Thinking of selling your North of Boston home this year?  Whether a job transfer or desire to “buy up” is causing you to put your home on the North of Boston Real Estate market; you may be concerned about the sale of your home.  You’ve heard that it’s a “buyers market” and are not quite certain how your home will compete with the other homes for sale in the North of Boston area. 

Making sure your home is ready to go on the market is vital and will make more of a difference than you realize.   You may look at your North of Boston home and, from your perspective; it’s in good shape!  However,a potential buyer is viewing your home from a completely objective perspective.  You’ll want to make sure your home is in top shape in order for it to withstand the buyer’s critical eye.

Below are 10 great ways to ensure your North of Boston home is ready to sell!  Take a few minutes to see how your home stands up against the list. 

1. Price it correctly- The single biggest thing you can do is to price your home correctly.  Correct pricing is the number one thing that you can do, because if the price is not within reason of the other properties on the market then all the other items presented below are useless.  You can spend all the money in the world on making your house look beautiful but if the price is not what the current buyers will pay then you are throwing money out the window.  

Your house should sell in 2 weeks, if the house isn’t sold in 2 weeks change the price immediately, Why? Ask yourself this question: Would you be willing to provide a seller a close to full price offer if the house was on the market for 2-7 days?   How about if that same house was on the market for 60-90 days? How about that house that has been on the market for 362 days?  Every house will sell…..   At the right price.  When selling your home, make sure you price it correctly day one, because if not you will be sure to lose more money in the end.

2. Improve your landscaping- Curb appeal is crucial to a good first impression, so make sure your North of Boston home's lawn is immaculate.  Selling your home in the winter means keeping sidewalks and the driveway well shoveled and salted.  In the warmer months, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and plant flowers. Remove snow from the walkways, patio(s) and deck (if possible).  Remove the snow and ice from the roof we are seeing more and more ice dams on houses with snow covered roofs.

3. Make repairs- In a buyer’s market; you want your home to be in the best condition possible. North of Boston buyers are very savvy and know what to expect in a home. Take care of major defects like broken windows or a leaky roof as well as smaller repairs such as a loose hinges on a cabinet or a missing brick from your walkway.  Knowing there are things that will need to be fixed when they move in can greatly discourage buyers. An unkept exterior will make buyers think you've slacked off on interior maintenance as well. Be sure to clean the gutters and pressure wash your home's siding.   If you know of issues that may come up in a home inspection fix them PRIOR to putting your home on the market it will save you time and money to address the issues now.  



4. Make the front door inviting- A fresh coat of paint, especially in a color that contrasts with the home, will make the front door stand out. Replace faded house numbers so buyers can see them from the curb.  For every 1 dollar you spend preparing your home to sell you should receive 3 dollars back.  One of the single greatest return on investments we see for our clients is paint.  If you spend $3000 on interior paint (depending on what you have to work with) you should get $9000 more back in the selling price (on average).

5. Buy a new welcome mat- Let buyers know they're invited into your home.  This is a seemingly small thing to do, but an old, dirty welcome mat will make buyers wonder what else you’ve overlooked in your home.  A fresh mat will show buyers that you pay attention to the smallest details in every aspect of your North of Boston home.

6. Remove clutter and depersonalize- Buyers want to envision their belongings in your home.  By removing personal photos and items; buyers will be less distracted.  If your storage space is limited, perhaps renting a storage unit while your home is on the market is a smart choice. Extra furniture will only make your home appear smaller and more cluttered.  Take the magnets off your refrigerator and organize books, make things look tidy, remember “less is better.”

7. Organize closets and drawers- Messy closets give the appearance that your home doesn't have enough storage space.  Having built-in organizers in closets, and even the kitchen pantry, will give the impression that keeping things organized will be a breeze.  Keep shoes off the floor in the closets when you do so the closets give the impression that they are larger.

8. Make every surface shine- From ceiling fans to floors and everything in between; clean your home until it shines. We recommend spending money on a professional cleaner, the return on investment for a clean looking and clean smelling house is priceless.  This is another investment that clients make and the return is tremendous.

9. Take color down a notch- You might like your lime-green bedroom, but it may turn off buyers. Paint your walls a neutral color that will appeal to a wide range of buyers.  We suggest the Benjamin Moore Pottery Barn color palate as this seems to be attractive to most buyers.  Consult your local paint store for more details but it must be kept clean and simple.  When you paint the house feels fresh and new, buyers want to do as little as possible if it is the right house.

10. Scrutinize- Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you? Take a few minutes to do the following: Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer. Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense. Make sure window coverings hang level. Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and is it aesthetically pleasing?  Be the “buyer” of your own home.

I hope these tips are helpful as you begin the process of selling your North of Boston home!  It can be overwhelming to know where to start, but these ten things will help you get started.  If you have not yet found a North of Boston Real Estate agent; please let me know.  I have a solid track record of selling North of Boston homes in a timely and efficient manner.  Feel free to contact me anytime!  I look forward to hearing from you!

Check out the Seller portion of my site for more information and a videos on what sellers can do to prepare their home to sell for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time.

Sven Andersen
North of Boston Real Estate Expert

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Searching for a new place in Winchester to call home? The Sven Andersen Team makes it easy for you to search for your new Winchester home. This FREE, NO-OBLIGATION service can help you find the home of your dreams! Simply visit http://www.northofbostonlistings.com/ and fill out the form to start your auto-email home search today! It's just that easy! The Sven Andersen Team is always willing to help and will always respect your privacy; we leave it up to you to contact US when you're ready to buy or sell in the Winchester area.

If you want to learn more about selling your home visit: www.PriceMyNorthofBostonhome.com
If you want to get our 450 ways to sell your home fast visit: www.450waystosellfast.com
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If you, friends, relatives, or colleagues are considering buying or selling a home, condo, or land, please consider contacting Sven for assistance in your search. Sven coverage area includes: Winchester, Belmont, Medford, Woburn, Lexington, Arlington, Melrose, Stoneham, and Reading.  We also offer a complimentary referral service, called "Anywhere Agents," to assist folks who are looking to buy or sell outside our coverage area, including international locations. We will interview prospective agents in the area(s) you or a family member are considering to assure you get the most knowledgeable Real Estate Professional to assist in your home buying/selling needs.