Agent613.ca Top 10 Tips When Selling Your Ottawa Home

Here are top 10 tips and tricks to help you sell your home faster and for more money. Most of them are simple and easy to implement. I will not be talking about things that are your real estate agent’s responsibility such as photos, MLS listings, advertising, etc. Agent613.ca will focus on actions that are within your control. 

1. Price is everything.

As a professional Realtor I can tell you that pricing the property correctly is the most important thing for a sale. If the price is too high the property will “sit” on the market (Stagnating on the market). If the price it too low you run the risk of leaving money on the table. Starting with a Comparative Market evaluation and an overall assessment of your current neighborhood market. We will be able to establish the perfect market price for your home.

2. Half empty your closets.

Half emptying your closets is an old real estate trick to make them look bigger. The same applies to the rest of the house. Make sure that your garage, storage areas and basement are organized. Put balky extra furniture in the storage. Remember, less furniture = rooms appear more spacious.

3. Give each room a purpose.

Do you have an awkward space in your home that you aren’t really sure what to use it for? Well, give it a purpose. Turn the empty space into home office, work area and even a crafting area. Purposeless areas kill interior design.

4. Take down family photos.

Depersonalizing your home is a must. Take down your family photos! Family pictures on the walls will make some buyers uncomfortable. By turning your home into a house you allow potential buyers envision themselves living there. Depersonalizing a home also applies to unique furniture pieces, personalized decorations and hand puppet collections. Neutral is good. Quite often I find people get lost in the homes family story and not thinking about the home itself.

5. Don’t over upgrade.

Not all investments are good investments and not all renovations are good renovations. Sometimes, renovations will not improve the value of your home. Updating kitchens and bathrooms are usually the safest bets, however there are instances where these renovations are not needed. One last word of caution, for the most part don’t renovated half of the house. Either do a complete renovation or nothing at all. Contact me anytime to find out the best return on your investment where renovations are concerned.

6. Always be ready for a showing.

It’s hard to keep your home in a showroom condition all the time. Do your best to keep it as clean and organized as possible. You never know when you will get a request for a last minute showing.

7. Manage your pets.

Do you have pets in the house? Most pets are ok, however some breads of dogs and exotic animals could be scary to people. If possible, arrange for your pets to be out during the showings. It is highly recommended to hide cat or dog bowls as well as kitty litter to avoid potential negative thoughts regarding your home.

8. Think about safety.

Is your home safe for visitors and kids? Make sure there are no nails sticking out on the deck or for that matter anything that could be potentially dangerous for the potential buyers of your home. Think about your personal safety as well. Strangers will be walking through your house. Don’t leave your expensive jewelry, electronics, documents or personal information laying around.

9. Fix up the little things.

Most buyers are looking for places to live in not a home improvement projects. Make sure that all of door handles work, the stairs railing is firmly in place and replace all burned out light bulbs. A little painting and refreshing can go a long way.  Spending a small sum of money on little fix ups is a good investment.

10. Curb appeal matters.

How does your home look from the outside? What kind of first impression does it have on people? Mowing the lawn, doing a little repair work and landscaping can change people’s fist impressions. 

Follow these tips to sell your property for the top dollar. Contact Agent613.ca today, if you are looking to sell your home or a condo in Greater Ottawa Area.