One of the things I’d love to do with my blog is feature
client stories once in a while. Everyone’s home buying/selling stories are a
little different, and there’s a lot we can learn from them. Keith and Emily’s
store seemed cut and dry but turned into a doozy. They contacted me early in the Spring to help them sell their property in Woodbridge, VA so that they could purchase a new home closer to where they were actually living. This Facebook post from April 5th shows us celebrating a quick sale. How was I able to achieve this great result for my clients?
Staging: The house was occupied by tenants when we were preparing to go on the market and was extremely cluttered. I explained the importance of making the home as appealing as possible to buyers and doing it in a smart, economical way. After getting my clients on board, we worked with the tenants to employ our vision, starting with decluttering. We also rearranged a few pieces of furniture to create a good flow from the living room to the kitchen. I knew that a well staged living room was vital to get this home sold because of its welcoming, open layout. We added inexpensive throw pillows, purchased a basket for the tenant’s kids toys, and took a bookshelf and turned it into a focal point in the room.
Photography: Good photography matters when selling a home. Nine out of ten house hunters search online during the process and if the photos don’t make them want to see the house, we’ve lost a potential buyer. I owe it to my clients to give them the ability to make the best impression on prospective buyers. You will not ever see any of my pictures taken with a cell phone. Instead, all of my photo shoots are done by award winning photographers. I also do not allow my photographer to use tools that will distort the size of a room because I want the photographer to take the best pictures that gives a true representation of the home.
Repairs/improvements: Anytime you are selling a home, you have to look at it from the eyes of the buyer. Some homes need expensive renovations in order to keep up with the comparable sales in the area. In this case, the sellers had a limited budget and just needed to make smart, economical improvements to get the home sold at a price that worked for them. Starting with curb appeal, I asked the seller to weed, prune bushes, mulch, and plant flowers that would be in bloom at the time the home would be on the market. The front door and shutters were a faded red and I recommended painting them black which would cause them to pop against the brick. The front stoop railing was cracking and the stoop was chipping, so the seller scraped and painted to create a wonderful first impression for buyers as they walk in the front door.
Another improvement I recommended was painting. NEVER underestimate the makeover impact of painting walls with a neutral but appealing color. One of my standbys is Sherwin Williams Repose Gray, as it really contrasts the trim and molding (which should be painted with a semi gloss bright white) and still is neutral enough for a multitude of tastes. I also took a risk by recommending a bold accent wall color that I hoped would draw the buyer into the home when they walked in the front door. It paid off as several agents remarked how much they and their clients liked this touch.
I also advised them to stain the back deck because it was weathered and especially because the backyard was such a selling point with the home. They mowed the grass and tidied up the backyard, which doesn’t take long and makes a big difference in the overall presentation of the home.
These along with other handyman type fixes allowed this home to be presented in the best light.
As stated in the Facebook post, I was in the enviable position of having four offers in hand which allowed me to negotiate a better deal for Keith and Emily. I got the home inspection waived, got above asking price, and all without seller concessions. We also intended to replace the carpet when the tenants left and this was struck from the contract as well.
While similar homes in that area were sitting on the market over 35 days and selling for 95% of asking price, my clients were under contract in 4 days and at over 100% of the asking price! Keith and Emily were thrilled and so was I. Everything was looking good and my clients were excited to close this chapter as they prepared to move into their new home in that they were closing on in a matter of weeks. But in the world of real estate a deal isn’t done until all closing paperwork is signed and payments are made. We were set to close on May 15th and two days before closing the buyer side dropped a bomb on us that brought things to a screeching halt.
Check back in next week to see what happened!
