Dear Thalia and Alida,
With ski season winding down and looking ahead to the spring/summer selling season, wondering what I can do to maximize my asking price and appeal to buyers. I have heard varying recommendations on what to do (or not) to get my home sale ready and would appreciate your input.
Getting Ready to Sell
Dear Getting Ready to Sell,
You are wise to start planning ahead and yes, there are several things you can do that are affordable and add a lot to your home’s overall presentation and appeal to buyers, as well as your ability to maximize real estate sale ROI.
Working with an experienced real estate broker vs. for sale by owner (FSBO) has been proven by the National Realtors Association to net up to $60,000 more in sellers’ pockets than those who try to sell their home on their own, even after the commission is paid. And this doesn’t even factor in the time savings for sellers in terms of marketing (and that expense), listings, open houses, contract negotiations, and closing.
Declutter, declutter, declutter.
Yes, most homes can be sold right now without having to do a thing but remember you will usually make a lot more from the sale of your home by decluttering. Cleaning up landscaping and the front entrance are good places to start. Inside, removing personal items and pairing down excess furnishings and other household items, including cleaning off countertops, and removing photos are critical. Considering some fresh interior paint if there are a lot of marks and wear, all help the new buyer imagine themselves living in what you want them to see as their new home – not yours. Most people are very visual, so by doing even the basic things you’re maximizing your home’s appeal to multiple buyers for your best real estate sale ROI.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Having high-quality photography is paramount., which now includes Matterport videos that offer a digital and thorough walk through your home Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression and that usually begins on-line, with buyers looking and coming from all parts of the country and world. Equally important is that you use a professional photographer and possibly a staging artist who knows how to showcase each room in its best light and make it look model home ready.
A good real estate broker should provide you with a list of items to remove and store – both for photo sessions and showings. These include but are not limited to removing everything from the kitchen counters, hiding trash cans, storing animal food and bedding (and removing odors for showings), hiding TV controls, having beds perfectly made, and turning on all the lights.
While this is just an overview, the point to remember is less is more when it comes to personal items and even small changes yield big results – money in your pocket. Visual appeal goes a long way in attracting buyers and maximizing your real estate sale ROI.
Good luck with your sale,
Thalia and Alida
Thalia Leiva and Alida Zwaan are Chairman’s Gold Circle Award winning broker associates for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties, putting them in the top 2% of the 50,000+ company network brokers nationwide. Fluent in Spanish, Thalia is based out of the company’s Eagle Ranch office down valley and Alida, the Vail Lionshead office. They can be reached at thalia@bhhsvail.net or 970-306-2016 or alidaz@bhhsvail.net or 970-471-0291.
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Recently remodeled, this free-standing, 3 bed/3 bath 1, 595 sq. ft. townhome at 4800 Meadow Drive, Riverbend #21 in East Vail, features vaulted ceilings with sunlit windows and open space views and access. The great room opens into a gourmet kitchen, which looks out to a private outdoor patio. Additional owner benefits include access to the Vail Racquet Club offering an outdoor heated pool, hot tub, fitness center and cozy restaurant. Listed by Alida Zwaan with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties, the home attracted buyers from Denver to Mexico City and sold over list price for $1.82M in February 2022.
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This 1,652 sq. ft., 3 bed/2 bath ranch style home at 132 Brook Trout Loop in Dotsero offers breathtaking views including a backyard pond and wilderness playground. Newly built in 2019, owners made additional upgrades, including built out closets, new flooring, light fixtures, baseboards, and painted kitchen cabinets, resulting in an additional $20,000 over list price for the sellers. The home was listed by Thalia Leiva of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties for $539,000 and sold for $552,000 on March 11, 2022.
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Located at 127 Jules Drive, #F-104 in Gypsum’s Mountain Glen development, this 2 bed/2 bath, 895 sq. ft. condo features updated flooring, granite counter tops, kitchen amenities, bathroom vanities, and washing machine. The ground level unit also includes a patio, fenced-in yard, and two designated covered parking spaces. Listed by Thalia Leiva of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties for $359,000, the condo is currently under contract.
