You have heard of the 12 days of Christmas, well these are the 12 tips for selling your home before Christmas. These 12 tips will help you to have your home fully prepared to sell in 12 days. The prime Emerald coast locale on the panhandle already is a key selling point for your home. With a few preparations, you can show off the beauty of your home to potential buyers and have it sold before Dec. 25 rolls around.
1. Find a Real Estate Agent
Throughout Destin, there are homes in golf communities, waterfront neighborhoods and more. Choose a real estate agent that can sell your home based upon their expertise. Talk about a marketing plan to see who has the best plan to get your home sold by Christmas.
2. Learn the Value of Your Home
What is your home worth? Look online, use comparative analysis from your realtor and find out what homes in your area have recently sold for. We also have a handy tool on our website to gather information on your home’s worth.
3. Determine a Listing Price
Your listing price needs to be established so it is competitively priced with the other homes on the market. Be sure you factor in negotiations so you don’t end up with offers lower than what you are willing to accept.
4. Make Repairs
Repairs to drywall, plumbing, and electrical need to be made. If you have structural damage, that has to be addressed as well. Ultimately, you have to be sure all repairs are done so that the house is move-in ready.
5. Get Rid of Clutter
Clutter has to go – and not into a closet. Rid your home of personal affects so buyers can see what the home itself looks like. You may need to get a storage unit to hold extra furniture and boxes of knick knacks until the home sells.
6. Re-Arrange Furniture
Furniture should be arranged to make sense of each room. Divide large rooms so they are comfortable and keep smaller rooms open and appealing.
7. Stage Your Bathrooms
Bathrooms should be brought to the whitest you can get them. This includes cleaning mold and mildew, replacing outdated toilets and toilet seats and changing the shower curtain to a white or off white linen curtain.
8. Stage Your Kitchen
Take the personality out of your kitchen by removing knick knacks, children’s artwork and decorative hand towels. Keep one or two appliances on the counters and remove the rest. If you have a pot rack above the kitchen island, take it down to prevent buyers from thinking that the kitchen lacks storage space.
9. Enhance Curb Appeal
The curb appeal for your Destin home has to be enhanced. Mow the lawn, rake the leaves and manicure the landscaping.
10. Add Seasonal Décor
Seasonal décor can be added throughout your home to give people the chance to see what holidays in Destin looks like. Add a snowman with shades, burn cinnamon potpourri, or hang a wreath on the door.
11. Host an Open House
Host an open house with the help of your agent. Offer food and beverage that can be eaten in a convenient form. Have brochures about the neighborhood and flyers about the features of the home to hand out.
12. Re-Strategize
If your home did not sell during the open house, you need to discuss feedback from buyers with your agent. What did people have to say? What didn’t they like? Incorporate the feedback into a plan of action and get ready for the next open house.
