Putting any home on the market always comes with a feeling of uncertainty to some degree.  How long will it take to sell?  Will we need to lower the price?  What if the buyers have home inspection repair requests?  While you won’t have the answers to these questions at the start of your real estate journey, there are some things you can do to help feel prepared and get your home sold.

Learn about the local market

Getting information about the local housing market will help you to know what to expect while selling your home.  The average days on the market tell you how long homes take to sell.  For example, if in Locust Grove the average days on the market is eighty-five days, then you can expect that it will take just under three months to sell your home.  Yes, it could be less than this; sometimes the ideal buyer for your home is ready to go, but it could also take a little longer.

Don’t be afraid to ask your REALTOR® for any updates to the housing market once your home has been on the market for some time.  The market is fluid and changes.

Ask your REALTOR® for staging advice

Whether you are selling a home in Lake of the Woods or have a house on some acreage, getting an outsider’s opinion on how to stage is valuable.  Staging a home isn’t the same as living in one; instead, staging is meant to make your home as appealing as possible to as many buyers as possible.  This might mean moving the large gaming chairs out of the spare bedroom to trading the sectional sofa in the living room for a smaller couch and chairs.  Your agent may suggest painting a wall a neutral tone, decluttering closets, or rearranging furniture.  All of these changes to simplify your home allow buyers to visualize their things in the rooms when they are looking at your house.

Make known repairs know

If you know that the faucet in the primary bathroom drips or that there is a small hole in the wall as a result of a wrestling match gone awry, then now is the time to repair it.  Home inspectors will find things that need to be addressed in any home, so tackling everything that you already know about means that you won’t have to deal with it later.  If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, like a home in Lake of the Woods, then addressing any issues with the exterior of your house is also important to do.  

Get and Stay Photo Ready

Professional pictures and video of a home is very important to selling it because all buyers use the internet to search for a home (NAR 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers).  This means that buyers see your home before they ever step foot in it.  Having a staged and decluttered house will help your photographer capture photographs that best represent your home.  Keeping you home clean for showings is important too.  When homes are cluttered, buyers focus on the stuff that is filling up the space rather than the rooms themselves.

Be Open to Showings

Showings are potential offers.  Buyers, who have already previewed your home online, are interested enough to see it in person.  As a seller it is important to be flexible to showings.  No, most of us don’t enjoy a last minute showing late in the evening or one in the middle of a Saturday, but these are all potential offers.  When something does arise that causes you to reject a showing request (like you are ill or have guests in town), make sure to communicate with your REALTOR® why you canceled the showing and offer available times for your agent to share with the buyers.

Price your Home at Market Value

No matter how pristine a home is, an overpriced home will sit on the market.   When pricing a home in Lake of the Woods or anywhere else, determining a house’s market value and then deciding on a list price is important.  While each individual seller may have slightly different home goals that can impact the list price (One person may need to move immediately and price the home at the lower end of its market value.  Another person may need to get as much equity as possible from the property and be okay with pricing it at the higher end of the market value.), ultimately deciding on a list price at market value will help the home sell.

Are you ready to start your search for a home in Lake of the Woods or the surrounding are! I am here to help!