As we near the final quarter of 2019, we are approaching the last few months for home owners to list and sell their home before the end of the year.

However, it is not too late if you are rational about the home selling process and realistic about your home’s condition, desirability, and value.

Here are six tips, courtesy of Bankrate.com, to sell your home before the new year.

Rely on comps — not emotion — to set a realistic asking price.  When it comes to determining the best price to list your home, there’s no better predictor of market value than past data.  You may be able to get away with pushing the market in the hottest parts of the Spring and Summer markets, but buyers have agents, too, and they know the value of your home.  Do yourself a favor and listen to your agent when he advises you to list your home at or near market value.

Ask your agent for ‘first look’ feedback. As an agent who regularly previews homes for sale and regularly tours properties with buyer clients, I’ve developed a good feel for what potential buyers will notice when they are touring your home. Simply by the sheer volume of properties we see, agents are trained to quickly pick up on your home’s trouble areas which should be addressed before selling.

Clean, organize and declutter. Your home only has one chance to make a first impression. Though you may live in clutter, your home’s future owner may not.  Help potential buyers see your home in its best light and envision themselves living there by keeping your home clean and tidy. Remove oversized furniture that makes rooms feel small and cluttered and splurge for a temporary storage unit over storing things sloppily in your garage.

Consider hiring a professional stager.  I’ve hired a professional stager on multiple listings and it always makes a difference in how the home shows and how it presents itself in pictures. Nine times out of ten you can use your own furniture, but a professional stager will help your home look lighter, brighter and less cluttered.

Spring for professional photos and video. This is a no-brainer. Pictures may not sell most houses, but they are the number one thing to get potential buyers in the door.

Get an optional pre-sale home inspection. You may think, “Oh, the buyers will get an inspection,” and you are right. But having a pre-listing inspection and fixing things on your terms before the house goes to market could save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the end.

If you’re thinking about selling your home in 2019, contact Jimmy Grappone to schedule a listing consultation today.  (980) 298-9385 / Jimmy@CostelloREI.com

Read the article I referenced at https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/how-to-sell-home-before-year-end/.