Five steps to a faster sale

If you’ve been thinking about putting your home on the market, you should be considering what you can do to get it sold quickly. With just a little forethought and handiwork, you can prevent your home from lingering on the market once you’ve listed it for sale.

Here are five steps you can take to encourage a faster sale:

1. Price it right the first time.

Nothing prolongs a sale like a home that’s not priced for today’s market. Getting this crucial element of the transaction right the first time prevents the long period of back-and-forth haggling that usually eats up several weeks and can ruin a deal. Make sure your real estate agent spends time with you going over current market statistics and trends so that you make a smart pricing decision right from the start.

2. Make it easy for agents to show your property.

If you really want to get your home sold fast, then it’s critically important for your agent to have as much access to the property as possible. Don’t place restrictions on time. Don’t show only when you’re home. If you’re serious about selling, then be serious about showing.

3. De-clutter your home.

You need to think of your home as a merchandising display. Space sells, especially when it’s the space itself that people are buying. Clean, sparse interiors provide a much better sense of the size of a room. If your rooms feel too small because they’re cluttered with your belongings, then the potential buyer is not experiencing the potential of your home.

4. Keep the exterior in great shape.

Though it may be hard to believe, nothing gives you more bang for your buck than a well-manicured lawn. If you’re concerned that you don’t have the time to take care of it, then pay someone to come in on a weekly basis—yes, weekly!—to mow and trim it for you. This will pay for itself with a faster sale.

5. Spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning is an absolute necessity for a fast home sale. People really do look at the amount of dust that has collected on your baseboard, the grout between your tiles, and the grease on your stove. To create the best impression, take care of these issues long before the first showing of your home.