Selling Your Huntsville Home – What’s it Going to Take?

Selling your Huntsville home?

What’s it going to take to move it fast and at an acceptable price?  As most of us know by now, we have all been fighting a tough market.   Many Huntsville home owners have found our market challenging, to say the least.

As I often say, “It’s ugly out there”.  Buyers are demanding more. Why?  …Simply put, because they can.

You Must Know your Potential Buyers

I have worked with many …many buyers searching for homes in Huntsville.  I see first hand what continually goes through their minds, over and over and over.  I promise you it is far from what a typical home seller wants to hear.  Huntsville homebuyers have an attitude …again, because they can …after all, it is a buyers market.

Few Buyers - Many Sellers

I have experienced more of this than has ever happened to me, in my 15 years of business, and I consider myself to be a darn good agent.  It takes a good agent to get buyers under contract.  …and It takes a better agent to keep the contracts together these days.

From my experiences unlike in the past, today I see buyers have little emotional attachment to the homes they are negotiating.  Why? …They realize there is another nice home one right around the corner.  Current inventory favors buyers.

If they don’t get what they want on this offer, many will simply say “next” and simply move on.  The days of playing hardball are over for the majority of current Huntsville home sellers. It’s a great time to buy a home, but it’s a tough time to sell a home in Huntsville.   Prepare for a tug of war!

Selling Can be a Pleasant Experience – If You’ll Take Our Advice

Here are a few things that you MUST keep in mind if you are planning to sell your Huntsville home.

PRICE:  This is always the dreaded conversation but the conversation that is of the utmost importance.  You get one shot at pricing your home right.  Statistics show that overpricing your home WILL net you less in the end.  Now may not be the best time for you to sell.  If we don’t believe we can get you the price you “need” we will be the first to tell you.  There is absolutely nothing we can do to get an overpriced home sold…nothing.  Buyers determine the values of homes in this market.  That is a sad fact but one we must comes to grip with.  Think like a buyer!

CONDITION:  Not only must your home be priced right, but it MUST be showroom ready.  Again…you get ONE first impression.  Our Huntsville homebuyers begin sizing up the homes the moment we pull up to the curb.  From that very moment on, they start deducting dollars for MINOR issues.   We always recommend a pre-listing home inspection.  It’s better to address the issues NOW, rather than to lose a sale later.  The issues WILL matter to buyers.   Why not handle them now, rather than waiting for the ball to drop later.  This could and has cost many sellers a ready, willing and able buyer.

SHOWROOM READY:  Due to a large supply of homes on the market, buyers have many, many homes to chose from.  They will be comparing your home to many others in the same price range.  Start at the front door and look at your home through a buyers eyes.  Peeling paint, stained and dirty concrete, worn carpet, odors, crazy pain colors and broken blinds ALL make a buyer feel as if you didn’t take care of your home.  From curb appeal to carpeting to paint choices…they expect perfection or the price had better reflect the changes needed.  Gone are the days of “allowances” to make necessary changes.  Buyers want it all and quite frankly, they are getting it all more times than not.

NEUTRALIZE: You may love your red walls and funky carpet, but the majority of home buyers will not.  Prepare your home for the majority.  There is always an exception to that rule, but let the professional make that decision.   Make your closets look spacious.  Pack things up and put them in storage if necessary.  Trust me on this one…if a home is cluttered, you will NOT get top dollar.  Not even close.  Make your rooms look spacious.   The worst thing you can do is show a buyer that you have outgrown your home…they too will feel as if they have outgrown it.  Remember, you are staging your home to sell..not to live in.

MAKE YOUR HOME AVAILABLE:  The first thing I tell my sellers is to be ready to show at any time.  Most buyers want to look “NOW”.  At times buyers agents will have sufficient notice.   More times than not, it will be short notice.  With the competition being as tough as it is, let them in when they want to see it.  Prepare in advance.  For heavens sake, do NOT require a 24 hour notice.   That is a sure fire way to ensure you will have very few showings.  Buyers are not going to wait…it’s all about them…remember?

HIRE AN AGENT THAT WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH:  Not just what you want to hear.  Telling you what you want to hear will not get your home sold.  Telling you the truth will.  Interview more than one agent.  Do they have a marketing plan?  Do they have an online presence…nearly 90% of buyers begin their search online.  Do they know the Huntsville Real Estate market?   What will this agent do that will help set your home apart from the rest of the competition?   Teamwork, all the way!

There are things you can’t change when selling your home in Huntsville.  Location and style of home.  There are many more things that you DO have control over to ensure your home selling experience is a pleasant one.  You are given one opportunity…make it a great one! Call or email me directly 256-425-1759 for your free market analysis.

– Elizabeth

Tagged as: Listing agent in Huntsville, selling huntsville homes