Bardell Real Estate Logo

It’s a buyer’s market but sellers can increase the chance of a sale in today’s climate by working with a Realtor and considering the following:

  • Do not count on open houses to sell your home as less than 5% of buyers find their home at an open house.
  • Work with a realtor who is knowledgeable about your community and understands the local market and prospective client base.
  • Tour similar homes in the community to better understand the competition – what homes sold for 6-12 months ago may not be a good estimate for today.
  • Consider staging your home or at the very least, view your home as a prospective buyer. Does it have curb appeal? Is there a wow factor when you walk in? Is it clean and presentable? What can I do to improve my chances of selling the home?
  • Offer prospective buyers a neighborhood ‘reference’ list. (This may be difficult for vacation home owners). Make a list of your most reliable neighbors, features and amenities within your community and explain what makes the neighborhood a truly unique place to live.
  • On-line photoes should be taken on a sunny day with a wide-angle lens. Approximately, one-third of buyers who responded to a recent survey said they would eliminate homes they saw on-line if they had too few or poor quality photoes.
  • Consider a pre-inspection to give you a selling edge. Include information about any repair work completed since you bought the home. If you don’t market your improvements, eg new roof, A/C, pool heater, etc. you won’t get as much return for them.
  • Once your home is on the market, accept feedback and tweak as necessary.
Source: Florida Association of Realtors (Orlando, Fla July 1st 2008)