Come see this beautiful nearly new custom Colonial in favorite walk-to Bates neighborhood! An ideal floor plan for family and friends to enjoy is superbly appointed throughout with custom cabinetry and built-ins, exquisite moldings, beautiful bathrooms, and extraordinary details. Set ideally at the end of the block abutting 64 acres of Boulder Brooks Reservation & [...]What To Do If Your Home Isn't Selling
So you have listed your home for sale. You have had some showings, but no offers. What next? Here are some tips to help assess your home’s marketability.
1. Assess: Take a look around inside and out. Is your home uncluttered and truly spotlessly scrubbed? Are the lawn and shrubs trimmed? Are you using your dining room for dining and not for a playroom/office/crafts table? Sparkling-clean houses do sell faster than those that look too lived-in or show an abundance of the owner’s personality.
2. Evaluate Your Asking Price: Listen to your realtor – she should be continually updating you on market conditions and the competition. Are homes in your area and price range selling? Have those buyers seen your home? Visit the competition during Sunday Open Houses. If priced right, your home should sell within 30 days of listing. Don’t be seduced by the idea that you can lower your price later. A listing that is sitting is a stale listing. Instead of seeing value, agents will stop showing and buyers will ask “what is wrong with it?”
3. Leave: Take your family and your pets out during showings and open houses. Your presence will make prospective buyers uncomfortable.
5. Neutralize your color scheme: Most buyers prefer pale, neutral colors that make it easier to imagine a new home as their own. Houses with white exteriors are the highest sellers; for interiors, try whites, off-whites or pale grays.
6. Adjust expectations: If you’ve had offers but you considered them too “lowball,” try readjusting your sights. We tell our sellers that they determine the asking price, but the market determines the selling price. If you have received more than one offer at about the same price, the market is delivering a message. This is difficult for sellers to hear when the market is telling them that their home is worth less than they paid a few years ago. However, keep in mind that you may take a hit when you sell, but you will benefit when you buy! This is particularly true for trade-up buyers.
7. Is your realtor giving your house adequate attention? If not, start by having a candid talk. If there’s no change, discuss the problem with the firm’s broker. Do not wait until your listing agreement expires if you are not getting top notch service from your agent!
The spring market has been brisk. Properties that are well priced and in good condition are selling. For advice on getting your home ready for sale in the Wellesley MA area, call Jane Neilson at 781-223-7338 or visit my web site at www.JaneNeilson.com.
