with the least amount of inconvenience to you. If you need to, spend some money on paint to give the house a fresh new look.
If there are items in the home that you know need to be repaired, please address the issues before putting the house on the market. Most items will need disclosed on the seller’s disclosure, or the home inspection may call out these issues. Save yourself the possibility of losing money negotiating these items after the home inspection.
Once you have completed the indoors, turn your attention outside. It is essential to pay attention to the front door and porch area. The buyer will be waiting while their agent accesses the key from the lockbox and have time for a thorough examination. Pay attention to any paint touch-ups, doors, and windows. Make this a welcoming space. You may not be able to do a lot of landscaping this time of year, but make sure that the yard is free of debris. If you haven’t removed dead plantings, be sure to do so. As the weather warms, you can pay more attention to the landscaping.
Your real estate agent should provide you with information on comparable homes that have sold recently nearby that are like your home. This information is vital to review and digest when setting your selling price. A buyer shows the value of a home by what they are willing to pay. One of the biggest misconceptions is that you can always price the house high and negotiate down. The truth is when you price the house too high, you narrow the number of qualified buyers who will look at your home. A buyer’s lender will set a price range for the buyer when they pre-qualify them. Most buyers will not look at a price range higher than what they can qualify to purchase. A home that sits on the market for too long statistically sells lower than if the seller had priced it correctly to start.
You never know when the right buyer is going to show up at your home. Keep your showing availability as flexible as possible. You can set restrictions on the times available to show, but don’t make it too restrictive. Occasionally, you may have a short notice showing request. If it is at all possible to allow the buyer to come through, please do so. The more people you have walking through the door, the greater your chance of getting that sought-after offer.
Even though we have been experiencing a hot Pittsburgh real estate market, it is important to plan and prepare for your home sale. Sellers who do not take the time to prepare their home before putting it on the market can experience a longer time to get the offer they want.
We offer a free consultation to sellers in the Pittsburgh real estate market. We discuss the current market, our marketing plan and give you pointers on what you should do in preparation for the sign going in the yard.
Contact The SAYHAY Team to schedule your free consultation at 412-303-3600 or email sayhayteam@gmail.com.
Written by Judi SAYHAY on February 10, 2021 . Posted in Uncategorized