Quick tips to sell your home and avoid racial bias Hilltop Family Real Estate Firm is all about education and preparation. We help sellers with the process of selling with guidance from start to finish. We love guiding sellers in the process of preparing to sell their home. The steps suggested below should be completed before showings, appraisals and or inspections.
First things first, no personal items. By removing all personal items like family portraits or any family pictures gives the home a canvas for the buyers to imagine for themselves. This is also important with keeping any racial bias away from the process. Remember the buyers are there to see the home, nothing more or nothing less. Data has shown that African American families are more likely to have their home valued at lesser amounts due to racial bias. Take the photos and other personal items down and replace them with paintings, if staging is needed, we can help!
Painting your home white, the trims, the doors and the walls makes all the difference. White is a neutral tone that gives a clean look and gives buyers the feeling of a blank canvas for them to personalize and create. We offer referrals for good craftsmen to assist in these types of projects that we personally recommend.
Declutter your home. Create as many bare surfaces as possible and then clean. Clean all glass, we are talking windows, doors and mirrors in your bathrooms. Remember smell matters! Place plug-ins in each and every room and make your home smell good. If your home smells like smoke or pets. It will turn people off right away.
Swap out dated light fixtures for something a bit more modern. Light fixtures can add value and make a home look well maintained and invested in.
List your home on a Friday. Fridays are the best days to go live on the MLS, as most people don’t work on the weekends. A new listing on a Friday increases your chances of buyers making an appointment right away to come and see your home.
Limit the amount of showings you have on your home. People tend to want what they can’t have. Restricting the amount of hours, and days of showings causes buyers to be more competitive and lets them know that this property is not going to be for sale on the market for long.
Price your home according to the market. Don’t start at the high range for what your home is worth, start at the market value, this creates an interest and attracts as many buyers as possible and leaves room for bidding wars to bid up and get the best possible deal.
Last but not least, lawn care for curb appeal. Some buyers will decline viewing a home simply based on curb appeal. A well maintained lawn, with good front and back lighting goes a long way. A well maintained front lawn makes a neighborhood more desirable and encourages neighbors to have the same great habits to keep the neighborhood looking nice.