Selling Minneapolis Real Estate 
for Top Dollar

There are thousands of homes for sale in the Twin Cities on any given day.  However, you only have one home to sell.  Make sure you do it right. 

A few easy but critical steps will make your home sell at a higher price and in a shorter time.
  

1.  If it's broken, fix it. Most buyers tend to overestimate the cost of repairs, assuming it will cost 2-3 times what it actually will to make them. If they remain interested, buyers will deduct this amount from their offers. More often, though, buyers assume evidence of needed repairs suggests your home hasn't been well-maintained, and their there are likely to be other problems they can't see.

2. Curb appeal is key.  If you were a buyer, would you be excited about going through the front door of your home? Many a broker has had to cancel a showing because buyers, upon seeing a house from the car, wanted to keep driving past. A neat yard, bright flowers, a clean pathway and an inviting front door create an initial positive impression.

3. The front door should be filled with life. Especially welcoming is a new door mat. Door hardware should be sparkling; the key should turn easily. Make sure the doorbell works.
     

4. First impressions count.  What is the first thing your buyers will see and smell when they open the front door? This room, its accessories and its fragrance will be critical to your buyers' first impressions. They may not yet be consciously aware of it, but, at some level, the buyers have already made a decision at this point as to whether your home is on the list or off the list. If you lose them here, it will be extremely difficult to win back their enthusiasm, no matter how nice the rest of your home.
     

5. Light it up.  When you know your home is going to be shown, open all the draperies, turn on all the lights and leave classical or other calming music playing in the background. If showing agents have to do all this while their with their buyers, they can't more fast enough to stay ahead of them -- and dark, lifeless impressions of your home will already have been made.

6. Put away family photos. Remember, you're a home seller now, not a homeowner. It's time to put away collections that personalize your house. Try to make it easy for buyers to picture your house as their own.
     

7. If your home has patios and decks, make sure they're not places to store junk. Consider these outdoor spaces additional rooms that buyers will imagine themselves using. Arrange them with patio furniture. If you have a pretty yard or deck, make these inviting places for prospective buyers to linger!
     

8. Clean it up.  Unmade beds, dishes in the sink, toilet seats up, hair in the shower, and visible trash in the wastebaskets are complete turnoffs for buyers. It's the hardest thing to do as a seller, but don't leave your home without putting it in show-perfect condition. The ideal buyer may arrive an hour after you walk out the door.
     

9. The mechanical area is a surprisingly good place to invest some elbow grease. Make this area sparkle like a ship's engine room: be sure all the equipment is dust-free and the walls painted (rather than the typical drywall-taped look.) Consider giving the floor a coat of paint. When the guts of your home look well maintained, it inspires confidence in the buyers, prompting them to think you have taken excellent care of your property.
     

10. Garages are often the last place given attention by sellers, and this is a major mistake. These spaces should be immaculate, well organized, and look finished.
      

11. Make cost effective improvements.  Many sellers ask whether making certain home improvements would facilitate selling their property faster or for more money. The best place to invest money before putting your home on the market is in a fresh coat of exterior and interior paint. As long as your color choices are neutral, the impact of these  efforts is tremendous. Your property will seem fresh and new to buyers and superior to most of the competition they will also be seeing.
      

12. If you do nothing else, be sure your property is spotless, organized and squeaky clean. 

 

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