inside the home. Be sure to stage the home, using some good furniture, rugs, lighting decorations, and wall art as accents to enable the buyers to imagine living there. When presented with an empty space, buyers are prone to focus on the negative aspects of the property, including wall cracks, missing or chipped paint, small repairs undone, the outline of the couch on the rug, and other distractions. A well-staged home can help cover up the small bothering issues. Th e importance of staging is seen by a real estate fir m study showing that fewer than 10% of potential buyers can visualize the true potential of a home. Nine out of 10 people personally visiting your home can’t imagine the possibilities that the property can present them. Show those possibilities to them with strategic staging. Not Getting the House Appraised An appraisal by a professional home appraiser is a critical tool in selling a vacant house. Having one prior to listing the home is helpful in setting the listing price, working with comparable sales and local market trends. Having an appraisal to show buyers gives the seller credibility, and might reduce the negotiation period. Buyers who can see an appraisal will feel more comfortable with your selling price and their o ff er price. Shutting O ff U tilities Keeping utility services on will help prevent weather damage. Additionally, a house without lights is diffi cult to show and gives buyers the impression that the house needs more repairs than it does. Keeping utilities on will make it more comfortable for
anyone viewing the house. Mispricing the Property
102
Powered by FlippingBook