Author: Kate Riley
Considering selling? Start Now!
Dean Bright is a real estate professional with over 19 years of experience in the greater Athens area. He resides in Watkinsville and is very active in the local community. Dean has written several books to help guide his clients and potential clients through buying and selling a home. He seeks to educate and assist to make each transaction a smooth and successful process for all involved.
In his book, How to Sell Your Home For More Money, Dean explains this is the goal for every homeowner when they go to sell, regardless of market conditions. We talked to Dean about a few key points to help sellers prepare for getting their home ready to put on the market.
Decluttering
This includes the entire house. Every room, closet, pantry and the garage, it all needs to be decluttered.
“You need to make the home neat and clean to the prospective buyer. The solution is to store things you don’t need daily,” says Dean. “Use the 50% rule. Get rid of clutter in your house by at least half.”
Use Neutral Colors
Paint is an easy and inexpensive way to make your home neutral to prospective buyers. Avoid any bright or dark colors. Bright colors might be an instant reminder to a potential buyer of the work which will need to be done to make the home suitable for them. Dark colors often make the rooms in your house look smaller than they are.
Neutralize
This involves depersonalizing the home. “The goal is to remove the identity of the home so the buyer can visualize their future in the home without the thumbprints of the previous occupants.” This includes removing all photographs, awards, and certificates. Take down artwork and collections with the goal of appealing to the widest array of people. If you have children, remove excess toys and keep only the items they use the most. The same goes for pets. Remember why we all love our animals, many people have allergies or aversions to animals, and you want to cater to the needs of anyone that comes to see your house.
While all areas of the house are important, Dean recommends you focus extra attention on specific areas of your home. These include the entrance, kitchen, and bathrooms. Buyers will inspect these key areas in more detail.
Dean recommends you start the process of getting your home ready to sell 3 to 6 months in advance. Should getting your home ready cost you a lot? “If you’re spending is done appropriately by changing out some worn out things and improving other areas, you stand a better chance of selling your property quickly and at a price that will earn you even more money than had you not made the expenditure in time and funds.”
This is just a snapshot of how to get top dollar for your home. Dean believes in working with his clients early and personally walking them through all which needs to be done.
To get a free copy of his book or to learn more, visit his website at deanbrightrealestate.com
The greatest motivator for someone to make an offer on your property is a connection they make with it while imagining their life there. So how do you make this connection?
