The process of preparing a home for sale around the Greater Palm Springs area follows the same procedures as selling anywhere. Make your property as marketable as possible. Most buyers coming to Greater Palm Springs want updated and clean properties that are move-in ready. This makes perfect sense for snowbirds and second home buyers from Southern California’s “drive” market, buyers who live in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.
Overcoming Listing Roadblocks
Even if you feel that your home is move-in ready, an experienced Realtor should be able to identify problem areas that need to be addressed before you list. Common roadblocks that keep clients from listing their home at their desired price include:
- Damaged or dirty flooring
- Cluttered spaces that will not present well during open houses or showings
- Poor or nonexistent landscaping
- Peeling or dirty paint on both interior and exterior walls
- Outdated kitchens and bathrooms
- Old, damaged, or leaky roofs
- Problems with HVAC, electrical wiring, or sewage pumps
- History of ongoing pest infestations
If you’re presenting a home that resembles something less than dream home worthy, it may be time to look at your home just as a buyer would seeing it for the first time.
Insights from Working with Developers and Designers
My time working with design professionals has taught me a lot about what buyers are looking for, and how to position yourself to understand both parties. Interior stylists are strong believers in the first impression a home makes on a buyer, and how to maximize your home’s best qualities. Consider that successful staging for a strong sale means creating an environment that shines yet is practical for everyday living. The goal—buyers can see themselves living there.
Of course, most if not all homes need at least some minor work prior to listing it on the market. This is why the role of Compass Concierge is vital to selling your home higher and faster.
Compass Concierge: What Is It?
We all know how stressful it can be to prepare a home for the market. From detail cleaning to painting to refurbishing and renovations, it is often a long, complicated, costly and simply exhausting process.
Compass Concierge offers clients the ability to quickly and even proactively address some of the most common problems that plague homes going on the market. I work with my clients to determine what upgrades and renovations will provide the best Return on Investment (ROI). Then I assist you in engaging local vendors to contract staging, painting, cleaning home repair, and other upgrade services to ensure your home shows the best it can. This gives you more time to focus on the other important factors that go with selling a home and moving.
Once your home is sold, you simply pay back all the costs for the agreed-upon work. No interest, commissions, upfront costs, or hidden fees; just straightforward repayment on home repairs.
How to Sell Your Property Higher and Faster
In order to make the highest and best return on your home, you will need to move forward and listen to your listing agent on what should be done.
- If your home needs some refreshing, don’t wait for a miracle buyer who might be willing to do it after the sale. You’ll be waiting a long time to sell and will end up cutting your asking price by quite a bit. Updates and refreshing your property don’t necessarily need to be anything wide in scope or particularly in-depth. Start by cleaning the carpets, changing the paint colors to a neutral shade and landscaping the empty sides of the home. Not only can these actions provide an immediate uptick in listing price, but it’s value that is easily seen by Realtors and potential home buyers the moment they step onto the property. By refreshing the home, the property will ultimately sell quicker and for more money than it would have without.
- Be honest with yourself about the home. Trying to skirt around the issues and gloss over clutter, dirty flooring, or potential pest infestations will never net you a higher price. It won’t even get you a serious buyer. It may be a good idea to call in the professionals, such as a third party decorator or stager. An objective professional will assist you in presenting the home in the best ways possible, making you more comfortable with your chances of selling. Inform yourself of the hard facts and find some actionable points to begin.
- In contrast, if you own property or a home that is unequivocally a disaster, you will need to invest in making it market-ready. A professional team is needed to address the situation immediately. Cluttered, dark, and unkempt homes are immediately a no for buyers. You must clean and lighten and brighten it and declutter before the first buyer walks in. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at drastic price cuts and lots of Days On Market—a traditional deal killer.
Remember, the goal of your work is ultimately to benefit in the sale of your home, not struggle with finding buyers. Be honest with yourself. What you may find comfy and cozy about your home’s potential buyers may not. Talk candidly to your Realtor about your home’s situation to see how they can help. Be prepared to come up with actionable, measurable, qualitative points of discussion. Remember, your Realtor is here to work with you to achieve the very best outcome possible.