When you put your house on the market, you assumed it would sell fast. Why wouldn’t it? You fell in love with the house the moment you stepped through the front door. Or if it wasn’t then, it was definitely when you saw the tub in the master bathroom. Fast-forward three months and there’s barely been a nibble on your home for sale. Your listing is stale, and you feel stuck.
Homes that sit on the market longer than expected are usually due to price, location, or condition. Sometimes it’s all three! In Breckenridge, location usually isn’t the problem. Every neighborhood has something to offer, and many areas are a quick bike ride to the shopping and dining in downtown Breckenridge. Often, all it takes is a fresh approach to marketing your home to attract the right buyer. Here are a few tips for taking your house from stale to sale.
5 Ways to Breathe New Life Into Your Listing
Listen to Buyer Feedback
As hard as it can be to hear strangers comment on your home, buyer feedback could help sell your property. For example, your aggressively barking dog might be deterring buyers from wanting to tour your property. Or, perhaps the traditional floor plan makes your home less desirable than properties with open concepts. Hearing this feedback can be rough, but it will help you make changes or lower the price to attract more buyers.
Boost Your Curb Appeal
They call it curb appeal for a reason. A buyer has to love the outside of your home before he or she will consider looking inside. Paint your front door for a huge impact on a small budget, and replace all of the light bulbs on your porch and garage. Hang a pretty wreath and arrange pumpkins and gourds on your front steps, and clean up any fallen leaves and tree branches. With winter on the way, be mindful of shoveling your driveway and sidewalk after each snowfall.
Make Minor Upgrades
If you have old appliances or systems in poor condition, buyers might see these as expensive hurdles and move onto the next house. Check your home warranty contract to see if there are any opportunities to make minor upgrades. A home warranty usually pays for repairs on heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems as well as appliances.
Update Your Listing Photos
Did you know that homes with professional listing photos sell faster and for more money? According to the National Association of Realtors Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, 89 percent of buyers who search for homes online say photos are very important. Don’t risk it with iPhone photography! A professional photographer will offer art direction and get the right lighting and angles to showcase your home in the best possible way. He or she will also edit the photos of your home to enhance the color and make everything look perfect. Trust me, updating your listing photos is worth the investment.
Work With a Luxury Real Estate Agent
A luxury real estate agent will be able to look at your listing, see what’s not working, and help you fix it. Your agent will also provide you with an updated comparative market analysis (CMA) to help you realistically price your home. Plus, she’ll have a list of trusted contractors, home stagers, and photographers in her back pocket. These contacts will be extremely valuable when you’re ready to start making changes. If you’re looking for a luxury real estate agent (wink, wink) I know just the one.
Take Your Listing From Stale to Sale
If your home has been on the market for several months, I know you’re more than ready to move on to the next chapter. I take a personalized approach to the selling process and use the most effective strategies to advertise my clients’ properties. My goal is to make your home stand out from other luxury homes for sale in Summit County and capture the right buyer’s attention.
Tired of waiting in limbo for your house to sell? I’d be happy to give you local insights and exclusive tips for getting your home ready to sell. Give me a call at (970) 333-0082 to find out how we can take your listing from stale to sale in no time.
