Selling a home can be a stressful process, but with the right knowledge and tools and a professional, personalized game plan it can be a smooth and profitable experience. If you’re planning to downsize and sell your home this summer in Kansas City, Lawrence, or Topeka there are some tips you need to know. In this blog post, we’ll share 10 key “secrets” that can help homeowners when selling their homes this summer and downsizing in Kansas City, and we’ll also explain how working with a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® and award-winning team at BD Real Estate Solutions can help.
1. Prepare Your Home for Sale
Preparing your home for sale is essential if you want to attract buyers. Clean, declutter, and stage your home to showcase its best features. Even if you are joining the ever growing number of families who are combining households, you still will want to evaluate exactly which items will move forward with you in your next home. Cleaning and decluttering a home helps buyers visualize themselves living in the space and it makes it feel more spacious. This is the first thing we recommend to our clients who are selling their homes in Kansas City. Ask your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® about accent staging items for your home and if will be a help to the display of your property!
2. Price Your Home Right
Pricing your home right is crucial. Overpricing can turn off buyers, while underpricing can leave money on the table. Work with a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® who will utilize professional data to determine the best price for your home based on market trends and comparable homes in the area. An overpriced home will sit on the market and buyers begin to question “what is wrong with it?” – even if it’s in great shape. Drastically overpricing the list price of your home in the current market puts you at risk of leaving money on the table.
3. Use Professional Photography
Professional photography can make a world of difference when it comes to selling your home. It’s the gold-standard and our standard. High-quality images can make your home look more attractive and can help it stand out online – the first place buyers in today’s market will see your home. The use of drone photography has also become increasingly popular in order to capture a bird’s eye view of the home, especially if you own acreage or have unique outdoor features on your property. Ask your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® for examples of prior property photos from their listings.
4. Highlight Your Home’s Best Features
Make sure to highlight your home’s best features in your listing and during showings. If you’re a note taker – make a list of your favorite things about your home or living in the neighborhood (or area if you’re in the country) and share it with your Seniors Real Estate Specialist®. These notes can be shared with prospective buyers that speak beyond your listing photos and tours. This can help buyers see the unmeasured value in your home (ex: a favorite peach tree that bears fruit each summer, a nearby coffee shop or bike path – memory makers of a home that are priceless!)
5. Be Flexible with Showings
Once your home is active on the market – it needs to be available for showings when you’re downsizing in Kansas City. Try to accommodate buyers’ schedules as much as possible, even if it’s not always convenient for you. In the current market in most cases, buyers want to tour your home before making an offer! Ask your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® about strategies for your specific situation in regards to showings. We’ve worked with many situations and can provide recommendations for success.
6. Use Social Media to Promote Your Home
Social media can be a powerful tool when it comes to promoting your home. Ask your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® about their social media marketing and digital marketing plan for your home. If you are active on social media yourself, feel free to share your listing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. Encourage friends and family to share your listing if they’d like.
7. Work with a Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
Working with a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® agent can help you navigate the selling process and can help you get the best possible price for your home. They have specific training and experience working with downsizers and seniors navigating real estate transitions. Your agent should be professional, personable and patient. An experienced agent can provide valuable insights into the local market and can help you negotiate with buyers. Downsizing in Kansas City is a process and you deserve a trusted guide to help navigate each step of the way!
8. Understand the Market
Understanding the local real estate market is crucial. While public information is available online, it is rarely totally accurate or lacking crucial insight needed when selling your home. Work with your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® to stay up-to-date on market trends utilizing professional data and to determine the best time to sell your home. Timing can make a world of difference when listing your home for sale in Kansas City, Lawrence, and Topeka, especially with our seasonal weather and activities affecting buyer behavior for home shopping.
9. Make Repairs and Improvements
Making necessary repairs and improvements can help your home sell faster and for a higher price. Sometimes this involves a simple “handyman punch list” that can be remedied easily in a few hours or a day. It could also include minor updates like painting and landscaping cleanup, fence repair or completing a project you had started previously that needs to be finished.
10. Be Patient
Selling a home can take time, so it’s essential to be patient. Work with your Seniors Real Estate Specialist® to develop a marketing strategy that will attract buyers, and be prepared to wait for the right offer. With an award-winning team and strategy, you will be getting offers before you know it.
At BD Real Estate Solutions our real estate agents are experts in the local market and can help you sell your home this summer. We can provide valuable insights into pricing, marketing, and negotiating with buyers. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you sell your home in Kansas City, Lawrence or Topeka. 913-232-3383
