Looking to sell your home? During our current global pandemic selling a home come with a few additional considerations. Your realtor will be a wonderful source for guidance, but we’ve compiled a short list of things to consider.
COVID Considerations
By appointment only. Open houses have been a wonderful selling tool for homes for a very long time. There is nothing like seeing a home with your own eyes. However, the COVID pandemic is making is harder to hold an open house. Many sellers are doing by-appointment-only viewings. Additionally, video showings have become popular. Facebook Live and Zoom are resources for agents to consider.
Providing hand sanitizer and/or wipes is a good idea for those who are visiting in-person.
Clean and reorganize your space. Ensure your space is clean and organized in case of any last-minute showings, especially when you are actively holding showings. Also try to reorganize your furniture so the living areas appear bigger. This can be as simple as moving a couch from point A to point B, or as intensive as moving bigger furniture pieces into your new home to really show the potential buyers how much space they would be getting.
Depersonalize your space so your potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. When you sell your house, you will not be leaving photos of your favorite pet or family gatherings. It is also unlikely that your potential buyers want to keep your family heirlooms, so ensure they are already out of the space before you start showing. While it may seem minor, having an abstract picture will help your space seem like more of a blank slate than a collage from your most recent vacation.
Little updates go a long way. Do you have a squeaky door or old hardware? While it might seem like no big deal, making these small changes can have a huge impact on whether people are interested in your home or not. To potential buyers, those are just one more thing they will have to invest in when they buy, so spending an extra $10 for a new hinge or hardware will help your home sell faster.
Focus on your kitchen and bathroom, as they are both big sellers. No one wants to walk into the bathroom and see water stains inside the tub or coffee stains on the kitchen counter. Ensure your big-ticket rooms are as clean as they were when your home finished construction. While they may seem like minor issues, just like the updates mentioned earlier, they can make or break a sale.
Be flexible with your showings. Ensure you are being responsive and kind when dealing with potential buyers and try to be as flexible as you can. While there are commitments you can’t get out of, like a wedding or family emergency, don’t say no to a showing just because you want to binge-watch your favorite TV series. The more flexible you are will your showings, the faster your home will sell.
Choose the right realtor who knows how to market an HOA property. Make sure to ask them the questions you had when moving into an HOA, such as what are some of the rules and fees? Also ensure that they are listing your home on websites such as realtor.com and see if they will bring in professionals to stage and photograph your home.
As the seller, you will need to provide resale documents to your potential buyer. You can find this information on our website. Visit sharpermanagement.com and look for the Resale Disclosures link in the menu bar, or Click here.