Six Steps to Sell Your Home Quickly

You’ve decided to sell your home and, naturally, would like to get top dollar in return on your investment. While the inventory of homes available on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is still below average, there are several things you can do as a homeowner to ensure your home sells quickly. Here are six simple steps to help your home sell quickly in today’s market:

1. Find the Right Real Estate Agent – The ideal listing agent will know the local market and have a track record that proves it. Agents at Expect Realty are some of the best on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with a proven record of excellent service and exceeding market averages. An agent will guide you through the entire selling process, including arranging for professional photography, writing a listing, marketing your home, scheduling showings and handling contractual paperwork.  
   
   
2. Handle all of the quick fixes – Take care of “the little things” that may make your home appear as though it’s not move-in ready. Painting the walls, fixing anything that may be in ill repair, replacing old carpet and powerwashing the exterior are quick fixes that give you home a fresh look. These things will also cut down on the buyers list of items to address as a repair or an update down the road if they make an offer.
   
   
3. Price your home appropriately  – How you price your home at listing will in large part determine whether our home flies off the market or if it sits. Your agent will pull comparable homes in the area and recommend a pricing strategy. Pricing too high may cause buyers to look elsewhere as you lose out on interest while the listing is fresh. Pricing slightly lower in an active market may lead to a bidding war and ultimately a higher overall price and quick sale.    
   
   
4. Invest in professional photos – Ensure your agent is working with a quality professional photographer. We’ve all heard “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but when it comes to selling your home, good pictures can be worth thousands of dollars. Photos are often the first impressions buyers have of your home, and pique their interest  to take the next step in scheduling a visit to your home. With that in mind, make sure your home is clean and clutter is removed so that the focus is on the home and not the contents inside it. Homes with more photos sell faster, the more buyers can learn about your home ahead of time, the better your chances are of selling quickly. 
   
   
5. Make private showings easy – More serious homebuyers will schedule a private showing to take their time looking around and envision themselves living there. Make it easy for prospective buyers to schedule a time to visit your home. If it’s difficult for them to schedule a showing, they may pass your home up in favor of another listing. Agents at Expect Realty utilize ShowingTime, an app that assists with scheduling and confirming appointments, as well as requesting feedback from prospective buyers who have toured your home.   
   
   
6. Help buyers envision living in your home – Homes with too many personal items make it difficult for prospective buyers to picture themselves living there. Things that make your home feel “like yours” won’t necessarily be appealing to others. Before a showing, make sure your home is clean, pack up your personal touches and be sure to leave (taking pets with you) prior to the arrival of your prospective buyers.  
   

Being well-prepared and flexible during your home selling journey will go a long way in achieving your goal of a smooth and successful sale. If you are ready to sell your home, the agents at Expect Realty are some of the best real estate agents in Mississippi, and can guide your through the process of selling a home in Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Bay St. Louis or any of our beautiful coastal communities. We also have agents who specialize in working with clients looking to buy a home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Contact us today at 228.215.1861 or expectmore@expectrealty.com.