The work of selling your house in Snohomish County actually begins long before listing it. In fact, what you do get your house ready for listing just may be the most critical part of the whole process. Presentation is everything, and all those pre-listing tasks are designed to present your to best advantage so that it appeals to buyers. To help you with those all-important preparations, here are 5 things you need to do before listing your house in Snohomish County.
1. Do Your Homework
Before listing your house in Snohomish County, you will need to do your research homework. Primarily, that means figuring out what the market value really is – not what you think it is worth or what you want to sell it for. You do this by comparing your house to comparable, recently sold ones in the neighborhood and area – houses of about the same age and condition, with nearly the same square footage, and with comparable features. Look at what those houses have sold for, and you’ll have a good idea of how to price yours. You can have your agent do this comparative analysis for you or can do it yourself with one of the online, plug-in-the-data sites like Realtor.com.
2. Find a Good Agent
The next thing to do before listing your house in Snohomish County is to find, contact, and hire a qualified local real estate agent. (You can do this by calling 425-239-2723.) In the interview process make sure to ask the agent about her listing-to-sales ratio, experience with homes in your neighborhood, marketing strategy, connections with potential buyers, and social media expertise. A good agent can help you sell your house quicker and for a better price with her negotiation skills.
3. Declutter and Clean
Then, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Your first task will be decluttering and deep cleaning – appearance is everything where buyers are concerned. Your decluttering should be done aggressively and ruthlessly from a buyers eye point of view. Get rid of everything that detracts from the impression of your home as pleasant, inviting living space, one that buyers can envision living in as their own. For the cleaning, you will most likely need to do standard things, as well as shampooing carpets. You don’t want any lingering odors. You may even need to hire a professional cleaning service.
4. Repair, Upgrade, and Paint
Next, before listing your house in Snohomish County, you will need to make all the necessary repairs and upgrades, as well as touching up paint (or even completely repainting rooms with garish colors). Repair all the holes in walls, fix leaking faucets and toilets, and replace cracked tiles. You probably don’t want to do any major remodeling because it won’t yield a good return on the investment, but don’t be afraid to put some money and effort into the kitchen and master bath. These rooms are important to buyers, and your efforts there will pay off. If you do need major repairs, don’t hesitate to call a contractor. When it comes to painting, stick to subdued neutral colors for interior walls.
5. Stage It
And, certainly, you should do some staging before listing your house in Snohomish County. Time and time again, studies have found that staging can help you sell both faster and for more money. Because it can pay off so well, it’s usually a good idea to hire a professional stager. Professional staging services know exactly how to arrange and adorn your home to give it the most buyer appeal. And don’t forget the outside of your home. Enhancing curb appeal is an integral part of effective staging.
Of these 5 things, you need to do before listing your house in Snohomish County, hiring a good agent may be the most important, especially an experienced local agent. Hiring an agent is, of course, no guarantee of a quick sale at a great price, but it will tilt the odds in your favor and increase your chances.